Churrasco Con Pebre

Manami's Note:

"Churrasco means different things in different parts of Latin America: a particular cut of beef in Argentina, a general term for barbecue in Brazil and a flat tenderloin in Nicaragua." Here the steak is cut in the Nicaraguan style, seasoned with Salvadorian spices, and accented with a Chilean sauce called Pebre. Pebre is served as a meat or chicken accompaniment and it's also delicious atop grilled tomatoes. A lovely bright-green color, Pebre has a fresh garden taste with none of the sweet overtones of many hot sauces. Be warned that this is no regular steak sauce, but rather an equivalent to the hot mustard sauce served in Japanese restaurants. I have posted the Pebre without Habanero chiles but feel free to add them when preparing the sauce. Courtesy of Healthy Latin Cooking by Stephen Raichlen and Cooking Light, January 2000. -- Don't be put off by the long list of ingredients, they are to make the sauce of which you will have a lot leftover. -- It is all so good! Make the Pebre first and then you will have it ready for the steak.

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 40 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

CHURRASCO

• cooking spray
• 4 cups sliced onions
• ½ teaspoon sugar or ½ teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 (1 ½ lb) center-cut beef tenderloin
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin

PEBRE (Chilean Cilantro Sauce)

• 2⁄3; cup low sodium vegetable broth
• ½ cup minced fresh cilantro or ½ cup minced fresh parsley
• ½ cup minced onion
• ½ cup minced red bell pepper
• ¼ cup white vinegar or ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (less or to taste)
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves , minced

Directions:

1. CHURRASCO:.
2. Place a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat until hot. Add sliced onion and sugar; cover and cook 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Keep warm.
3. Prepare broiler.
4. Cut tenderloin lengthwise with the grain into 6 even steaks. Place 1 steak between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap;flatten to an even thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Repeat procedure with remaining steaks.
5. Combine salt and next 4 ingredients(salt through cumin). Rub salt mixture over both sides of steaks.
6. Place steaks on broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 2 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.
7. Top each steak with onion mixture; drizzle each with 1 tablespoon of Pebre.
8. PEBRE:.
9. Combine all ingredients, stirring with a whisk until well-blended. Store remaining sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.