Chimichurri Flank Steak with Black Beans

Ingredients

• 700 g flank or skirt steak
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and black pepper
• 30g flat-leaf parsley, leaves and fine stems
• 15g fresh oregano, leaves only
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 2 red chillies, deseeded
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 x 400g tins black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 lime, zested
• long-grain rice, to serve
• Warm tortillas, to serve
• Fresh coriander, to serve
• Soured cream, to serve
• Quick pickled red onion, to serve

Method

1. Make the chimichurri: pulse the parsley, oregano, garlic and chillies in a food processor until finely chopped but still with texture — you want flecks, not a paste. Tip into a bowl and stir in the olive oil, red wine vinegar and lime juice. Season generously with salt and pepper. It should look loose, glossy and aggressively green. Set aside to mingle.
2. Rub the steak all over with the olive oil and a heavy seasoning of salt and pepper. Leave it on the side to come to room temperature for 15 minutes — cold steak hitting a hot pan is the difference between a good crust and a grey one.
3. Tip the black beans into a small pan with the cumin, lime zest and a pinch of salt. Warm gently over a low heat for 5–6 minutes, stirring now and then, until glossy and fragrant. Keep warm.
4. Heat a heavy cast-iron pan or griddle over the highest heat until smoking hot — you want it almost uncomfortable to stand near. Lay the steak in and leave it alone for 3–4 minutes, until a deep crust forms, then flip and cook for another 3–4 minutes for medium-rare, depending on thickness.
5. Lift the steak onto a board and rest for a full 5 minutes. This is non-negotiable — cut early and the juices run away.
6. Slice the steak thinly across the grain, on a slight angle, so each piece stays tender.
7. Spoon the warm black beans onto plates, lay the sliced steak over the top and spoon the chimichurri generously across the meat so it pools into the beans. Serve with rice alongside, a scatter of fresh coriander, a pinch of chilli flakes and a wedge of lime to squeeze over.