ChezCindy: Grilled Steak with Herbed Olive Oil Sauce

 

One might think the grilled steak is the feature of this delicious meal.  But the star of this dish is the herbed olive oil.  Grilled steak almost always needs an accompaniment.  Do you ever eat a steak without a sauce, be it a simple compound butter, red wine reduction, or even A-1 or Heinz 57?  Steak is great on its own.  But adding a sauce elevates it to the next level.  

This dish takes on an olive oil sauce with ingredients common to most pantries.  Toast some thick slices of bread and a side of sliced tomatoes for a steakhouse worthy dinner for a fraction of the cost.   

Grilled Steak with Herbed Olive Oil Sauce

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes

3/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

zest and juice and from 1 large lemon

1-pound boneless strip or ribeye steak, about 1” thick  

In a medium bowl, combine the garlic, oregano, thyme, and hot pepper flakes.  Whisk in the olive oil and salt.  Add the lemon juice and zest, whisking to combine.  Pour off 1/2 cup of the marinade into a separate bowl to use as a sauce.  The remaining sauce will be used as a marinade for the steak.  

To prep your steak, remove the steak from the refrigerator and place it onto a plate.  Pour the remaining sauce over the steak, using tongs to flip over the steak to coat it well with the sauce.  Set the steak aside to marinate for up to 1 hour, turning it over a few times to keep all sides covered with the sauce.  

To grill your steak, prep your grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat.  If using a grill pan, be sure it is very hot before placing the steak in it.  Grill the steak for about 6-7 minutes on side one, turning over to cook side two for another 3-4 minutes for medium-rare.  The cooking time is longer on side one to assure good grill marks.  To cook to medium, add an additional 1-2 minutes on each side.  

Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for about 10 minutes.  Baste the steak with additional sauce.  Thinly slice against the grain.  Serve with grilled bread and the reserved sauce on the side.