Food recipes
Grilled Flank Steak with Grilled Asparagus and Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
Grilled Flank Steak with Grilled Asparagus and Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
In the world of meat, the more a muscle works, the tougher it gets and the more flavour it develops. But unlike most tougher cuts, flank steak does not require a long cooking time to tenderize. This cut is not quite as tender as a strip loin or rib-eye, but it is tender enough to simply grill as a way to enjoy its unmistakably deep beefy flavour. I love it with smoky charred asparagus topped with brightly flavoured sun-dried tomato pesto.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Pesto:
1 cup (250 mL) tightly packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup (125 mL) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup (60 mL) pine nuts
1/4 cup (60 mL) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup (60 mL) extra virgin olive oil
Steak:
1 flank steak (1-1/2 to 2 pounds/750 g to 1 kg)
A sprinkle or two of salt and lots of freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons (30 mL) olive oil
1 bunch of asparagus (about 1 pound/500 g), woody end of the stems trimmed off
Directions:
1. Make the pesto first. Toss the basil, tomatoes, pine nuts, Parmesan, and olive oil into your food processor. Pulse just long enough to coarsely chop and thoroughly mix the pesto, but not long enough to smoothly purée it.
2. Prepare and preheat your grill to its highest setting.
3. Season the steak well with salt and pepper to your taste. Grill the steak, turning once or twice, until it reaches your favourite doneness. Medium-rare will take about 10 minutes in total.
4. While the steak is grilling, splash the olive oil on the asparagus and season to your taste with salt and pepper. Place on the grill perpendicular to the grates. Grill, rolling with a pair of tongs to expose all sides to the heat, until they’re tender and slightly charred, about 5 minutes. Arrange on a serving platter.
5. When the steak is done, let it rest for a few minutes before slicing it across the grain into very thin strips. Arrange over the asparagus and top with the pesto. Serve and share!
Tip:
If you slice the flank steak immediately after grilling it, you’ll lose quite a bit of its tasty juices. As any meat roasts, its fibres tense and its internal juices heat up and are driven to the centre, where they accumulate under pressure. Resting the meat after cooking gives the fibres a chance to relax and reabsorb the flavourful juices.
In the world of meat, the more a muscle works, the tougher it gets and the more flavour it develops. But unlike most tougher cuts, flank steak does not require a long cooking time to tenderize. This cut is not quite as tender as a strip loin or rib-eye, but it is tender enough to simply grill as a way to enjoy its unmistakably deep beefy flavour. I love it with smoky charred asparagus topped with brightly flavoured sun-dried tomato pesto.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Pesto:
1 cup (250 mL) tightly packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup (125 mL) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup (60 mL) pine nuts
1/4 cup (60 mL) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup (60 mL) extra virgin olive oil
Steak:
1 flank steak (1-1/2 to 2 pounds/750 g to 1 kg)
A sprinkle or two of salt and lots of freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons (30 mL) olive oil
1 bunch of asparagus (about 1 pound/500 g), woody end of the stems trimmed off
Directions:
1. Make the pesto first. Toss the basil, tomatoes, pine nuts, Parmesan, and olive oil into your food processor. Pulse just long enough to coarsely chop and thoroughly mix the pesto, but not long enough to smoothly purée it.
2. Prepare and preheat your grill to its highest setting.
3. Season the steak well with salt and pepper to your taste. Grill the steak, turning once or twice, until it reaches your favourite doneness. Medium-rare will take about 10 minutes in total.
4. While the steak is grilling, splash the olive oil on the asparagus and season to your taste with salt and pepper. Place on the grill perpendicular to the grates. Grill, rolling with a pair of tongs to expose all sides to the heat, until they’re tender and slightly charred, about 5 minutes. Arrange on a serving platter.
5. When the steak is done, let it rest for a few minutes before slicing it across the grain into very thin strips. Arrange over the asparagus and top with the pesto. Serve and share!
Tip:
If you slice the flank steak immediately after grilling it, you’ll lose quite a bit of its tasty juices. As any meat roasts, its fibres tense and its internal juices heat up and are driven to the centre, where they accumulate under pressure. Resting the meat after cooking gives the fibres a chance to relax and reabsorb the flavourful juices.
Printed from https://recipe.bluelayer.org/recipe/75972/grilled-flank-steak-with-grilled-asparagus-and-sun-dried-tomato-pesto