Gisele Bundchen, a supermodel from southern Brazil, knows a thing or two about steak.
She calls it “part of the culture” in her new cookbook, Nourish. “My dad used to grill steak on a stick, or churrasco, almost every Sunday. We all loved it,” she says.
Bundchen, 43, admits that she eats steak “less often” than she did when she was a child. These days, steak has become a delicacy, especially when served with chimichurri and sautéed vegetables.
Bündchen, who has been a model since the late 1990s and has walked the runways for Alexander McQueen, Valentino, Victoria’s Secret, and appeared in advertising campaigns for Versace and Louis Vuitton, has replaced fashion with food and created her first I wrote a cookbook.
Nourish is a collection of Bündchen’s favorite recipes and stories of her life and career.
This throughline is all about health, how the supermodel discovered that diet can be the key to physical and mental health, and how her ex-husband, former football quarterback Tom Brady I’m trying to pass that lesson on to my two children.
Her grilled ribeye steak recipe can be made on an outdoor barbecue or indoors, giving you a taste of Brazil wherever you are.
Gisele Bundchen’s Grilled Ribeye with Chimichurri and Sauteed Vegetables
material:
(For 4-6 people)
For ribeye:
1 large (2-2.5 pound) bone-in ribeye steak (1.5 inches thick), room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, or more if needed
avocado oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
For chimichurri (about 1 cup)
2-3 cloves of garlic (roughly chopped)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup packed fresh flat leaf parsley (or cilantro)
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 grated lemon rind (optional)
For sauteed leafy vegetables:
2 tablespoons avocado oil or ghee
2 cloves garlic (chopped or finely grated)
1 pound fresh spinach or Swiss chard, tough stems removed and leaves chopped
fine grain sea salt
Method:
1. Place the steak in a baking dish and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle salt all over and work it into the meat with your fingers. (This is the secret to a flavorful, juicy steak!) Marinate the meat for at least 30 minutes (or, if you have time, place it in a covered glass container and refrigerate overnight). When you’re ready to cook, remove the steak from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.
2. Preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Add about 3 tablespoons of oil to coat the bottom and add the steak. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, using tongs to rotate the steak regularly (rather than flipping it) so that it is evenly browned and has a brown crust on the bottom. Then flip it over and repeat on the other side. Add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter to the pan, and optionally add 2 crushed garlic cloves and a few sprigs of thyme or rosemary. Tilt the pan toward you to collect the butter in one part of the pan, then use a spoon to collect it and pour it over the steak to brown it. Continue cooking in this manner, flipping, rotating, and browning until the steak is well browned all over. Bake for an additional 3 to 6 minutes, depending on your desired doneness. To check, make a small cut with a paring knife in the thickest part of the steak. Let it rest for about 10 minutes, then slice it along the grain.
3. Make the chimichurri. Add garlic, vinegar, and salt to a blender and mix well. Add parsley and pulse until evenly chopped. Add the olive oil, oregano, paprika, and lemon zest, if using, and pulse until just combined. (Do not overprocess.) Let rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before use. Store in an airtight glass container, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
4. Grow leafy vegetables. Heat a Dutch oven or frying pan over medium heat and add the oil when hot. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, about 1 minute. Heap the vegetables and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Using tongs, toss vegetables until wilted, about 2 minutes for spinach and 5 minutes for chard. Taste, transfer to a plate, and enjoy. If you store it in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator, it will last for about 3 days.
5. Warm the steaks, spoon the collected juices over the steaks and serve with the chimichurri. Serve with sautéed leafy vegetables.
“Nourish” by Gisele Bündchen, Copyright © 2024 by Gisele Bündchen Co., is published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group. Food photography by Eva Korenko and lifestyle photography by Kevin O’Brien. Available now at Amazon.co.uk.
