Flank Steak Tagliata with Salsa Verde Recipe

Servings: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

for the green herb salsa:
1 garlic clove
kosher salt, to taste
2 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon roughly chopped capers
¾ cup|180 ml fruity extra virgin olive oil
½ cup|120 ml finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
1 small shallot, minced
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice

for the steak:
1 (2 pound|910 gram) flank steak
kosher salt, to taste
black peppercorns
a few sprigs of rosemary
6 garlic cloves, sliced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 ounces|140 grams arugula
a chunk of Parmesan, for shaving
green herb salsa
1 lemon, cut into wedges

1. Make the green herb salsa: Put the garlic in a mortar with a pinch of salt and pound to a paste. Add the anchovies and capers and roughly mash them. Stir in the olive oil, parsley, mint, shallot, and lemon zest. (You can make the sauce to this point up to several hours in advance.) Just before serving, stir in the lemon juice. (Don't add it earlier or your bright green sauce will fade.) Taste and adjust the seasoning.
2. Make the steak: Put the flank steak on a baking sheet and season on both sides with salt. Put a generous handful of peppercorns on a cutting board and crush them by pressing firmly with the bottom of a saucepan (or use a mortar and pestle or a spice mill to achieve a very coarse grind).
3. Measure 1 tablespoon of the crushed pepper and sprinkle it on both sides of the steak. Strip the leaves from the rosemary sprigs and sprinkle the meat evenly on both sides with the rosemary and garlic slices. Drizzle the olive oil over both sides of the steak, then massage it with your hands to distribute the seasonings, pressing the pepper, rosemary, and garlic onto the surface. Let the steak stand at room temperature for an hour (or refrigerate for several hours; bring to room temperature before proceeding).
4. Meanwhile, place a cast-iron skillet large enough to hold the steak (or a heavy roasting pan) on the upper rack of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F. Let the pan heat for at least 30 minutes.
5. Carefully put the flank steak in the pan and close the oven door. After 5 minutes, flip the steak (it should be well browned on the bottom) and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until juices appear on the surface and a thermometer registers 120°F for rare, or for a few minutes more for medium-rare meat. Transfer the steak to a carving board and let rest for 10 minutes.
6. Cut the meat on a diagonal, against the grain, into ¼-inch- thick slices. Arrange the meat on a large platter and surround with the arugula. With a vegetable peeler, shave about 2 ounces of cheese over the arugula. Serve with the salsa verde and lemon wedges.

Excerpted from David Tanis Market Cooking by David Tanis (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2017.

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