How to Grill Argentine filet mignon

In this video, Steven Raichen demonstrates how to make a quick and delicious meal of Argentine "gaucho grilled" filet mignon with grilled eggplant and peppers. In his travels around the world, Raichen became fascinated with the rich, slightly smoky flavor of steak cooked in the traditonal Argentine method, and decided to find a way to replicate that flavor quickly and easily. To do this , Raichen uses a traditional wood-burning grill from Grillworks (to purchase, contact Grillworks at 202-758-7425 or www.grillery.com).

First, begin by building a small pyramid of wood in the bottom of a clean grill-any common variety of wood will do, but Raichen recommends using oak to provide the food with authentic Argentine flavor. Begin by oiling the grill, using an oiled paper towel or a specialy-designed oiling towel. First, place the peppers and eggplant on the grill. It is important to evenly space the vegetables on the grill to ensure even heating. Next, place the filet mignon on the grill (again, even spacing is crucial). To achieve an Authentic Argentine flavor, the meat should be cooked until just browned on each side and rare in the center (about 4 minutes per side). After approx. 4 minutes of cook time, flip and rotate the vegetables and turn the steaks. 4 more minutes of cook time, and voila! You've created a delicious (and deliciously easy!) meal with a South American flair. Raichen recommends serving the steak with chimichurri sauce to best bring out the meat's smoky flavor.