Part of our local Saturday Supper, this grilled flank steak is simple, quick and perfect for entertaining. Chimichurri is an Argentinian sauce commonly served with steak. With parsley and peppers, it’s a spicier take on the traditional pesto. It also makes a great marinade to add even more flavor to your steak. Cut the grilled steak into thin slices and serve along or on top of a simple salad, or on rice or grains for a heartier meal.

Recipe: Chimichurri Flank Steak

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch parsley, rinsed and coarsely chopped
• 1 or 2 jalapeno peppers, quartered (seeds included)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 c olive oil
• 1/4 t each of salt and pepper
• 1 flank steak (1 1/4 – 1 1/2 lbs.)

Process first five ingredients in food processor until finely chopped. You may need to add additional olive oil to get the right consistency, but it should be fairly thick. Rub several tablespoons over flank steak and marinate for at least an hour. (Optional, pour 1 bottle dark Mexican beer, e.g. Negra Modelo, over steak as well.) Bring steak to room temperature while preheating grill or grill pan. Sear over medium high heat for 3-4 minutes per side for medium rare, 5 for medium. Allow to stand for several minutes after removing from the grill before slicing. Serve with the remaining chimichurri sauce on the side. Serves 4-6. Enjoy!

This week, with Father’s Day on Sunday, our one local summer “day” was spread out throughout the week. For Father’s Day, the husband and I went out to an Italian cheese and meat course at Cheesetique, followed by dinner at Rustico. Rustico is a great neighborhood restaurant that sources a lot of their products from local farms and producers, and has a massive beer selection. I managed to have a fairly-local meal there, with Chesapeake (Dragon Creek) oysters, asparagus salad with FireFly goat cheese (MD, 173mi.), and the most local beer they had on tap, Southampton Ale (NY, 330mi.). (On tap = less packaging, which offsets some of the miles, right? That’s my story, anyway.)

I visited two farmers markets this week, Alexandria’s West End and Penn Quarter in DC (photos), plus had the CSA bag. We still have a fridge full of veggies to use up before the next CSA delivery on Wednesday as I just can’t pass up all the great summer produce that’s coming into season! Here’s what we cooked this week:

Dad’s Day Brunch: Pattypan squash and Virginia spicy beef sausage hash, chocolate-strawberry stuffed french toast, topped with strawberry red wine sauce. (Non-local but organic chocolate, bread from local bakery.) This squash hash is a great way to lighten the traditional potato-based dish for summer.

Recipe: Squash and Sausage Hash

Ingredients:

• 1 large pattypan squash, diced (any summer squash would work really)
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 2 sausages, sliced
• 1 t olive oil
• 2 T parsley, chopped

Heat oil over medium high heat. Add sausage and brown. Reduce heat to medium and add onion and squash. Cook about 5-7 minutes until squash is tender and golden. Remove from heat, add fresh parsley and serve.

(Toddler tried to like this, but the spicy beef sausage was just too spicy! Will make sure to get a sweet sausage for him next time.)

Dinner 1: garlic scape pesto-marinated flank steak and golden zucchini on the grill (non-local brown rice).

Dinner 2: leftover steak and zucchini salad, with a side of roasted asparagus, egg, and shaved Everona Stony Man cheese.

Dessert: previously mentioned Summer Solstice Shortcake with Basil-Infused Berries. (non-local flour, baking soda and salt)

So far my only local grain find is Maryland corn meal. I need to find some other grains, but I have a feeling whole grains like brown rice are not going to be possible.

Farmers/Producers:

• Parsley, scapes, lettuce – Potomac Vegetable Farms CSA, VA, 23mi.
• Asparagus, berries – Westmoreland Berry Farm, VA, 71mi.
• Stony Man (aged sheeps milk) cheese – Everona Dairy, VA, 83mi.
• Squash, onion – J&W Valley View Farm, VA, 84mi.
• Organic eggs – Hilldale Farm, VA, 111mi.
• Sausage, flank steak – Fauquier County, VA, 67mi. (via Let’s Meat on the Avenue, 1.1mi.)