Ingredients

For the chimichurri marinade/sauce:

• 2/3 cup fresh cilantro, loosely packed
• 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, loosely packed
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea)
• 1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the chimichurri marinade/sauce:

• Two 8- to 10-ounce rib-eyes, each at least 1 inch thick
• 1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Combine all the ingredients for the marinade/sauce in a medium bowl and whisk to mix. Set aside half the marinade for serving. Place the steaks in a sturdy resealable bag or in a baking dish large enough to hold them and pour the remaining half of the marinade over them. Marinate the steaks for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the steaks from the marinade and scrape off any excess. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.

Step 2

Heat a large cast-iron skillet or plancha (a Spanish griddle) on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the steaks to the pan and cook, turning once or twice with tongs, until done to your liking, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Alternatively, cook the steaks on an outdoor grill, either charcoal or gas. (Note: Really thick steaks can be browned in the frying pan or on the plancha, then transferred to a 400°F oven to finish cooking.) Transfer the steaks to a platter or plates. Serve with the reserved chimichurri sauce.

Ingredients

For the romesco:

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for coating the vegetables
• 1 red bell pepper
• 6 ripe plum tomatoes
• 1 head garlic, halved, papery outer skin removed
• 1 Spanish onion
• 3 ñora chile peppers (or any other dried sweet chile pepper, such as ancho)
• 1/4 cup blanched almonds
• 1 ounce white bread, crust removed
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 1 teaspoon pimentón (Spanish smoked paprika)
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt, or more to taste

For the scallops:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 8 large dry-packed sea scallops
• Sea salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Step 1

Heat the oven to 350°F.

Step 2

Brush a thin film of olive oil over the pepper, tomatoes, garlic, and onion and lay them on a roasting pan. Roast for about 25 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft. Remove them from the oven. When cool enough to handle, peel the pepper, tomatoes, garlic, and onion. Seed the pepper and tomatoes and cut off their stems. Meanwhile, place the chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Soak for 15 minutes. Strain, then remove the seeds from the peppers. Place the chiles in a blender and purée until smooth. Pass the purée through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl and set aside.

Step 3

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a small sauté pan over low heat. Add the almonds and sauté them until golden and fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the almonds to a bowl and set aside. Increase the heat to medium and add the bread to the same sauté pan. Toast the bread until golden brown, about 30 seconds on each side. Remove the bread and set aside. Add the puréed chiles to the sauté pan and cook for 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat.

Step 4

Place the peeled roasted vegetables into the blender. Add the almonds, toasted bread, chile paste, vinegar, pimentón, and the remaining seven tablespoons of olive oil. Blend into a thick sauce and add salt to taste. Pour the romesco sauce into a bowl and set aside.

Step 5

Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and when hot, add the scallops and sear on both sides, until the scallops are just cooked and slightly opaque, about 30 seconds on each side, depending on their size. Season with salt to taste and set aside.

Step 6

To serve, spoon some romesco sauce (rewarm if necessary) onto a serving plate. (Reserve the
remaining romesco sauce, covered in the refrigerator for up to three days, for another use). Place the seared scallops on top. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and garnish with parsley.