Best Gaucho Snacks Recipes

GAUCHO STEAK WITH 4-HERB CHIMICHURRI

Steps:

• For the steak:
• Combine all ingredients, and let steak marinate, refrigerated, for 1 to 3 hours.
• Heat grill or pan to high heat, cook skirt steak to medium-rare, let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then cut on bias in 1/4 inch pieces, and top with chimichuri sauce.
• 4-herb chimichurri:
• Mix all ingredients lightly in food processor until a coarse sauce is formed. Set aside for 2 hours.

BEEF GAUCHO

Steps:

• Brown the ground beef in a saute pan over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Once the beef is browned, add the oregano and a pinch of salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper. Add the sliced onions and cumin and cook until the onions are translucent. Stir in the Spanish paprika. Simmer the filling over low heat for 15 minutes. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Let cool.
• Spoon 2 tablespoons of the filling into a disc of empanada dough. Fold the disc in half and close it by tightly twisting the edges. Repeat with the remaining filling.
• Heat the vegetable oil to 350 degrees F in a deep-fryer or heavy pot. In batches, fry the empanadas until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes.

GAUCHO STEAKS WITH CHIMICHURRI VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• For the chimichurri vinaigrette: Mix the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, cilantro, hoja sante if using, oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Add the parsley just before serving. Makes about 3/4 cup.
• For the steaks: Using tongs, roast the chiles over a stove top flame, rotating so the chiles blacken evenly on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes. (Alternatively, place on a pan under the broiler and broil a few minutes each side until blackened.) Place the chiles in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand for 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel the charred skin. Stem and seed the chiles and slice into thin strips. Set aside.
• In the olive oil, slowly cook the garlic in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the cloves are fragrant and have softened, about 10 minutes. When cool, cut into thin slices, or you can also leave whole.
• Lay the steaks flat on a work surface. Make 3 incisions in each steak parallel to the work surface to create pockets. Stuff each with roasted chiles and garlic. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
• Grill the steaks over medium-high heat to the desired doneness, about 5 minutes on each side. Serve with the chimichurri vinaigrette.

GAUCHO STEAK

Steps:

• Stir the hot water, salt, and cayenne pepper together and let stand, covered.
• Bring steaks to room temperature.
• Pat them dry with paper towels.
• Grill steaks over direct heat, basting each side twice with a small spoonful of the pepper mixture during grilling.
• Cook the steaks for about 10 minutes per side, depending on their thickness, the heat of your flame, and your preference for degree of doneness.
• I prefer to grill with charcoal for its added flavor.

ARGENTINE CHICKEN STEW (CAZUELA GAUCHO)

Steps:

• Heat some oil in a Dutch oven.
• Dredge the chicken pieces in seasoned flour.
• Saute the chicken until golden brown on all sides.
• Remove chicken and set aside.
• If necessary, add additional oil to the pan and saute the carrots, parsnips, potatoes and squash until golden brown.
• Remove vegetables and set aside.
• Saute onions until limp and translucent.
• Near the end of the onions' cooking time, add the garlic and paprika and saute 2-3 minutes.
• Return chicken and sauteed vegetables to the pan.
• Add bay leaf, white wine, salt and pepper and chicken stock to barely cover the stew.
• Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer.
• Cook for 20 minutes and add barley and corn cob slices.
• Cover and continue cooking for 30 minutes.
• Add green beans and thawed peas and cook for 10 additional minutes.
• Beat the egg.
• Add a little of the hot liquid from the pan and beat the egg vigorously.
• Add the egg to the pot and stir.
• Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• Taste the stew and correct the seasoning, if necessary.
• Serve the stew in soup plates or deep dinner plates with a rim.

STEAK GAUCHO-STYLE WITH ARGENTINIAN CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat a grill.
• Place all chimichurri sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until well chopped, but not pureed. Reserve.
• Dissolve cayenne pepper and salt in 1 cup hot water. Transfer to a squeeze container.
• Place the steak directly over a hot grill, baste with the chimichurri grilling sauce, and grill until the outer portion of the meat reaches the desired degree of doneness. Remove the steak from the grill and slice long strips from the outer edges of the steak. Instruct guests to pick up a steak slice from the cutting board with their fingers, place it on a slice of baguette, and enjoy. Return the remaining steak to the grill, baste, and grill until more of the steak is cooked. Remove and repeat the slicing and serving procedure until steak is consumed. For extra spicy steak, baste 2 or 3 additional times with the cayenne pepper mixture during grilling process. Spoon chimichurri sauce over steak. (Also brilliant on any grilled fish or chicken)
• Recommended beverage: Argentinian Malbec (red)

EASY GAUCHO BEANS

Steps:

• If using the dried beans, soak them in cold water overnight with 1/2 t of baking soda. The following day, drain the beans and place them in a larg pot with the bacon, another 1/2 t of baking soda and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook the beans until they are soft - about 2 hours. If the water level drops too low before the beans are tender, add another cup of water (or more as needed). If using canned beans, just warm them in a large pot with 3 1/2 C of water. Drain.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring often, until the veggies are soft and fragrant - about 5-7 minutes.
• Add the veggie mixture to the pot with the beans and cook just long enough to bring the flavors together, about 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

GAUCHO-GRILLED STEAK WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the garlic, jalapeno and vinegar in a bowl. Stir in the parsley, oregano, and lime juice. Whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside at room temperature to allow the flavors to marry.
• Marinate the steak in olive oil for 30 minutes, turning to coat both sides.
• Preheat an outdoor charcoal grill or oven broiler to high. Remove the steak from the oil and season both sides with a generous amount of salt and pepper; you should see the seasoning on the meat. Grill the steaks on the hottest part of the barbecue for 4 minutes per side, until well charred. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let stand for 5 minutes. Cut the steak across the grain on the diagonal and fan the slices out on a platter. Spoon some chimichurri over the meat and serve with the remaining sauce at the table.

GRILLED GAUCHO STEAK WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare a medium-hot fire in the grill.
• Lightly brush the onion slices with olive oil. Place on the grill and cook about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a platter and reserve. Place the steaks on the grill. Baste a couple of times with Chili Water and cook until done, about 4 to 6 minutes on each side. Transfer to a platter.
• Lightly brush the pita bread with olive oil and grill for 1 minute to heat through.
• Slice the tomatoes into 1/4-inch slices and then cut the slices in half. Lay out the pita bread on 2 sheet pans and crumble the blue cheese on top. Transfer to the oven to keep warm. Slice the meat lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices and put into a bowl. Toss the meat with 1/2 cup Chimichurri Sauce. Remove the pita from the oven and divide the meat between them. Place the sliced tomatoes on the side of the meat and top all with rings of grilled onion. Spoon the remaining 1 teaspoon of Chimichurri Sauce over top and serve.
• Mix all ingredients together.
• Place the parsley, bay leaves, garlic, paprika, oregano, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse until combined. Put the sauce in a glass or plastic container, using as needed. Chimichurri will last for up to 1 month, refrigerated.