Asian Marinated Flank Steak with Almond Rice

Since I'm married to a meat and potatoes man, red meat shows up on our menu quite often.  That's probably not a good thing but I like to keep my hubby happy so a girl does what she has to do. You can tell I am really suffering here.  A good steak is a treat though.  For me, it's about flavor and tenderness - and these two don't show up together very often in a steak.  Usually you have one but not the other unless you spend a large sum of money at a fancy steakhouse and even then you're not guaranteed a good steak, just an expensive meal.  There is a quick fix solution though that comes in handy any time of the week.  For those nights when I want a steak but don't want to spend a fortune or a lot of time cooking, I reach into my freezer for a flank steak.  It makes a quick and tasty weeknight or weekend meal. 

A flank steak is what I call an everyday meat.  It's not a fancy steak like a fillet Mignon or a rib-eye so I tend to think of having it more often, especially during the week.  It's very affordable and cooks up really quickly.  A flank steak is cut from the abdominal muscles of the cow and is usually long, lean and flat.  It can be tough since it's not very fatty so it's best prepared medium to medium well and then sliced thinly against the grain.  The grain on this cut of meat is very easy to see and usually runs downs the long side of the meat.  This cut of meat is also great to cut up for stir-fries.  I grilled the recipe below but you could always cook it inside on any type of grill pan.  My menu for this steak, when I made it, included Almond Rice and a Mint Sauce that I served along side the flank steak.  These are all optional of course but take the flavor level up a few notches.

Asian Marinated Flank Steak

2 lb. Flank Steak

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

4 tablespoons garlic, minced

2 tablespoons ginger, grated

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (find in the Asian aisle at the grocery store)

Place meat in a gallon zip lock bag.  Mix all ingredients together in a separate bowl and add to the meat.  Marinate as long as possible - the longer the better.  I did mine for two days but even a couple of hours is good.  Before cooking your meat, wipe some of the marinade off the meat so it doesn't burn.  Preheat a grill to high or place a grill pan over high heat. Pierce the steak all over with a fork and season with salt and pepper. Grill the steak, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, 6 to 7 minutes per side for medium, turning once. Transfer to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.  Thinly slice the steak against the grain.

Mint Sauce

3 cups mint, washed

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon vinegar (any kind will work but I used Champagne)

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp salt

Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until a smooth sauce.  Adjust for seasoning.  Makes about 1/2 cup of sauce. 

Almond Rice

1 cup long grain rice

1 3/4 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped (can you parsley if you prefer)

1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted (in a dry saute pan, roast for about 5 minutes or until fragrant)

1 tablespoon butter

2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Bring chicken broth to a boil.  Add rice and 1 teaspoon salt, reduce heat to a simmer and cover.  Cook 20 minutes.  When done, leave covered and remove from heat for 10 minutes.  Add cilantro, almonds, butter, and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper.  Serves 4.