37 posts tagged “beef”
Burgers are one of those things I really love, but rarely make. I guess I just never think of them as an option when I'm making a list of dinners for the week. But the other day, I was wandering aimlessly around Whole Foods when I saw Ezekiel buns in the freezer. Now, I have loved Ezekiel bread for the longest time. Recently, I came across Ezekiel wraps, and have been hooked on those for lunches. And now I have found Ezekiel buns. Oh, Food for Life, I will have to put you right up there with Kashi on my list of irrestistible product manufacturers.
It's no secret that I love Mexican and Tex-Mex flavors, so I went that route with these burgers. I spiced the burgers pretty simply and subtly, stuffed them with cheese, and made a chipotle ketchup of sorts. Here's a suggestion - cut your cheese into smaller chunks so it actually melts while the burger cooks. Not that I am complaining about running into a big chunk of cheese mid-dinner, but a little melty goodness would be better.
I confess I was a little lazy with the chipotle ketchup. Normally I would start any stovetop condiment/sauce/etc. with onions and or garlic but I really didn't feel like doing much chopping. I mean, I was already trying to make something relatively easy by throwing ingredients into one bowl. But, it still tasted great. So by all means if you are more motivated than me, add the onions and garlic. But I don't think they're necessary.
Tex-Mex Burgers with Chipotle Ketchup
Makes 4 burgers
1 lb. ground beef or sirloin
1/2 cup sliced scallions
2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. oregano
3/4 tsp. aleppo (or other) chili powder
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
a few dashes of cayenne pepper
1 tsp. salt
ground pepper to taste
2 oz. monterey jack or cheddar or whatever kind of cheese you want
Chipotle Ketchup
1-2 chipotles in adobo (depending how spicy you want it)
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. brown sugar
salt and pepper
Make the ketchup, by combining all the ingredients into a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for a few minutes to marry the flavors, and taste for seasoning. Set aside to cool slightly as you make the burgers.
Mix all the ingredients for the burger (except the cheese) into a bowl. Divide the mixture into 4 parts and stick a piece of cheese in the center of each part, pressing around it to seal it in.
Grill or broil the burgers until done. Garnish with anything you'd like.
Honestly, why is it that I am always compelled to make things for blog events that look like ass? I feel like I am always sticking a disclaimer on my entries that says, "Sorry this doesn't photograph well, but I promise it tastes good!"
OK, so, to be a broken record, this is precisely the case with this recipe. There are so many food blogging events that I've been wanting to participate in lately but have been so busy I haven't had the chance. I made it a point, though, to participate in Savory Pies, an event hosted by my friend Ivy at Kopiaste.
Now, you know me. You know I eat pretty healthfully most of the time. Pies are not so healthy. I mean you could make them with phyllo, which is much better than typical crust, but then you have to use all that butter between the layers. And for whatever reason, I can't justify the cooking oil spraying between each layer instead of the butter or oil. I mean, I am healthy but first and foremost I am Greek! That's borderline blasphemous. :)
That said, the only thing I might change in this is to add a little more fat to the crust. I was trying to keep this relatively low-cal which is why there is only 2T of fat in it, but let's be honest, more fat = tastes better. Otherwise, this is a nice dinner version of everyone's favorite dip--the 7 layer one! I decided to make the crust with cornmeal - something I love in my plasto - because corn just goes so well with Mexican/Tex-Mex dishes. This looks like a long process but it's really not bad. You can make the beans while your crust bakes and your ground beef mixture right after. And, since everything is already cooked, the final baking of the pie is really only to melt the cheese. I went ahead and used the same pan for the beans and the meat and I already had the food processor out for the pie crust, so why not use it for the bean layer, too? This made for some easy cleanup on my part.
7-Layer Pie
Crust - Layer 1
3/4 cup corn meal
1/4 cup masa harina or regular flour
1 T cold butter
1 T canola oil
pinch of salt and a little ground pepper
cold water or milk
Preheat the oven to 375.
Combine the corn meal, flour, butter, oil, salt & pepper in a food processor and pulse to combine. Slowly add a little cold water or milk until the consistency is such that you can pinch some of the mixture with your fingers and it sticks together a bit.
Spray a deep dish pie pan with a little cooking oil and then press the mixture into the dish to form a crust. Prebake for about 12 minutes and then set aside.
Black Beans - Layer 2 (<--- Mmm, isn't that a pretty picture? LOL)
This is the same way I make beans as a side, but this time I pureed them for more of a refried bean-like consistency.
1-2 tsp. canola oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/2 cup chicken broth
squeeze of fresh lime juice (optional)
Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the oil to a shimmer. Stir in the onions and cook until tender. Add garlic and tomato paste and saute an additional minute. Add the beans, chicken broth, bay leaf, cumin, chili powder and oregano. Simmer to combine flavors. Squeeze fresh lime juice in mixture if desired. Pulse the mixture in your food processor until it is a spreadable consistency. Of course you don't HAVE to do this, but I just felt this was more dip-like.
Ground Beef - Layer 3
1 lb. ground beef or sirloin
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1.5 tsp. cumin
1.5 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. oregano
1/3 cup beef broth
salt and pepper
Brown the beef and the onion together until the beef is cooked and the onion is translucent. Drain the fat. To the pan add the garlic, sauteing until fragrant. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer over low until thickened. Season to taste if necessary.
Cheese - Layer 4
1 cup shredded cheese
After you have layered the crust, beans, ground beef & cheese, bake the pie in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and everything is warmed through. Top with the remaining layers:
Sour cream - Layer 5
1/3 cup sour cream
Tomato - Layer 6
1 large tomato, seeded and diced
Olives - Layer 7
1/3 cup sliced olives
Okay, you got me. This piece doesn't have sour cream on it (yet) because it was a leftover piece. Nor is it reheated. Congealed cheese, anyone? And the pic above? The reason it's so close up is because I didn't want to store the remaining pie with the sour cream on top. Who wants to eat hot sour cream when reheated? Not me.
It's actually pretty rare for my grocery store to have tomatillos, which is why I appreciate the canned version I have been able to find at Whole Foods. Last time I went to WF, even they didn't have fresh tomatillos. I don't get it.
Last week, I was grocery shopping when I not only saw tomatillos, but saw them on sale. Now, I am a bit of a planner. I plan our meals out for the week--maybe not by the day, but I make a list of meals and ingredients and shop from that. I *try* not to stray from the list because I want to save money and not waste food. Clearly, though, these sale priced tomatillos were a sign from the food gods--who, incidentally, have NOT been giving me any clear signs as to how to use this southwestern pasta blend that has been sitting in my cupboard forever. So, I threw them in my cart, had Tom grab a poblano pepper for...something, and thought about what to do with them later.
Which, as you have probably guessed, is where the southwestern pasta came in. I never knew how to use this pasta because I was always afraid the sauce would overpower the noodles. I decided to make a relatively mild sauce that is similar to a salsa verde to complement the flavors in the pasta. I threw in some tequila-lime flank steak for protein and there you have it. This was pretty damn delicious and of course it would be great on regular ol' pasta. I am going to submit this over to the lovely Ruth who runs Presto Pasta Night.
On a semi-related note, what do you, dear reader, consider "light?" You see, I tag healthy things in this blog as "light" but I have a really hard time making a judgment call on some things. Like this dish for example. To me, it's pretty low cal for a meal that just needs a salad as a complement. But do you think 14g of fat is too much? Does the carb-o-rificness of this dish negate its healthfulness? I am torn. Please weigh in (no pun intended). But not just on this dish, in general. For now, I am leaving the light tag off this one.
Southwestern Pasta with Flank Steak and Tomatillo-Poblano Sauce
Serves 4
1 poblano pepper
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. tomatillos, cored and quartered
1/4 cup chicken broth
3/4 tsp. cumin
juice of 1/2 a lime
1/3 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup black beans
4 cups cooked southwestern blend or other pasta
Tequila-lime flank steak (recipe follows)
Cilantro (optional)
Shredded cheese (optional)
Directly over a gas burner or in the broiler, char the poblano on all sides until it blisters. Put it in a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap until it is cool enough to handle. Peel it and dice it.
In a large sauce pan, heat the oil. Add the onions and cook until translucent, then add the garlic, poblano, tomatillos, cumin, salt and pepper. Saute for a minute and then stir in the chicken broth. Cover, turn the heat to low or medium-low and let simmer while your steak marinates (about 20 minutes). Take the pan off the heat and add the lime juice. Season to taste if necessary. Then, put the mixture into a food processor, along with the sour cream and pulse process until well combined. Put the sauce back in the pan and add the black beans, stirring to warm them through.
Toss the sauce with the pasta and the flank steak. And that evil cilantro, if you want ;)
Tequila-Lime Flank Steak
1/2 flank steak (about 10 oz.)
2 Tbsp. tequila
1/2 Tbsp. canola oil
juice of 1/2 a lime
cumin, oregano, salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients and let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes. Grill or broil the steak to your desired doneness. Let rest under a foil tent for a few minutes before slicing.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 453 / Fat: 14g / Saturated Fat: 4g / Carbs: 51g / Fiber: 5.6 / Protein: 24.5g
If you use whole wheat pasta (always encouraged!) you will up your fiber and protein.
When it comes to delicious and easy to make condiments, chimichurri is right up there with another favorite of mine--pesto. I guess I have a thing for garlicky, oily sauces with fresh herbs. Makes sense, right? How can you not?
A couple weeks ago we went out to eat at an Argentinian steakhouse that serves many of its dishes with chimichurri and I was reminded how much I love it. So, I set out to make some last week to accompany our flank steak. The jury's out on what authentic chimichurri is, but from my understanding (and as confirmed by the all-knowing Wikipedia), it's fresh parsley, dried oregano, olive oil, and garlic. Paprika can be added (but I opted for chili powder) and so can lemon juice & vinegar (I opted for both). I do know a lot of places put cilantro in their chimichurri, but not me. Cilantro is offensive to my tastebuds, after all. But if you are one of those people who doesn't think cilantro tastes like aluminum foil, you could definitely substitute some of the parsley in my recipe for cilantro.
One bite of his steak and Tom said, "Well, you nailed the chimichanga sauce!" He was right. Okay, maybe not about the name of the sauce, but about the flavor. This was some delicious stuff. We like garlic, so I made this quite garlicky (4 fat cloves), but of course reduce the amount if you don't like too much raw garlic.
I seasoned the flank steak very simply with salt, pepper & a little oregano. I used aleppo chili powder in this recipe because I recently picked some up at the Spice House and wanted to use it, but any chili powder will do. We had this with a salad and some red quinoa.
Chimichurri
Serves 4
1/2 cup parsley leaves
3-4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup cup red onion
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. aleppo (or any other) chili powder
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
Break up the garlic in a food processor first, and then add the parsley, onion, oregano, chili powder, vinegar & lemon juice to the food processor. Put the mixture into a bowl.
Stir the olive oil into the bowl (more or less, to the consistency you desire) and adjust seasonings to taste.
I can't believe my blog has gone on this long without mention of keftedes. It's just unacceptable! Keftedes are the ever-so-famous Greek meatballs that often grace the typical Greek's table at any hour of day. They can be appetizers, sides, snacks, or a main dish. A bigger version of a kefteda is often called a bifteki - that's about the size of a hamburger, but not as flat.
Now, you know I'm all about making things healthy whenever possible right? I'm all over reducing the amount of oil and butter in a recipe, swapping out certain ingredients, etc. I'd even suggest baking meatballs instead of pan frying them when you are making something like spaghetti and meatballs. So you'll just have to trust me when I say - you are going to want to pan fry these babies. It's just the right thing to do, ok? Do not let me catch you baking a Greek kefteda!
When I was young, keftedes and homemade French fries were one of my absolute favorite meals. When I was young, I was a fat kid. :)
The other day, I paired the keftedes with a relatively lighter Greek-style potato salad (coming to a future Vox post near you) and green salad. So now that your sides are nice and healthy, you are going to feel just fine about the pan frying.
Keftedes (Greek Meatballs)
1 slice of bread
milk
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 an onion, finely diced or grated
2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
1 heaping tsp. dried oregano
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp. salt
freshly ground pepper
flour, for dredging
olive oil, for pan frying
Put your slice of bread into a bowl and then pour milk into the bowl. Allow the bread to soak up the milk as you are prepping your other ingredients. Squeeze the bread to get rid of some of the milk, and then discard the remaining milk, keeping just the soggy bread.
Add the beef, egg, onion, garlic, oregano, parsley, salt & pepper to the bread. Mix everything together (with your hands - what Ina calls "a cook's best tools") but don't overmix. Then, shape into meatballs--any size you want.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add some olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Dredge the meatballs in flour, shaking off the excess. I find the easiest way to do this is to put some flour in your hands and then bat the meatball back and forth. When the oil is hot, add your meatballs and pan fry them until they are cooked through (working in batches, if necessary).
A few weeks ago, I went to Greektown with my friend for dinner. I was meeting her there and was a little early, so I decided to duck into the Greek market. I hardly ever go there because it's really out of the way and it always seems to be closed when I'm in the area. Whenever I go, I tend to stock up on...well, cheese, primarily. (And, shh, don't tell but I prefer the Bulgarian feta to the Greek kind).
At any rate, when I was browsing the aisles for long, tubular noodles for making pastitsio, I came across hilopites and just about ran up to the clerk to hug him. I had never seen them there before, and I have been wanting (and searching for) hilopites for a while now. Hilopites are small, square egg noodles. When I was young, about 90% of my diet consisted of things with hilopites and soups made with fithe (or is it fide? Or...I can never type Greek words in English. But, it's similar to vermicelli.)
Hilopites are just one of those things that are so nostalgic for me. To be honest, more than anything, they bring back memories of what a picky eater I was. I remember visiting Greece and begging my great aunt to make me plain broth with fide or hilopites every day I was there. I probably haven't eaten them in a good 15 years. So maybe now you understand why I was SO excited to find them!
This recipe is really nothing new. It's similar to my manestra but with a little added spice. I make something like this very often, both with beef and with chicken (dark meat). Sometimes I just serve the sauce over spaghetti instead of cooking pasta along with the meat. Sometimes I use allspice and bay instead of cinnamon and cloves. But I always top it with myzithra :)
You'll have to excuse the monotone picture, here. I forgot to put the extra parsley on before photographing!
Beef with Hilopites
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. beef, cut into 1" pieces
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. dried or about 3 Tbsp. fresh parsley
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
3 cups water
1/4 heaping tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 lb. hilopites
salt and pepper
Heat olive oil in a deep saute pan. Season the beef with salt and pepper and then add to the oil to brown, in batches if necessary. Remove with a slotted spoon.
Add the onion to the pan and cook until translucent. Stir in the garlic and parsley (if you are using dried) and saute an additional minute before adding the tomato paste. Cook off the tomato paste for about 30 seconds, and then add the water. Be sure to scrape all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the cinnamon, cloves, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then add the beef back in. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about an hour or really as long as you'd like (the longer you simmer, the more tender the beef gets).
Add the hilopites and simmer, uncovered, until done, stirring occasionally. If you are using fresh parsley add it around the same time as you add the hilopites.
Originally, I had wanted to make a really simple pasta with some grilled steak, goat cheese, tomatoes and fresh basil. But, as I find way too often, the basil at my grocery store looked horrible and Trader Joe's was all out (Seriously? I don't think I have seen basil at TJ's in 8 or 9 months). So, onto Plan B.
In the event that I find basil that doesn't look awful, it inevitably comes in a large amount that Tom and I just never get through. So, I make a batch of pesto, which I freeze in small portions. Pesto freezes beautifully, and it's a great thing to have around for adding some oomph to anything from fish, to potatoes, and of course pasta.
That said, this isn't really much of a recipe so I debated whether or not to even include it in my blog. But hey, why not? If anything, maybe it will give someone a simple pasta idea or convince them to freeze some pesto. :)
For this dish, I took a pint of grape tomatoes and sauteed them in just a little olive oil (with salt and pepper) until they started to burst. I tossed those with some whole wheat penne, the pesto, and a steak I cooked and thinly sliced.
Voila!
I'm also submitting this to Ruth over at Presto Pasta Night.
For as much as I enjoy food, I can pick what are probably my two favorite dishes with little hesitation: Greek-style stuffed cabbage with egg-lemon sauce (lahanodolmades avgolemono) and roasted lamb with tomatoes and orzo (arni youvetsi) with lots of grated myzithra. But, I tend to not make these dishes at home and wait for my yiayia to make them when I visit Michigan (she takes requests, of course). Tom is not that crazy about cabbage, so I usually make youvarlakia, which are almost the same thing as the dolmades but without the cabbage. And roasting lamb just doesn't make much sense when there are only two people in the household. So, unfortunately, I don't eat my two favorite meals all that often.
But, lucky for me, Tom *will* eat anything. In fact the only thing he doesn't like is Grape Nuts cereal, which he professes tastes like gravel. He likes almost everything else, and things he feels just sort of "eh" about (like cabbage), he will still eat. And hey, I can always eat the cabbage from his plate if he doesn't want it (much like I did with my dad's plate, when I was younger).
I have been majorly craving some lahanodolmades (LA-hah-no-dole-MAH-thes) lately, so I decided to make these. In general "dolmades" refer to stuffed grape leaves whereas "lahanodolmades" are stuffed cabbage (lahana = cabbage). I much, much, much prefer lahanodolmades with avgolemono over the tomato sauce many versions of stuffed cabbage tend to have. Plus, it's really the only way we made them in my family. These are really easy to make vegetarian by simply removing the meat. Normally I don't thicken my avgolemono with flour or cornstarch but that's because generally I am making something more soup-like whereas this is more sauce-like so I do add the cornstarch here.
Stuffed Cabbage with Egg Lemon Sauce (Lahanodolmades Avgolemono)
Serves about 4
1 cabbage
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup white rice
1 egg, beaten
1 small onion, finely diced or grated
fresh dill, to taste--but don't be stingy!
fresh parsley, to taste--again, don't be stingy!
1 tsp. salt
ground pepper to taste
2--2.5 cups chicken broth or water (I use a combo)
Avgolemono
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add some salt. Meanwhile, peel the outermost leaves of the cabbage off and then, with one hand on the cabbage to steady it, use a small paring or utility knife to cut around the core of the cabbage. Pop the core out with the tip of your knife (basically you will have a hole in your cabbage). Then, add the cabbage to the boiling water and boil until the leaves are tender, about 10-12 minutes. Carefully peel the cabbage, layer by layer, reserving the leaves. If they are big, feel free to cut them in half.
In a pot or dutch oven (I just use the same one as I did for the cabbage), put some sort of layer of vegetables on the bottom. You can use some of the leftover cabbage leaves, onion, lemon slices...today I did a combo of all three because my onion was too large to use all up in the meat mixture and I had some torn pieces of cabbage.
Lightly mix your ground beef, rice, beaten egg, onion, dill, salt and pepper until the ingredients are incorporated. Lay a cabbage leaf flat on your work surface and place about a tablespoon or so of the meat mixture at one end of the leaf. Tuck in the sides of the leaf and then proceed to roll it up. Place the rolled up cabbage seam side down on top of bed of veggies. Continue stuffing/rolling the remaining cabbage and placing them next to each other in the pot. When you have one layer completed, make another layer of the stuffed cabbage.
After you have made all your rolls, pour water or broth into the pot. The cabbage rolls shouldn't be submerged completely, but you should be able to see the liquid coming up from the sides. I also place an inverted plate on top of the rolls, to keep some pressure on them so they don't open during cooking. Bring the broth to a boil and then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 60-75 minutes, until the cabbage is very tender.
To make the avgolemono, mix together the eggs and lemon juice and then add the corn starch to make a slurry. Take a few ladles of the broth from the cabbage rolls (I like to take out all or most of the rolls before doing this, just because it makes it easier on me and you can also pull out things you don't want to eat, like if you used lemon slices), and slowly add it to the egg-lemon mixture, beating continuously. Then, add the avgolemono into the pot, again stirring continuously. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Nutritional information per serving (using extra lean ground beef): Calories: 324 / Fat: 13.5 / Carbs: 18.2g / Protein: 33.5g
As I was sticking this into the oven, I decided this would be something Giada would make. Doesn't she put sundried tomatoes and basil in pretty much anything? Of course, she would probably use mascarpone instead of the goat cheese. Not that I am knocking her, at all, because these are some fantastic ingredients and usually make things taste pretty darn good. Where Giada stocks her mascarpone, I stock my goat cheese. It's one of my favorite kinds of cheese and I think it goes well with pretty much anything. In fact, just today I had some on a salad for lunch, and then stuffed into a flank steak for dinner. Mmm, tangy, creamy goodness.
I have said it before and I will say it again: stuffed meats = delicious. Even when you are low on groceries you can inevitably find something to stuff into a chicken breast, pork tenderloin, flank steak, etc. that will give it a little extra oomph and some more elegance (although if you are trying to make it look elegant, I suggest slicing it a little prettier than I did today :)
To make sure we don't overeat, I usually package and freeze our meats into 2-person portions (or sometimes 4, making enough for lunch leftovers). I mention this because the piece of steak I used for this was roughly 8-10 oz big so if you are planning on using an entire flank steak, you will have to double or triple the amount of stuffing, as flanks tend to be around 1.5 lbs. each. We both LOVE this. It's one of our favorite stuffings for flank.
Here's a tip: it turns out that, even though the pan is sitting on the stovetop when you make the pan sauce, it's still hot as hell from being in a 400 degree oven. So, try not to grip the handle at this time. Not that I have any experience with that or anything...
My pictures didn't turn out too great, due in part to the not-so-pretty slices of flank steak pinwheels and also because I couldn't keep a steady hand tonight for some reason (I'd imagine it could have something to do with the 2nd degree burn to the left palm, if I were admitting I did in fact have a burned palm).
Flank Steak Stuffed with Sundried Tomatoes, Goat Cheese and Basil
Serves 2
10 oz. (ish) flank steak
2 oz. goat cheese, brought to room temperature to soften
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped
3 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Optional pan sauce:
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. white wine
Preheat the oven to 400.
Butterfly the flank steak, and then pound is to flatten it slightly. Sprinkle both sides of the steak with salt and pepper.
In a bowl, combine the softened goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, basil, a few grinds of pepper. Spread the mixture on top of the flank steak, and then roll it up to form a log. Secure the steak with kitchen twine or toothpicks.
Heat a large, ovenproof skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the flank steak and brown it on all sides. Place the flank steak in the oven to finish cooking to your desired level of doneness (about 12 minutes for me). Place the steak under a foil tent to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
If you want to make a pan sauce, put the same pan you cooked the steak in over medium heat on your stovetop. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up all the browned bits (and, whatever you do, don't touch the handle without an oven mitt). Reduce the sauce slightly and then season to taste with salt and pepper if necessary. Strain and serve over the flank steak.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 340 / Fat: 21g / Carbs: 4.2g / Protein: 29.3
Tom and I love flank steak but it's been ages since we've had it. What used to be a very inexpensive (but still tasty) red meat has shot up in price lately, I guess due to its popularity. But, I found flank steak quite cheaply last week, so I decided to buy a few pounds.
Last night, I made a really simple (but really good) rub for the flank steak and broiled it. This keeps the calories really low (no oil for pan frying or marinating) without sacrificing taste.
Since I used some Mexican flavors in the steak, I wanted to complement it with some Tex-Mex-y sides. I decided to make some corn cakes, layer those with a black bean saute (probably my favorite way to make black beans), the flank steak and finally some salsa.
This doesn't LOOK all that appetizing, but I promise you it's good stuff.
Sugar and Spice Rubbed Flank Steak
1 (1.5 lb.) flank steak
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Preheat your broiler and spray the broiler pan lightly with cooking spray.
Combine the brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper and cayenne. Rub the mixture onto the flank steak, coating it completely and pressing firmly to make sure it adheres. Let the meat rest with the spices (at room temperature) for about 15-20 minutes. Broil for about 4-5 minutes per side, for medium rare. Allow to rest under an aluminum foil tent for 5 minutes or so before slicing against the grain.
Nutritional Information for just the flank steak (per 4 oz. serving): Calories: 206 / Fat: 9.2 / Carbs: 6.7g / Fiber: 1.2g / Protein: 23.6g
