Grilled Flank Steak with Coffee Sauce

These steaks are amazingly good. They really need no special handling, but I promised a second recipe for the delicious grass-fed flank steaks I received from Hearst Ranch. Since salt and pepper don't constitute a recipe, I wanted to find something outstanding for you to try. I can't think of a better way to use beef of this quality than to prepare it using a recipe from one of the country's premier chefs. Gordon Hamersley, of Hamersley Bistro in Boston, is noted for a grilled flank steak that is marinated and sauced with a flavored coffee reduction. The recipe comes from his book, Bistro Cooking at Home, which can be found here. With extraordinary beef in one hand and his recipe in the other, I set out to duplicate his grilled flank steak. The recipe is easy to follow and it produces a marvelous steak. You'll need to start the simple marinade several hours before you plan to grill the steak. The steak may be cooked indoors in a grill pan or outdoors on a gas grill. The trick to a tender flank steak is fast cooking. About three minutes per side will give you gloriously pink beef that is at once tender and toothsome. I think you'll like this steak. Here's the recipe.

Grilled Flank Steak with Coffee Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Gordon Hamersley

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided use
2 cups espresso or strong brewed coffee
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon Black pepper
1 (20-oz.) flank steak
Salt to taste
1 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:
1) Combine mustard, garlic, shallots, balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons oil, espresso, brown sugar and black pepper in a large pan. Reserve 1 cup of marinade to make sauce. Add flank steak and marinate for 2 hours, turning meat every 30 minutes.
2) Pat steak dry and season each side with salt and pepper. Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Add vegetable oil and heat until smoking hot. Add flank steak and cook for 3 minutes per side, brushing each side with marinade. Remove pan from heat, but tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.
3) While beef is resting, combine reserved marinade and the beef broth. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to medium. Reduce sauce by 1/2. Add 2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk to incorporate. Correct the seasoning. Transfer steak to a cutting board and slice crosswise on the diagonal into 2-inch slices. Spoon sauce over meat and serve immediately. Yield: 3 to 4 servings.

Note: Small photo courtesy of Hearst Ranch.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Sizzling Southwestern Flank Steak - One Perfect Bite
Cuban Flank Steak - Kalyn's Kitchen
Basil Pesto Flank Steak - My Kitchen in the Rockies
Flank Steak Roulade - The Food Addicts
Grilled Flank Steak with Mushrooms - Simply Recipes
Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri - The Gourmet Connection
Quick-Marinated Flank Steak - Noble Pig

Kona Coffee Kebabs - The Kona Coast for Outdoor Wednesday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Hawaii will steal your heart if you allow it to. Each of the islands has a special lure just waiting to ensnare the unsuspecting tourist. I suspect these islands are where the art of fusion cooking was first honed. Today's recipe uses native ingredients to produce a truly unique mop sauce for quick cooking kebabs or London broil. I've made a few changes to the recipe, but the original won third place honors for Bill and Lianne Magness at the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival a few years ago. As to my changes, I thought the lemon juice and mustard flavors were too bold. I substituted vinegar for the lemon and reduced the mustard by half. This is a very mellow sauce that will give gorgeous color to your meat. It's not necessary to slavishly follow ingredients for the kebabs. Use what you like to assemble them. This sauce will not work for chicken or pork, so don't be tempted. I think you'll love it for beef and I hope you'll enjoy the photos of the Kona coast. Here's the recipe.

Kona Coffee Kebabs...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Mop Sauce:
2 cups Kona coffee, strong brew
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoons honey mustard
1 tablespoons mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup water
Kebabs:
2 pounds beef loin strips, cut in 1-inch cubes
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch squares
1 red onion, cut into 1-inch squares
20 cherry tomatoes

Directions:
1) For Mop Sauce: Combine all of the ingredients, except cornstarch and water, in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Whisk together cornstarch and water in a small bowl to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the mixture and stir well. Bring back to boil and cook for 5 minutes. Let cool.
2) Combine beef and the toss with half of marinade. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Refrigerate remaining sauce for basting.
3) Preheat a grill. Skewer beef cubes, red bell peppers, red onion and cherry tomatoes. Skewer each item separately as cooking times vary. Barbecue over low heat, turning and basting with reserved mop sauce for 20 to 30 minutes or until done. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.


This recipe is being linked to Outdoor Wednesday, an event sponsored by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer.