My $25 Steak Dinner

Let me paint you guys a picture: I. Wanted. Some. Steak! I still don't know why I was craving red meat so badly but I kept dreaming about a juicy, delicious, perfectly pink steak.  But there was one problem...I was broke! So my first attempt to satisfy my craving was to spend a gift card I had for Carrabbas.  I ordered the Steak Marsala with high hopes, but when I ate the dry, barely seasoned filet I was incredibly disappointed.  I mean, it filled me up that night but it didn't satisfy my craving.  So I had to take matters into my own hands.

With $25 in cash I'd just received from selling popcorn, I went to my local grocery store and managed to pull off a fabulous dinner.  Unlike Carrabbas, MY steak was seasoned to perfection, juicy and delicious and it even reheated nicely!  So I figured I would share this meal to show you all that an amazing steak dinner can be achieved on a budget and in a fairly healthy way.  Some folks believe that red meat isn't part of a healthy diet but flank steak is very lean and this whole meal was filling and low calorie.

So scroll below to see the recipes.  I included prices of the groceries that I purchased that day, to illustrate how affordable everything was.  And any ingredients that do not include a price are the ones that I already had in my pantry.  Oh and that Chimichurri was absolutely perfect (if do I say so myself!).  There are a million recipes for the Argentinean sauce but my recipe came together with what I had on hand and it was SO GOOD! And the leftovers would be amazing on any protein.  Enjoy!

For the Steak
1.5-2 lb Flank Steak - $12.95
2 tbsp Chili Powder
2 tbsp Kosher Salt
1 tbsp Coarse Black Pepper
2 tsp Dried Oregano
2 tsp Onion Powder

Chimichurri Sauce
Two Large Handfuls Fresh Parsley Leaves - $1.50
Two Large Handfuls Fresh Cilantro Leaves - $1.50
2 Garlic Cloves
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
2 tbsp Capers
2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sauteed Corn & Red Peppers
2 tbsp Butter, divided
1/2 a Red Bell Pepper, diced -$1.00
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1 Bag Frozen Corn - $1.50
Salt and Pepper to Taste
1 tsp. Smoked (or regular) Paprika

Sauteed Hericot Verts (French Green Beans)
1 tbsp. Butter
1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Small Shallot, diced - $0.85
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1 Bag Fresh Hericot Verts - $3.69

Grand Total - $22.99 + tax!!  You see, $25 can go really far when you buy affordable cuts of beef and keep your kitchen stocked with the Essentials!

Directions:

To prep the steak, combine the chili powder, salt, pepper, oregano, and onion powder to make a rub.  Then, like the name says, rub the seasonings on both sides of the steak and set aside until ready to grill (at least 15 minutes).

Next make the Chimicurri sauce by simply adding the cilantro, parsley, garlic cloves, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, capers, and vinegar to a food processor (this is a good job for a mini-chopper if you have one).  Pulse a few times and then blend while streaming in the 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil.  Stop blending and taste for seasoning and a "sauce like" consistency.  If it's too thick, stream in more evoo.  Pour chimichurri into a bowl and set aside.

Now set up two sauté pans.  In one, melt the butter and once bubbling, add in the diced red pepper and sauté until slightly soft (about 3-4 mins).  Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.  Then add in the bag of frozen corn, stir to combine, and cook on medium low heat until the corn has defrosted and been heated through.  When ready to serve, stir in salt and pepper to taste, transfer to a serving bowl and top with smoked paprika.

Meanwhile, using a fork, poke a few holes in the bag containing the hericot verts and microwave on high for 3 minutes to get them going.  Then, in the other sauté pan, melt the butter, add in the olive oil and, once hot, add in diced shallots and sauté until soft.  Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds before adding the partly cooked hericot verts.  Sauté until the green beans have absorbed the oils and have slightly caramelized.  Then, remove from the heat until ready to serve.

To cook the steak, heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to high.  Once the grill is screaming hot, add the steak and cook for 5 minutes on each side for medium doneness (warm pink center).  Remove steak and allow to rest for 5-7 minutes (see left).

To serve, slice steak at an angle, top with chimichurri sauce and serve with sauteed corn and hericot verts.