RECIPE

Steak night

BY BELINDA SMITH-SULLIVAN

Nothing can compare to a great steakhouse meal, but going out for that treat can break the family entertainment budget. Good news: With just a few culinary tricks, you can create a “steak night” at home that rivals any of your favorite restaurants. Just add your signature salad and sides to complete the feast!

GINA MOORE EASY SKIRT STEAK FAJITAS

SERVES 4

Skirt steak is a very thin cut of beef that comes from the plate—between the brisket and the flank area—of the cow. Cook quickly over high heat, and serve medium-rare to medium. This cut is traditionally used for fajitas. 2 tablespoons

Worcestershire sauce

Juice of one lime 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ teaspoon cumin 2 garlic cloves, minced ½ fresh jalapeno, chopped ¼ cup chopped cilantro 1 skirt steak (or flank steak), about 1½ pounds

Kosher salt Fresh ground black pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 large, sweet onion, halved and sliced 3 bell peppers of various colors, stemmed and sliced into strips Corn tortillas Guacamole, optional Pico de gallo, optional (recipe follows) In a small bowl, combine Worcestershire sauce, lime juice, olive oil, cumin, garlic, jalapeno and cilantro. Place steak in a shallow dish and coat with marinade and let sit for at least an hour at room temperature. Preheat grill to high. Wipe the marinade off the meat and season with salt and pepper. Grill steak on preheated grill 3–4 minutes per side for mediumrare. Remove from grill, tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. In a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Saute onions and peppers until tender, about 5 minutes. Slice the steak across the grain at an angle for very thin slices. Move sauteed vegetables to one side of the skillet and place sliced meat on the other side. Serve directly from the skillet with corn tortillas, guacamole and pico de gallo.

PICO DE GALLO

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

4 plum tomatoes, finely chopped 1 white onion, finely chopped 2–3 jalapenos, small diced

1 tablespoon minced garlic Juice of two limes ½ cup chopped cilantro Kosher salt In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

CHEF’S TIPS How to warm tortillas. Place tortillas on a plate—five at a time—covered with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 30–60 seconds. Keep in a basket or tortilla warmer lined and covered with a large napkin—preferably cloth—until used. Substitute beef cuts. If unable to find the exact steaks mentioned in these recipes, your butcher will be able to recommend cuts with comparable flavor and quality.

IULIIA NEDRYGAILOVA

GRILLED SIRLOIN TIPS WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

SERVES 4

These steak tips come from the sirloin cuts of beef—both roasts and steaks. They are perfect for skewering and grilling or sauteing. Beer is used in this recipe as a tenderizer. Root beer or ginger ale will also do the trick. 2 pounds sirloin, cut into 2‑inch pieces ¼ cup dark beer 2 tablespoons tamari sauce 2 tablespoons brown sugar 4 10‑inch wooden skewers Kosher salt Fresh ground black pepper Olive oil Chimichurri sauce, bought or homemade (recipe follows) Place sirloin pieces into a zip-close plastic bag. In a small measuring cup, add beer, tamari and brown sugar and stir to thoroughly combine. Pour over meat, seal and refrigerate until ready to grill or at least 30 minutes. When ready to grill, remove from refrigerator and let come to room temperature. In a large, flat bowl or baking dish, soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before using. Preheat grill to medium-high. Season meat with salt and pepper and place on skewers. When grill is hot, wipe with olive oil using a brush or oilsoaked towel. Grill skewers for 5 minutes per side, rotating 45 degrees every 2½ minutes (to get “cross” grill marks) until temperature on meat thermometer reaches 130 degrees for medium-rare. Remove and let rest 5–10 minutes before serving. Plate and serve with chimichurri sauce.

CHIMICHURRI SAUCE ½ cup olive oil 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar ½ cup chopped parsley

1 small serrano chili, seeded and finely chopped 1 teaspoon dried oregano Kosher salt Fresh ground black pepper In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and refrigerate for 24 hours.

What’s cooking at SCLiving.coop

CAST-IRON CLEANING—Don’t shy away from your cast‑iron skillet because it’s hard to clean. Chef Belinda shows you the solution in this handy how‑to video. Find it and more cooking tips only at SCLiving.coop/food/chefbelinda

MICHAEL PHILLIPS

STUFFED FLANK STEAK

SERVES 4–6

Flank steak is cut from the abdominal muscle of the cow. It can be cooked in a variety of ways—grilled, broiled and pan-seared. It is best cooked and served rare to medium. 1 flank steak, butterflied

Steak seasoning or salt and pepper 2 cups fresh baby spinach 4–6 slices provolone cheese (enough to cover) or 1–2 cups grated 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced 1 pound mushrooms, sliced, sauteed and cooled ½ cup fresh oregano leaves (or thyme, basil, rosemary) 1–2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 F. To butterfly steak, use a filet/boning knife to make a lengthwise cut horizontally through the steak to within a half-inch of the opposite side. Open like a book, cover with plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet (or bottom of a cast-iron skillet) until even in thickness. Remove plastic wrap. Season inside of steak. Cover to within 1 inch all around with spinach, cheese, bell peppers, mushrooms and oregano. Roll up with grain running lengthwise. Tie entire roll with kitchen twine about 1 inch apart. Season outside of steak. In a large cast-iron or ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, add oil. When hot, sear the stuffed steak on all sides until charred, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer, in skillet, to oven to finish cooking. Bake 25–30 minutes for medium-rare (130 F on an instant-read thermometer). Let rest 5–10 minutes before cutting. Remove twine before serving.

LEMON AND GARLIC MARINATED FLAT IRON STEAK

SERVES 2–3

Also called butler’s steak, the flat iron is cut from the shoulder of the animal and is very flavorful. This cut is great for marinating and grilling. 1 flat iron steak

Kosher salt

Fresh ground black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 large cloves garlic, minced 3 scallions, chopped 2 bay leaves, broken into pieces 2 lemons, sliced thin In a glass baking dish, season the steak all over with salt and pepper and rub with the olive oil. Cover the steak with the garlic, scallions, bay leaves and lemons—putting lemons under the steak as well. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours or overnight. Remove from refrigerator at least an hour before grilling. Preheat grill. Scrape off the seasonings and grill over high heat until medium-rare, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a carving board and let rest for 5–10 minutes. Slice across the grain to serve.

KAREN HERMANN