Hello, May!
Fresh California strawberries are at their best right now! Nothing beats fresh lemonade on a sunny spring day, especially this version made with fresh strawberries. Strawberry lemonade is the perfect combination of tart and sweet – everything you want in a refreshing drink!
For a more intense lemon flavor, add a few strips of fresh lemon peel to the simple syrup as you are making it. Once the sugar has dissolved in the water, remove from heat and let the peel steep in the simple syrup for several minutes, then strain out the peel when adding the simple syrup to the pitcher.
Fresh Strawberry Lemonade
(Makes about 10 cups)
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
7 cups water, divided use
1 pound fresh organic strawberries, hulled
2 to 3 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
Sliced strawberries and lemons, fresh lavender or mint sprigs for serving (optional)
Ice
To make the simple syrup, combine sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Cool to room temperature.
Place strawberries and 2 cups of water in a blender or food processor fitted with a blade attachment and puree until smooth. Pour through a mesh strainer into a large pitcher. Add lemon juice, simple syrup and remaining 4 cups of water to the pitcher; stir well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (can be made up to a few days in advance).
Before serving, add fresh strawberry slices, lemon slices, lavender or mint springs to the strawberry lemonade, if desired. Serve over ice.
Fresh chimichurri sauce is a flavor bomb that ensures everything it touches is dripping with loads of tart, garlicky, herby flavor – a perfect accompaniment to grilled flank steak. Chimichurri is a zesty, fresh, herb-infused sauce originating in Argentina and is commonly used on grilled meats like chicken, pork and steak. It’s also delicious drizzled over roasted vegetables or spread onto sandwiches.
Chimichurri is traditionally made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, parsley and oregano. This version uses cilantro (I love the citrusy flavor it adds, but if you aren’t a fan of cilantro, just substitute more parsley), shallot and fresh lemon juice for a delicious twist to this classic recipe.
Because flank steak doesn’t have a lot of fat to add flavor, marinating it in an acidic marinade is one of the best and easiest ways to tenderize and infuse it with flavor. Here, a portion of the chimichurri sauce is used as the marinade.
GRILLED FLANK STEAK WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE
(Makes about 5 servings)
2 pounds flank steak
1 small shallot, peeled
2 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (about 1 bunch)
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves (can sub with flat-leaf parsley)
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Place flank steak between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin to tenderize and even the thickness. Place flank steak in a gallon-sized zip-top plastic bag.
Place shallot, garlic, red pepper flakes and salt in a food processor fitted with a blade attachment; pulse to chop. Add parsley, cilantro and oregano and pulse a few times to chop. Add the oil, vinegar and lemon juice and pulse again until combined. You should have about 1 cup volume.
Add half of the chimichurri sauce to the bag with the flank steak. Seal the bag, pressing the air out, and then massage the chimichurri sauce into the steak. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours or up to 12 hours, turning the bag occasionally. Cover and refrigerate the remaining chimichurri sauce until 30 minutes before serving (bring to room temperature before using).
Take the flank steak out of the refrigerator and allow it to sit on the counter for 30 minutes before grilling. Grease the grill grates with oil and then preheat to high. Remove the flank steak from the chimichurri marinade (discard the marinade) and gently shake off the excess herbs. Season both sides of flank steak with salt and ground black pepper.
Grill flank steak, covered, for about 4 to 5 minutes or until well seared and dark brown on one side. Flip the steak over, and grill for an additional 3 to 4 minutes for rare or medium-rare (internal temp should be 125-130 degrees and will rise to 135 as it rests). Remove from the grill, place on a cutting board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and allow the steak to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Using a serrated knife, thinly slice the flank steak on the bias against the grain. Top with the remaining chimichurri sauce.
