Looking for a way to feed your guests something hearty, but want to avoid a full meal? Here’s a great bite-sized way to fill their bellies: tender seared and sliced skirt steak set atop a crisp crostini, smothered in vinegary chimichurri sauce.

Chimichurri, which hails from Argentina, is a natural complement to beef. With plenty of garlic, fresh oregano and parsley, olive oil, and vinegar, it’s an easy way to add a blast of flavor. I’ve added sweet red bell pepper to mine for nice color. You can spice it up a bit by adding crushed red pepper flakes, or leave them out for a more family-friendly version.

Skirt steak, flank steak, or even hanger steak are all great contenders for this party dish. You essentially want to choose a steak that is best served medium-rare and very thinly sliced. If you are lucky enough to live somewhere where you can break out the grill on New Year's Eve, then by all means do it! But a stovetop grill pan also works great (just be sure to heat it until it is searingly hot).

Recipe: Steak Chimichurri Crostini

Makes about 24 crostini

Ingredients:
Chimichurri sauce
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 small red onion, very finely chopped
• 1/2 small red bell pepper, seeded and very finely chopped
• 2 small garlic cloves, very finely minced
• 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tsp finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
• Red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 rustic baguette, cut into 24 thin slices
• Olive oil
• 1 skirt or flank steak, about 1 1/4 lbs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
1. To make the chimichurri, in a mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar, onion, garlic, bell pepper, parsley, oregano, and red pepper flakes to taste. Slowly pour in the oil while whisking. Set aside while you prepare the steak and crostini. (The chimichurri can be made up to 2 days in advance; store in an airtight container in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before serving.)





2. To make the crostini, preheat the oven to 400F. Brush both sides of each baguette slice with a little olive oil and transfer to a baking sheet big enough to hold them in one even layer. Bake, turning once, until crisp and browned, about 10 minutes. Set aside.



3. To make the steak, season it liberally with salt and pepper and drizzle it with olive oil. Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for medium-high direct heat or heat a stovetop grill on the stovetop. Brush the grill grate or stovetop grill with oil. Sear the steak, turning, until nicely seared on both sides and medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.





4. To serve, thinly slice the steak across the grain. Toss the steak slices in a bowl with a few tbsp of the chimichurri sauce. Add a few steak pieces to the top of each crostini and transfer to a serving platter. Serve the chimichurri in a bowl on the side with a spoon so guests can add more sauce as they help themselves.