Marinated beef tenderloin and spinach pesto

Do you know what the Brazilian secret is for cooking those delicious grilled meats? Marinate them! Preparing a tasty marinade takes a few minutes and the flavored oil penetrates the meat , adding more flavor and helping to make it juicier and more tender.

What we bring today is a recipe for marinated grilled beef: first we will marinate it , and after roasting it we will present it on the table with a spinach pesto sauce that goes wonderfully well.

We make it with beef, but you can do it exactly the same with any type of meat, be it pork, beef, chicken...

Important for roasting: remember to use an iron grill . The iron gets so hot that it instantly seals the meat, retaining all the juice and flavor inside.

Le Creuset square skillet pan and Le Creuset damascus steel knife

Ingredients (for 4 people)

• 1 - 1.2 Kg of beef

For the marinade:

• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp chili
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 150ml olive oil

For the pesto:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 shallot finely chopped
• 3 crushed garlic cloves
• 200g of spinach
• 150g feta cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 125ml evaporated milk
• 50 g toasted Brazil nuts
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

We marinate the meat:

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients and pour the mixture over the steak. Brush it well, so that everything is impregnated with it, and put it in an airtight bag or leave it in a covered airtight container. Place it in the fridge overnight.

we roast the steak

1. Remove the meat from the fridge an hour before you start cooking (it is important to take the meat out of the fridge beforehand, so that the temperature of the grill does not drop; besides, it will be done faster and better). Take it out of the bag or container where you had it and dry it on kitchen paper to remove excess marinade.
2. Preheat the Le Creuset skillet or iron grill to medium heat. When hot, add the steak and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.
3. Once cooked, remove the steak from the grill, put it on a plate and cover it to keep it warm for about 10 minutes. This will ensure that the meat is juicy and will retain more of its moisture when it is cut.
4. When serving, cut the steak into thin slices and serve with the pesto.

Prepare the spinach pesto

1. Add the oil in the skillet pan and heat it to medium - low heat. Gently fry the shallot and garlic for 5 minutes and allow to cool.
2. Add all the pesto ingredients to a food processor including the fried shallot and garlic and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Serve with the meat (and don't forget the bread!).

Grades:

• It is important to remove the meat from the refrigerator at least half an hour before grilling it, so as not to drop the temperature of the grill sharply. In addition, as it is warmer, it will also be easier for the central part of the piece of meat to cook, since the heat will reach it more easily.
• Remember not to handle the meat until the first side is well sealed: the iron first grabs the meat but when it is done it releases it. If you try to turn it and it's still stuck to the grill, wait a few more moments before turning it.