Red Wine Steak and Roasted Tomato Cannellini Beans
I've been on a pantry-cleaning kick lately, trying to purge the cupboards of the remaining this and that in the hopes of some day having well-organized shelves. I've had a bag of dried cannellini beans left over from a winter chili recipe and a flank steak sitting vacuum-packed in the freezer for who-knows how long, and it was definitely their time to shine. I made this entire protein-packed Italian dinner with pantry items and little leftover bits in the fridge. The beans were definitely a hit and could easily be a great side dish for a number of meals. While the meal may seem a bit time consuming, the steps are very easy and can be done while doing other things (ie. roasting the tomatoes or marinating the meat). In terms of timing the meal out, soak the beans and prepare the tomatoes ahead of time. The steak can be marinated overnight so it's ready to broil while preparing the beans. It's worth the effort!
Ingredients
- 2 c. dried cannellini beans (Italian white beans)
- 6 Roma tomatoes, sliced lengthwise into 1/4" pieces
- 2 c. chicken broth
- dried oregano and basil
- olive oil
- 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 Italian parsley, minced
- 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling
- 1/2 c. red wine (such as a Chianti)
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- juice from 1 lemon
- 1 2 lb. flank steak, scored diagonally on both sides in a diamond pattern
- salt and pepper
ROASTED TOMATO CANNELLINI BEANS
Put beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Soak over night. Drain before preparing.
To roast the tomatoes, preheat oven to 425˚F and cover a large baking sheet with foil and then spritz lightly with cooking spray to prevent the tomatoes from sticking. Arrange tomato slices in a single layer on foil. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper and about 1 Tbsp. each of dried basil and oregano. Drizzle tomatoes with about 3 Tbsp. or so of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Place in oven and roast for about 25-30 minutes until tomatoes are softened and begin to brown around the edges. Don't dry out too much. Allow tomatoes to cool slightly, then remove from baking sheet and place them and any juices left over on the sheet in a bowl, set aside until ready to use.
Place soaked beans in a medium sauce pan and add chicken broth and about a tsp. of salt and fresh ground pepper. Add roasted tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low, simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender. Remove beans from heat and stir in chopped Italian parsley. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve!
RED WINE STEAK
To make the marinade whisk together red wine, minced garlic, lemon juice, about 1 Tbsp. each of dried oregano and basil, and about 1/4 c. olive oil. Set aside. Score steak diagonally on both sides into a diamond pattern- this keeps the steak from curling up while broiling. Sprinkle both sides liberally with salt and pepper and lay out flat in an oven proof baking dish. Pour marinade evenly over steak. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for two hours or overnight. Before broiling remove steak from refrigerator and bring to room temperature for about and hour.
Place steak under hot broiler for 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove from oven and place on a plate. Pour juices from pan onto steak, tent with foil, and allow meat to rest for ten minutes before slicing. Slice into pieces across the grain and serve with beans and a nice glass of wine to wash it down. Heck yeah!
Ancho Chili and Flank Steak Fajitas
Steak fajitas rank amongst my favorite things to eat. Delicious meat and vegetables wrapped up in a tortilla? Uhhh, yeah I'll have one (or two). I had a flank steak in the freezer that I wanted to eat before my upcoming meatless Lenten season began. I also had a couple of dried ancho chilies sitting in the pantry waiting for a purpose. It seemed like a match made in Meat Heaven. Topped with a little sour cream and homemade guacamole, this was a delightfully spicy and filling dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 flank steak, about 2 lbs. scored on both sides in a diamond pattern
- 2 dried ancho chili peppers
- 1 c. jarred Peppadew peppers
- 2 clove garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp. cumin, divided
- 2 Tbsp. cardamom, divided
- 1 Tbsp. chipotle chili powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1/4 c. olive oil
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
- 1 yellow onion sliced in half and then lengthwise
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- flour tortillas
Place steak in a large baking dish. Season with sides with salt and pepper. Boil two cups of water in a medium sauce pan. Add ancho chilies and boil for about 8-10 minutes so that peppers soften. Remove stems and seeds and slice into 2" pieces. Place in a medium bowl or in a blender. Add garlic, Peppadews, 1 Tbsp. cumin, 1 Tbsp. cardamom, chili powder, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Blend ingredients together in a blender or with an immersion blender. Slowly drizzle in olive oil and blend to combine thoroughly. Brush marinade on both sides of steak, cover with plastic wrap, and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour or overnight.
Remove marinated steak from oven and heat the broiler in the oven. Broil steak to desired level or doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove steak from oven, put on a plate, and tent with foil. Allow meat to rest for about five minutes before slicing.
While steak is broiling and resting, heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium. Add onions and cook for about 2 minutes until they begin to soften. Add peppers, tomatoes, and remaining spices. Cook over medium heat until all the vegetables cook down and soften. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
Slice steak and serve fajitas in warmed tortillas with sour cream and guacamole. SO GOOD!
Pepper Steak Paninis
Oh no! A pile of delicious leftover steak, a basket of garden fresh peppers, a couple of hungry boys!?! What is a girl to do? Okay, I am admittedly staging this problem a little bit. It is actually a rare occurrence to have leftover steak around my place. After the other night's dinner of marinated flank steak, I had to stop my fellow diners from taking thirds with the promise that I would use the remaining meat for something delicious. I really love making paninis, they are a fantastic way to use leftover meat or grilled vegetables in a new meal. Knowing I had brightly colored peppers and onions waiting on my counter top and a nice chunk of steak and some slices of sharp cheddar in the fridge, all I had to do on my way home from work was pick up a nice loaf of sourdough to whip up a quick and satisfying batch of grilled sandwiches. I kept this one fairly simply to highlight the flavors of the fresh picked peppers. I think the boys were glad they restrained themselves the other night on their meat-consumption to enjoy this meal!
Ingredients
- 1 small sourdough round loaf, sliced into 1/2" thick pieces
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 assorted bell peppers, seeded and sliced into strips
- 1 red onion, peeled and sliced
- salt and pepper
- 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- leftover steak, sliced thin (or pick up some roast beef from the deli)
- sliced sharp cheddar cheese
Turn on your panini press to heat. Meanwhile brush one side of each piece of sliced sourdough with olive oil, set aside. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook peppers and onions over medium, stirring occasionally, until they soften and just begin to turn slightly brown, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove skillet from stove.
Arrange slices of bread, oiled side down, on a work surface. Layer with a slice of cheese, meat, onion and pepper mixture, and another slice of cheese. Top with a piece of bread, oiled side up.
Arrange sandwiches on panini press and grill until bread begins to turn golden brown and the cheese is melted. Slice in half. Eat up! Easy does it.
Tasty Marinated Flank Steak and Garden Fresh Cucumber Salad
I am not a gardener. In fact, I like to say that I have a "black thumb." While I harbor fantasies of lush elegant gardens laden with plump tomatoes and fragrant bulbs of garlic, I have killed every house plant I've ever owned and my pathetic attempts at cultivating edible plant life have resulted in sad, little barren patches of soil. Luckily, I do know people with a flair for gardening and have found that they are usually willing to share what they grow rather than be left with a glut of rotting vegetables. Yesterday was such a day when I was gifted with a lovely basket of cucumbers, tomatoes, basil, peppers and zucchini. The wheels in my foodie brain turned and, effected as they were by the unusually hot weather for a late September afternoon, settled on a simple light cucumber salad. The perfect pairing? Meat of course! This was simple, fast, and great.
Ingredients
MARINATED FLANK STEAK
- 1 2 lb. cut of flank steak
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp. minced shallots
- 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tsp. hot sauce
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. Herbs de Provence
- salt and pepper
CUCUMBER TOMATO SALAD
- 2 green cucumbers, sliced into 1/4" rounds
- 2 lemon cucumbers, sliced
- 6 Roma tomatoes, sliced
- 2 Tbsp. minced shallots
- 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
- 2 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
- 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
Lay steak flat and score it with the tip of a sharp knife on both sides in a diamond pattern. This keeps the meat from curling up when it cooks under the broiler. Season both sides of meat with salt and pepper and lay in a broiler pan. In a small bowl, whisk together other ingredients and pour over steak. Cover pan and refrigerate at least 20 minutes to marinate. When steak is finished marinating, heat the broiler. Cook meat under broiler 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Remove from oven and remove meat from pan. Tent with foil and allow meat to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Meanwhile, arrange sliced garden vegetables in a serving dish. In a separate small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients. Pour over vegetables. After meat has rested, slice thin across the grain. Serve with salad. Enjoy this tasty dinner with friends and a nice glass of Chianti!
Blood Orange Marinated Hanger Steak with Greekish Salad and Garlic Mashers
A few years ago on a trip with my parents in New York City I was fortunate enough to have dinner at Bobby Flay's Bar Americain, where I was also fortunate enough to eat the best steak ever to pass my lips. When I was about to order my favorite steak stand-by (fillet mignon, bloody rare) the knowledgeable waiter remarked, "Now what do you like about the fillet mignon?" I told him because it was always to tender. He then suggested something I had never heard of . . . THE HANGER STEAK. As tender as a fillet mignon but so much more flavorful, this under-the-radar cut was absolutely amazing. The question then became . . . where do I find it? It's not exactly something I can pick up at the local Albertson's. As luck had it, however, as I strolled passed the butcher counter at the Whole Foods about a year ago- there it was! Tender, juicy, flavorful, and incredibly inexpensive! Knowing that tonight is Fat Tuesday, my last day to enjoy meat before my typical 40 days of Lenten self-denial, I decided to treat myself. I rounded off the meal with a nice salad and mashed potatoes. Seriously, if you ever see this meat cut at your butcher's counter . . . pick it up! This marinade would also work well with flank steak. Yummy food in your face!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Hanger Cut Steak
- 5 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- juice of 1 blood orange
- 2 shallots, peeled and minced
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. hot sauce
- 2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes
- 2 Tbsp. heavy cream
- 1 head garlic
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 5 oz. mixed baby greens
- 1 c. seedless red grapes, sliced in half
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced
- 4 oz. crumbled Feta cheese
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- 3 Tbsp. grape seed oil
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Cut top of head of garlic head off. Place garlic on a small sheet of aluminum foil, drizzle with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, and wrap in foil. Roast in oven for about 30 minutes until garlic is softened. Remove from oven and cool.
Meanwhile, combine 3 Tbsp. olive oil, rice wine vinegar, blood orange juice, hot sauce Worcestershire sauce, and 1 minced shallot in a small bowl. Whisk together with fork. Place steaks in a shallow baking dish, season both sides with salt and pepper and then pour marinade all over steaks. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (or overnight).
While steak marinates, prepare salad dressing by whisking together red wine vinegar, grape seed oil, honey, oregano, and remaining shallots. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil over high heat. Add potatoes and boil 10-12 minutes until potatoes are easily pierced by the tip of a knife. Drain, cover, and keep warm.
In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil on high heat. Add marinated hanger steaks to hot pan. Cook 3 minutes per side for medium rare. Remove from heat and tent with foil.
While steaks are resting, combine mixed greens, avocado, grapes, and crumbled Feta. Dress salad with prepared dressing. Then mash cooked potatoes. Squeeze roasted garlic into potatoes, add butter and cream, and mash together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve steaks with salad and potatoes. Eat. Enjoy. It's good stuff.
Quick and Easy Steak and Salad with Balsamic Shallot Dressing
Here is another super fast, easy, and delicious meal. It's all about the salad dressing. I never buy salad dressing from the store. It's so fast and tasty to make it yourself because you can make it exactly the way you like and there are thousands of dressings and sauce variations that can be made from the simple oil and vinegar ratio (3 parts oil to 2 parts vinegar). This is Part 1 in my many, many part series on dressings. One of the great things about this meal is that it is so versatile. Greens and berries can be swapped for whatever is seasonal, steak can be swapped for sliced chicken breast or seared salmon . . . whatever! Trust your own taste buds and make it the way you like it. This is just one of my gazillion variations of this recipe. Yum.
Please note, I prefer my steaks bloody rare, but cook it to your desired doneness. I find that searing the meat and letting it rest under tented foil for about five minutes makes for a juicy steak even if I buy a really cheap cut of meat (which I usually do because I'm poor and I still like to eat good food).
Ingredients
- 2 7 oz. strip steaks (Or whatever is on sale. Really.)
- 1 5 oz. bag mixed baby greens
- 1 c. strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted, halved, and sliced
- 1 small cucumber, sliced
- 5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp. honey
- 1 large shallot, peeled and minced
- salt and pepper
Pat steaks dry with a paper towel then season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in medium pan over medium-high heat. Sear steaks in pan (1-2 minutes per side for rare). Remove steaks from heat, place on plate, and tent with foil. Let steaks rest about 5 minutes.
Toss together greens, avocado, strawberries, and cucumbers in medium bowl. Set aside. Put honey, vinegar, shallot, and mustard in a small bowl. Whisk in remaining 3 Tbsp. of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Pour about 2/3 of the dressing over salad mixture and toss to combine. Divide salad among two plates.
After steaks have rested (really this is an important step to keep them juicy), thinly slice across the grain. Top salad with sliced steak and then top each steak with remaining dressing. Eat. It's delicious. You'll love it.
ROASTED TOMATO CANNELLINI BEANS
