Sirloin Steaks with Parsley and Capers

Capers have long been used in Mediterranean cuisines.  The pickled buds of the caper bush, these little green gems have a tangy and lemony flavor that cannot be mistaken.  If you like trying various pickled foods (asparagus, green beans, cucumbers, cauliflower), then you should give capers a shot.  Here, we combine them with curly-leaf parsley and a little coarsely ground ancho chile powder to create a flavorful chutney for serving over top of grilled sirloin steaks marinated in a combination of scallions, garlic, lime, Worcestershire, and more parsley and ancho chile.  The result is combination of tastes with a mild subdued heat lingering in the background.

Gather Up:

• 2 lbs sirloin steaks
• 1/4 cup HFCS-free Worcestershire sauce
• 4 scallions, roots trimmed and finely chopped – divided
• medium bunch of curley-leaf parsley, stems trimmed and finely chopped (about 1/2 cup) – divided
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed – divided
• juice of 2 limes – divided
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 oz jar capers, drained with 2 tbsp juice reserved
• 1 dried ancho chile, stem and seeds removed and coarsely ground in a mortar & pestle
• 1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper

Start out prepping the chutney (left) and the marinade (right).  Chop the onions, placing the white and pale green parts into one prep bowl for the marinade, and the darker green parts in a second prep bowl for the chutney.  Remove the long stems from the parsley, then chop fine and separate half into each prep bowl.  Add the Worcestershire, juice of 1-1/2 limes, three crushed garlic cloves, 1 tbsp of caper juice, black pepper, and 3/4 of the ground ancho chile to the marinade bowl and mix well.  In the chutney bowl, add the capers, olive oil, and the remaining lime juice, garlic, parsley, ancho chile powder, and caper juice.  Combine well, then place the chutney in the refrigerator.

In a resealable plastic bag, place the marinade and the steak.  Toss to coat well, then remove as much air as possible and let sit in the fridge for at least 15 minutes, and up to 2 hours.

Heat the grill to high heat – 450 degrees or more.  Remove the meat from the fridge while the grill comes to temperature to allow the meat to come closer to room temperature.  Grill the way you like it – about 3 minutes per side for 3/4″ steaks to be medium rare.  When they’re just about how you want them, pull them from the grill and place on the counter with a tent of foil over the top to let them rest for another 5 minutes.  Pull the chutney out of the fridge at this time.

To serve, slice the steak across the grain in about 1/4″ thick slices, then spread some of the chutney over the top.  We’ve got our old standby – a garden salad – along side, as well as the spicy-roasted broccoli to round things out.  Happy Eating!