Happy Birthday - We've moved!

We're going to be one year old in two days!!!  As an early present, we have a new URL and new hosting location which is http://www.twotoolscooking.com/.  Please update your bookmarks!

The Two Tools, Bernie & Eddie.

Flank Steak Spiral w/ mushroom sauce

Happy New Year!  It's amazing how quickly a year can go by!  We started this blog in 2010 and weren't sure where it would lead.  72 posts later....it's a new year..... and plenty of recipes to try.

I found this receipe over the holidays when visiting my sister.    The ingredients were straightforward and I had the bulk of them in the house already.  It only takes about an hour to cook including prep, so this can be made on a work night if you get home early enough  (you can prep the night before and will only take 30 minutes to cook/heat.  On to the meal!

Software:

• 1 3/4 pound flank steak
• 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 2 tbs grated parmigiano cheese
• 1 tbs chopped sage
• 1 tbs chopped rosemary
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 tsp corn starch
• s&p (of course)
• *2 tbs. balsamic vinegar (added this to recipe)

Start by turning on the oven to 375.  Next, pound the steak til it's about 1/2 inch flat.  ( if you can get it to be rectangular, it helps).  I used the handy Oxo Good Grips Meat Pounder.  As mentioned in a earlier post, a small cast iron pan would do the trick as well.

Grate the cheese til you get 2 table spoons.  (Microplane 40020 Grater/Zester is a must)

Combine it with the garlic, sage, and rosemary in a bowl.  Spread the mixture on one side of the steak

then roll it up as tight as you can.  Tie it off at 1" intervals using cotton twine (or in my case cotton strips).  You need to make sure the twine you're using has no plastic or polyester.   They actually sell  cooking twine for this sole purpose, but I had to make do with what I had.  Luckily my wife has a huge stash of fabric and cut some cotton strips for me to use.

As standard with any meat you roast, sear the meat in a pan with the oil and brown on all sides (about 8 minutes total).  Normally, you could skip the olive oil and use bacon for for a more meaty flavor as some recipes do.  Remove the meat from the pan and place it on a baking sheet.  Put the meat into the over for about 20 minutes for medium rare.

While the meat is cooking in the oven, saute the mushrooms in the same pan that you browned the meat in.  After about 2 minutes, add the wine and let it reduce a bit (about another 2 minutes).  Whisk the broth and cornstarch together, then add them to the pan.  Simmer until the sauce thickens.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  After tasting it, the sauce seemed to be missing something so I added 2 tbs. of balsamic vinegar to give it more flavor.

Check the temperature of the meat and it should read 125 degrees in the thickest part for medium rare. 

Serve the the steak in half inch sections (don't forget to remove the twine) and pour the mushroom sauce over it. 

What's missing in this picture would be a side of green beans.  They would have made an excellent vegetable dish if I had only remembered to buy some!