Chili Pilaf with Steak and Chimichurri

While looking for stovetop only meals to make for our culinary competition, some students picked this recipe out of the Rachel Ray magaine. It was SO good. I loved it and they loved it. This picture is from RR, but ours looked pretty much just like this, and hungry teenagers ate it all before I took any photos. The rice was really great, and the chimichurri was good mixed in with the rice. If you don't have a food processor, just mince all of your ingredients into oblivion and you'll be fine :) This is fresh with the chimichurri, but still warm and comforting. We hope you love it as much as we did!

Chili Pilaf with Steak and Chimichurri

source: Rachel Ray magazine

Serves 4 (but really, could serve many more if they won't each eat 8 oz of steak!)

2 tbsp butter
¼ cup orzo pasta (did without, and it was great)
1 ¾ cups chicken stock
1 cup rice
¼ cup pimientos, drained well and finely chopped
1 tbsp chili powder
1 ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika
¼ cup sherry vinegar
1 large shallot, coarsely chopped
1 large clove garlic, grated or minced
1 cup packed flat leaf parsley
7 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped
6 sprigs fresh marjoram, leaves stripped
Grated peel of 1 lemon
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 8-oz strip steaks, at room temperature

Preheat a grill pan or large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the orzo and cook, stirring, until toasted and golden brown, about 3 minutes (since we didn't use orzo, we did this with the rice instead). Stir in the chicken stock, rice, pimientos, chili powder, and paprika and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 18 minutes. Remove from the heat and fluff with a fork.
While the pilaf is working, using a food processor, pulse the vinegar, shallot, garlic, parsley, thyme, marjoram, and lemon peel until finely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the EVOO; season with salt and pepper.
Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Cook on the grill pan, turning once, for 8 minutes for rare. Let the meat rest for a few minutes, then serve with the pilaf and chimichurri.