Coming from the south of Brazil, supermodel Gisele Bundchen knows a thing or two about steak.
She calls it “part of the culture”, in her new cookbook, Nourish. “My father grilled steak on a stick – churrasco – pretty much every Sunday. We all loved it,” she says.
Bundchen, 43, admits eating steak “less frequently” than when she was growing up – nowadays, it’s a treat, particularly when served with chimichurri and sauteed greens on the side.
Bundchen, who has been modelling since the late Nineties, walking the runway for the likes of Alexander McQueen, Valentino and Victoria’s Secret, and appearing in ad campaigns for Versace and Louis Vuitton, has swapped fashion for food and has written her first ever cookbook.
Nourish is a collection of Bundchen’s favourite recipes, along with stories from her life and career.
The through-line is all about health – how the supermodel discovered that food can be the key to physical and mental health, a lesson she tries to impart on her two children with ex-husband, former football quarterback Tom Brady.
Her recipe for grilled ribeye steak can be made either on an outdoor BBQ or inside – bringing a bit of Brazil to wherever you are.
Gisele Bundchen’s grilled ribeye with chimichurri and sauteed greens
Ingredients:
(Serves 4-6)
For the ribeye:
1 large (2 to 2½ pounds) bone-in ribeye steak (1½ inches thick), at room temperature
1½tsp coarse salt, or more as needed
Avocado oil
2tbsp unsalted butter
For the chimichurri (makes about one cup):
2 to 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2tbsp red wine vinegar
¼tsp fine sea salt
1 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley (or coriander)
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½tsp dried oregano
¼tsp smoked paprika
Grated zest of 1 lemon (optional)
For the sauteed leafy greens:
2tbsp avocado oil or ghee
2 garlic cloves, minced or finely grated
1 pound fresh spinach or Swiss chard, tough stems removed and leaves chopped
Fine sea salt
Method:
1. Set the steak in a baking dish and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle salt all over and massage it into the meat with your fingers. (This is the secret to a flavourful and juicy steak!) Allow the meat to marinate for at least 30 minutes (or if you have time, put it in a covered glass container in the refrigerator overnight). When ready to cook, remove the steak from the fridge and let it come to room temperature.
2. Set a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and preheat for five to 10 minutes. Add about three tablespoons of oil to generously coat the bottom, then add the steak. Cook, using tongs to rotate (not flip) the steak periodically so it browns evenly on the bottom, developing a brown crust, for four to six minutes. Then flip and repeat on the other side. Add two tablespoons of unsalted butter to the pan, along with two smashed garlic cloves and a few thyme or rosemary sprigs, if you like. Tilt the pan towards you so that the butter pools in one part of the pan, then use a spoon to collect it and pour over the top of the steak to baste it. Continue cooking this way, flipping, rotating, and basting until the steak is well browned all over, another three to six minutes, depending on how you like it. To check, make a small cut with a paring knife into the thickest part of the steak. Let rest for 10 minutes, then slice against the grain.
3. Make the chimichurri. In a blender, combine the garlic, vinegar, and salt and blend well. Add the parsley and pulse until evenly chopped. Add the olive oil, oregano, paprika, and lemon zest, if using, and pulse until just combined. (Do not over-process.) Allow to rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before using. Refrigerate, covered, in an airtight glass container for up to three days.
4. Make the leafy greens. Place a Dutch oven or wide skillet over medium heat and when hot, add the oil. Add the garlic and cook until just golden and fragrant, stirring constantly, about one minute. Pile in the greens and sprinkle with a big pinch of salt. Toss the greens, using tongs, until wilted, about two minutes for spinach or five minutes for chard. Taste for seasoning, then transfer to a serving plate and serve. If stored in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator, the greens will keep for about three days.
5. Serve the steak warm, with any collected juices spooned over the steak and the chimichurri on the side. Serve with the sauteed leafy greens.
Nourish by Gisele Bundchen, copyright © 2024 by Gisele Bündchen Co. is published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group, priced £30. Food photography by Eva Kolenko, lifestyle photography by Kevin O’Brien. Availabe now on Amazon.co.uk.
