Name: Beef skewers with chimichirri salad
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 tsp cumin seeds; juice and zest 2 limes plus wedges to serve; 3 sirloin steaks or rump steak, fat trimmed, cut into long strips; 200g long grain rice or wild rice mix; 2 x 400g cans black beans rinsed and drained; 3 shallots finely diced; 2 ripe avocados chopped into small chunks; 200ml Greek yogurt or natural yogurt, to serve; 20cm piece cucumber chopped into small chunks; 1 shallot roughly chopped; 3 garlic cloves roughly chopped; small pack coriander; small pack flat-leaf parsley leaves picked; 2 tsp dried oregano; 4 tbsp olive oil; 4 tbsp red wine vinegar; 1 red chilli finely chopped; 6 large or 12 small metal or pre-soaked wooden skewer

Beef skewers with chimichurri rice salad

2 tsp cumin seeds
juice and zest 2 limes
plus wedges to serve
3 sirloin steaks
or rump steak, fat trimmed, cut into long strips
200g long grain rice
or wild rice mix
2 x 400g cans black beans
rinsed and drained
3 shallots
finely diced
2 ripe avocados
chopped into small chunks
200ml Greek yogurt
or natural yogurt, to serve
20cm piece cucumber
chopped into small chunks

For the chimichurri

1 shallot
roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves
roughly chopped
small pack coriander
small pack flat-leaf parsley
leaves picked
2 tsp dried oregano
4 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 red chilli
finely chopped

You'll also need

6 large or 12 small metal or pre-soaked wooden skewer

Method

step 1
First, make the chimichurri base. Put the shallot in a mini food processor with the garlic, herbs and oil. Pulse until finely chopped but still with some texture – like a chunky pesto. Put 1 1/2 tbsp in a small bowl and set aside. Mix the red wine vinegar, chilli and 1 tbsp water into the remaining mixture and season. Chill until assembling.
step 2
Stir the cumin seeds and lime juice into the reserved 1 1/2 tbsp chimichurri base, then spoon all over the steak strips in a non-metallic dish. Give everything a good mix to coat, then marinate in the fridge for at least 30 mins, or up to 2 hrs.
step 3
Rinse the rice and put in a saucepan with triple the volume of water. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer gently until cooked. Drain any remaining liquid, then spread on a tray to cool quickly.
step 4
When the rice is almost cool, stir in half the chimichurri sauce with the black beans, shallots, avocado and cucumber.
step 5
Thread the beef onto 6 large or 12 small skewers and heat the grill or a griddle pan to high. Grill for 3-4 mins each side, or griddle for 1-2 mins each side, depending on how well cooked you like your steak. Serve the rice on a platter with the skewers, lime wedges, yogurt mixed with lime zest and black pepper, and the remaining chimichurri.