Flank Steak au Poivre with Mustard Caper Sauce

Serves 4

             The classic French bistro Filet of Beef au Poivre is an expensive luxury calling for filet mignon. For my money a good flank steak cuts the cost in half and doubles the flavor. The “au poivre” simply means to bring the steak “to the pepper.” The classic bistro sauce is coarsely ground black pepper, butter, olive oil, shallots, beef broth or beef demi-glace and a splash of Cognac or brandy deglazed in the pan the steak was cooked in. You need this classic sauce as the flavor enhancer for a cut of beef without much marbling.

             A great flank steak however is best prepared on a super hot grill. I run my gas grill up to 650 degrees and then sear the steak at 5 minutes a side, letting it rest for 10 minutes (medium rare depending upon thickness) while I prepare this au poivre mustard caper sauce.

            

                                          1.5             pound flank steak

                                          Marinade                   

                                          4                 cups of water

                                          2                 tablespoons of soy sauce

                                          2                 tablespoons of red wine

                                          2                 slices of lemon                                        

                                          3                 sprigs of fresh rosemary

                                          3                 bay leaves

                                          1                 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

                                                             Salt and ground pepper

                                          au poivre mustard caper sauce

                                          1                 tablespoon unsalted butter

                                          1                 tablespoon olive oil

                                          1                 tablespoon Dijon mustard

                                          2                 medium shallots, peeled and minced

                                          1                 cup beef stock

                                          1                 teaspoon corn starch

                                          ½                cup red wine

                                          2                 tablespoons drained capers

                                          1                 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

                                          2                 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper

                                          1                 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

                                                             juice from resting flank steak

Preparation:  1. Put the water, soy sauce, red wine, lemon, rosemary, bay leaves, pepper flakes, salt and pepper in a shallow dish and submerge the flank steak. Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours.  2. Heat your broiler or outside grill to its highest possible temperature.  3. Remove the steak and pat dry. Spray the steak with Pam or evenly coat it with olive oil. (If the steak is thicker than ½-inch, make shallow cuts against the grain every one inch to stop curling when cooking.)   Coat liberally with salt and coarsely ground black pepper.  4. Grill at high heat for five minutes a side, or until just red to pink inside. Let the steak rest in a shallow dinner plate while you make the sauce, to collect its run off juices.

Sauce:  au poivre mustard caper sauce

1. In a medium pan on high heat sauté the shallots in the butter and olive until translucent – about five minutes. 2.  Add the mustard and whisk smooth.  3. In a small bowl whisk the corn starch into the beef stock. Pour the mixture into the pan and whisk smooth.  4. Add the capers, lemon juice, black pepper, salt to taste and minced parsley.  5. Whisk the sauce and as it thickens pour in the accumulated juice from the resting steak and add the red wine until the desired consistency is achieved.

Presentation: Slice the flank steak very thinly on a slant against the grain. Serve with the sauce as you wish. 

Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Caramel with Sea Salt

Flat out, hands down, pedal to the metal - the best chocolate bar I have ever tasted in my life!


The Caramel & Black Hawaiian Sea Salt bar is filled with a buttery, burnt sugar caramel & Hiwa Kai, a blend of sea salt and volcanic charcoal harvested from pristine Hawaiian tide pools. The exterior of the bar is garnished with Maldon sea salt harvested from estuaries in Great Britain. The combination of luscious dark chocolate, rich caramel and crunchy salt crystals is simply sublime.


Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Caramel with Sea Salt

Joan Wottrich's Lamb, Golden Raisins and Rice

Sheep Herd, Col du Bonhomme, Tour du Mont Blanc

             In the 1950s my mom used to take leftover lamb and make this almost Moroccan-like raisin and rice dish. I remember liking it at the time, unless I got a piece of lamb fat that my dad insisted not be wasted. So I decided to modernize the recipe and try to recapture my mom’s frugality and ingenuity.

             The premise is that you have roasted a boneless leg of lamb previously and have leftovers:

                                          2                 cups brown rice                      

                                          1                 pound of cooked lamb, trimmed of fat and sliced into bite-sized strips

                                          2                 cups golden raisins

                                          3                 tablespoons olive oil

                                          1                 medium onion, peeled and chopped coarsely

                                          2                 cups lamb gravy from your roast

                                          1                 cup chopped parsley

                                          1                 teaspoon ground cinnamon

                                          ½                teaspoon ground allspice

                                          ½                teaspoon ground cloves

                                          ½                teaspoon orange zest

                                          1                 juice from one orange

                                          1                 cup of the white wine you are drinking, or chicken stock, as needed

                                                             Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation:  1. Cook the brown rice according to directions, or cook it in a rice cooker and hold for serving.  2. In a large fry pan heat the olive oil and sauté the onions until they just start caramelizing.  3. Add the lamb and lamb gravy and sauté for five minutes to heat the meat through.  4. Add the spices, parsley, orange zest, orange juice and salt and pepper and stir until well mixed. Add a splash of white wine or chicken stock if the sauce is too thick.

Presentation:  Put a couple of spoonfuls of the brown rice in the center of the plate and ladle the lamb onto the rice. Serve with fresh toasted bread, a glass of wine and a crisp side salad.

Variations:  If you did not make lamb gravy, use a package of gravy starter, or a packet of Lipton’s Onion soup to start the gravy. Soak the golden raisins in port, Madeira, or red wine for 10 minutes to add a little depth to the flavor.

Enjoy!

Richard Wottrich