Summer tomato recipe: Balsamic skirt steak with chimichurri and blistered tomatoes

Tomato season has arrived, filling farmers markets and produce stalls with plump, flavorful fruit, from the heirloom varieties you’ll want to savor in Caprese salads to the cherry or grape tomatoes that work so well as blistered sides.

For an easy, make-ahead meal that’s flavorful and fresh this summer, go for this recipe for a balsamic-marinated skirt steak topped with homemade chimichurri and blistered tomatoes. The how-tos hail from Carissa Stanton, author of “Seriously, So Good: Simple Recipes for a Balanced Life” (Simon Element, $35), who got her start cooking for girls’ nights with her friends and sharing the photos via Instagram on her account, @broccyourbody.

“If there’s one perfect combination in the world of food, it’s a beautifully seared steak topped with chimichurri, the Argentinian salsa that’s a ton of parsley and garlic mixed with oil and vinegar,” she writes. The easy, homemade sauce, she says, elevates your dish to another level.

Balsamic Skirt Steak with Chimichurri and Blistered Tomatoes

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

For the chimichurri:

1 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/3 jalapeño, finely chopped (seeded for less heat)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

For the balsamic skirt steak:

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1½ pounds skirt steak

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

16 ounces cherry tomatoes

DIRECTIONS

Make the chimichurri: In a medium bowl, combine the cilantro, parsley, olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, jalapeño and salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. This can be made a day or so ahead of time, if kept refrigerated.

Marinate and cook the skirt steak: In a zip-seal plastic bag or airtight container, combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, kosher salt and pepper. Add the steak and turn to fully coat.

Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature (or refrigerate a day ahead).

Heat a grill pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated steak (letting any excess marinade drip off) and cook until the meat is well browned on both sides and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the steak reads 135 degrees for medium-rare, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Transfer to a cutting board and let rest about 7 minutes, so the steak retains its juices.

In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and season with a pinch of salt and a few twists of pepper. Cook until blistered, 2 to 3 minutes.

Slice the steak against the grain. Serve with the blistered tomatoes and top with the chimichurri sauce.

— Carissa Stanton, “Seriously, So Good: Simple Recipes for a Balanced Life” (Simon Element, $35)