Grilled Flank Steak with Coffee Sauce

These steaks are amazingly good. They really need no special handling, but I promised a second recipe for the delicious grass-fed flank steaks I received from Hearst Ranch. Since salt and pepper don't constitute a recipe, I wanted to find something outstanding for you to try. I can't think of a better way to use beef of this quality than to prepare it using a recipe from one of the country's premier chefs. Gordon Hamersley, of Hamersley Bistro in Boston, is noted for a grilled flank steak that is marinated and sauced with a flavored coffee reduction. The recipe comes from his book, Bistro Cooking at Home, which can be found here. With extraordinary beef in one hand and his recipe in the other, I set out to duplicate his grilled flank steak. The recipe is easy to follow and it produces a marvelous steak. You'll need to start the simple marinade several hours before you plan to grill the steak. The steak may be cooked indoors in a grill pan or outdoors on a gas grill. The trick to a tender flank steak is fast cooking. About three minutes per side will give you gloriously pink beef that is at once tender and toothsome. I think you'll like this steak. Here's the recipe.

Grilled Flank Steak with Coffee Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Gordon Hamersley

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided use
2 cups espresso or strong brewed coffee
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon Black pepper
1 (20-oz.) flank steak
Salt to taste
1 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:
1) Combine mustard, garlic, shallots, balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons oil, espresso, brown sugar and black pepper in a large pan. Reserve 1 cup of marinade to make sauce. Add flank steak and marinate for 2 hours, turning meat every 30 minutes.
2) Pat steak dry and season each side with salt and pepper. Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Add vegetable oil and heat until smoking hot. Add flank steak and cook for 3 minutes per side, brushing each side with marinade. Remove pan from heat, but tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.
3) While beef is resting, combine reserved marinade and the beef broth. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to medium. Reduce sauce by 1/2. Add 2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk to incorporate. Correct the seasoning. Transfer steak to a cutting board and slice crosswise on the diagonal into 2-inch slices. Spoon sauce over meat and serve immediately. Yield: 3 to 4 servings.

Note: Small photo courtesy of Hearst Ranch.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Sizzling Southwestern Flank Steak - One Perfect Bite
Cuban Flank Steak - Kalyn's Kitchen
Basil Pesto Flank Steak - My Kitchen in the Rockies
Flank Steak Roulade - The Food Addicts
Grilled Flank Steak with Mushrooms - Simply Recipes
Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri - The Gourmet Connection
Quick-Marinated Flank Steak - Noble Pig

Sizzling Southwestern Flank Steak with Creamy Salsa Verde

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We had a lovely dinner this evening. The folks at Hearst Ranch sent us samples of their delicious grass-fed flank steaks and they were the inspiration for tonight's border-style feast.

A drawing, sponsored by the team at Foodie Blogroll, brought the steaks to our table. The first 25 people who entered the drawing "won" and I happened to get lucky. Be sure to check the Foodie Blogroll to see what other opportunities they have found for their members.

I love flank steak and wanted to use special recipes to make the most of this wonderful treat. We used the first of the steaks tonight in a spicy Southwestern creation that we really liked. I think you will too. Just a reminder that flank steak should be tenderized and cooked quickly. I used a jaccard to tenderize our steak and cooked it in a screaming-hot cast iron skillet for about 3 minutes per side. Cast iron retains heat and the steaks continued to cook as the meat rested. I let ours sit, tented in foil, for about 10 minutes before slicing the meat against the grain. Prior to cooking, I marinated the steak in a mixture of mashed chipotle chilies and lime juice. To cool the heat a bit, I made a sauce with Mexican crema (Mexican sour cream) and a mild salsa verde. It was one of those off-the-cuff combinations that really worked. The quality of this beef is amazing and I urge you to give Hearst Ranch meat a try. You won't be sorry. Here's the recipe I used for the first steak. I'll have another to share with you next week.

Sizzling Southwestern Flank Steak with Creamy Salsa Verde...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Marinade
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon mashed chipotle chiles from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce
Sauce
1/4 to 1/2 cup salsa verde
3/4 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
1/4 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Steak
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
1 (1-1/2 to 1-1/2 pounds) flank steak
Optional garnish: chopped green tomatoes, cilantro sprigs, lime wedges

Directions:
1) Combine mashed peppers and fresh lime juice in a blender jat. Puree. Pour into a pan large enough to hold flank steak. Turn to coat both sides with marinade, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 to 8 hours.
2) When ready to proceed, combine salsa verde, crema, milk and cilantro in a blender jar. Puree. Transfer contents to a small pot and heat very gently just to warm. Do not allow sauce to boil.
3) Scrape marinade from steak. Pat dry and season each side with salt and pepper. Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Add vegetable oil and heat until smoking hot. Add flank steak and cook for 3 minutes per side. Remove pan from heat, but tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Transfer steak to a cutting board and slice crosswise on the diagonal. Garnish if desired. Serve steak with creamy salsa verde. Yield: 3 to 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Cuban Flank Steak - Kalyn's Kitchen
Basil Pesto Flank Steak - My Kitchen in the Rockies
Flank Steak Roulade - The Food Addicts
Grilled Flank Steak with Mushrooms - Simply Recipes
Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri - The Gourmet Connection
Quick-Marinated Flank Steak - Noble Pig

Stuffed Flank Steak Spirals - Pink Saturday

Grandma's coming.



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I made and froze these steak spirals several days ago in order to make tonight's meal really simple. While I stuffed these with spinach and goat cheese, anything that appeals to you could be used. I've had great success using sun-dried tomatoes with arugula and feta cheese as an alternate filling. Winter weather in Oregon allows those of us who wish to do so, to grill outdoors. It's also possible to prepare these steaks in a griddle pan on top of the stove. When grilled, I suggest they be cooked for six minutes on each side. Flank steak can become tough if cooked too long. However you cook these, be sure to let them rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. The spirals are wonderful to have on hand for busy days. I think you'll like their simplicity. Here's the recipe.

Stuffed Flank Steak Spirals...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 1-1/2 to 2 lb. butterflied flank steak
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced finely
6 ounces fresh baby spinach or chard
3 ounces crumbled goat cheese
Optionsl Garnish: chopped parsley or dill

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Season flank steak with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2) Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic. Cook 1 minute, being careful not to burn. Add spinach and cook just until wilted, a minute or two. Remove from heat and let cool.
3) Lay flank steak out on a cutting board with long end parallel to you. Spread spinach in a thin strip horizontally down middle of the steak. Top with the crumbled goat cheese. Tuck short ends in on sides, then roll long side away from you. Place kitchen twine around steak at 1/2-inch intervals. Wrap in plastic warp and chill for several hours or overnight.
4) Adjust a rack to upper third of oven. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
5) Cut steak crosswise into 6 pieces. Heat a saute pan with an oven-proof handle over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, spray steak with olive oil cooking spray and place in hot pan. Sear both sides of flank steak until just browned, about 2 minutes per side.
6) Transfer pan to upper third of oven and bake until internal temperature reaches 130 degrees, about 15 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley or dill if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound