Grilled Flank Steak with Ginger Lime Coleslaw

     Our little lake cabin has been in our family for over 50 years.  Now my sister, brother, and I share, maintain, and try to visit it as much as we can.  It's on a breathtakingly beautiful lake in upper Michigan and there is truly nothing better than being "at the lake".  Over the years we have seen the nearby cottages change hands a few times, but for the most part we have had the same neighbors for quite a while.  The "Dad" of us all is Terry who organizes at least one gathering  each year where everyone pitches in and brings something yummy to share.  Tables are set up right next to the lake, and it's a great opportunity for everyone to catch up.  

Caroline, enjoying a game of Ladders at the lake gathering

     I always love hearing what Terri's and Melanie's kids are doing since they are about the same age as my girls.  This year we were lucky enough to be there when everyone got together.  Ann, Terry's wife, grilled chicken and made great baked calico beans.  Julie and Lyle supplied brats and other delicious sides. Everyone brought terrific dishes but the hit of the night was Sue's Chipotle Cilantro Slaw from Southern Living Magazine.  It was the inspiration for the Ginger Lime Coleslaw in this post.  The spicy heat in the coleslaw goes really well with the flank steak that has been marinated in a healthy mixture (no oil) of pineapple juice, soy sauce, and spices.  Enjoy!

For the Flank Steak

     Ingredients for the Flank Steak Marinade

1/2 cup pineapple juice

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 cloves minced garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons sliced green onions

1 teaspoon dried ginger or 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

Directions:

Combine the ingredients and marinate the flank steak for 10 minutes room temperature or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.  Grill over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes per side according to desired doneness.

For Coleslaw:

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded green cabbage

2 cups shredded purple cabbage

1 cup matchstick or shredded carrot

1/4 cup sliced green onions

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup lime juice

1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon Sriracha Hot Sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Combine the cabbages, carrots, onions, cilantro, and ginger in a bowl.  Whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, lime juice, ginger, hot sauce, and salt. Pour the dressing over the slaw mixture and toss to coat.

 

Stuffed Grilled Flank Steak

     Lately I've been thinking about grilling some kind meat stuffed with something yummy.  Caroline spent Father's Day this year with her boyfriend Adam's family.  Adam's dad is a grilling master and Caroline was raving about the wonderful stuffed flank steak he cooked up for their feast.  I remembered a recipe from The Betty Crocker International Cookbook I received in 1981 for a wedding gift.  It has a wonderful recipe for Matambre Arrollado (translation: "Hunger Killer Roll") or Argentinian stuffed flank steak.  The Betty Crocker recipe called for browning the meat and then cooking it in liquid until tender.  The temperature has been so extremely hot this summer and I'm in a grilling mode instead of cooking in a warm kitchen, so I figured if I tenderized the steak well enough, I could do it on the grill.  The results were very yummy and the left overs were even delicious served cold the next day.

Ingredients:

1 large flank steak (or at least a pound)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon salt (and more to sprinkle)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Another clove of garlic, minced or pressed
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 peppers such as serrano or jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 small onion, diced
2 whole cooked carrots, cut lengthwise and then lengthwise again
1 hard boiled egg, quartered
Cooking string that has been soaked in water for about 10 minutes

Steps:

1.  “Butterfly” the steak by carefully cutting it through the middle with a very sharp knife.  Be careful that you do not cut it completely through so that it stays in one large piece.  Open it up and lay it out in a 9x13 inch baking dish or similar container.

2.  Make a simple marinade of ½ cup olive oil, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 2 garlic cloves put through a press, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon of pepper, and a tablespoon of fresh parsley (if you happen to have it).  Pour it over the steak and refrigerate it for several hours (best overnight, but I don’t always think that far ahead).  During the day, turn the steak over every couple of hours or so.

3.  Shake the excess marinade of the steak and lay it flat – cut side up.  Press another clove of garlic and rub it on the steak.  Lightly sprinkle it with salt and pepper.  Chop and seed 2 tomatoes, dice and seed 2 small peppers such as Serrano or Jalapenos, and dice one small onion.  Mix the tomatoes, peppers, and onions together and spread them over the steak.  Quarter a hardboiled egg and line the pieces down the middle of the steak.  Cut two precut carrots in half lengthwise and then in half lengthwise again. Line them down the steak to the left and right of the egg so there are two strips of carrots on either side.

4.  Roll the steak up from the end and tie it with cooking string or twine that has been soaked in water. I like to tie it in three places - the two ends and the middle.

5.  Over medium heat, grill the rolled steak about 7 minutes per “side” to achieve some nice brown marks.  Turn the heat down to low and cook about 7 more minutes.

6.  Let the steak rest about 5 minutes before cutting it into slices.  Yum – Enjoy!

Marinades for Marina!

     Today Marina and I went to school for a little while.  She put up tons of colorful wall decorations that her ENL kids will love; I spent much of my time deleting useless and obsolete emails. We planned to stay no later than 2:00, but at 12:30 she popped her head and my room and said, "What if we stopped at Cosco on the way home and get berries?" I suggested we just do it right then, so away we went!  As we chatted about what we might find at Cosco, she remarked that a coworker said Cosco and Sam's Club have really good meat. The conversation meandered around to the topic of her trip to Colombia last Christmas Break.  She loved the warm people, the yummy food, and the breathtaking scenery. She was reminiscing about a particularly great flank steak she was served while she was there. I looked at her and squealed, "Let's see if we can find flank steak at Cosco!"  Indeed we did - large ones, two to a package!  Marina's family doesn't eat a lot of meat and she needed some coaching on how to prepare a flank steak - so Marina - this is for you!

Three Marinades for Flank Steak

#1 Hint of Asian Flavors

Mix together:
Juice of one lime (lemon)
1/3 cup soy sauce (I use light soy sauce)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey ( I usually leave out)
Pinch of hot red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 green onion with green stem, finely sliced (I use several)

#2  No Oil Marinade

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup pineapple juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

#3 My Mother's Marinade (circa 1960 - it makes a ton!)

1 1/2 cups olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 clove garlic, put through a press (minced)
3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper
(Her recipe goes on to say "Serve with 1/2 cup melted butter, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, and 1 teaspoon salt")

Mix up the marinade of your choice.
Place flank steak in dish with sides and spoon marinade over meat.  Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes or in the refridgerator up to 24 hours.  Grill out side or inside under broiler. About 5 minutes per side. After removing from heat let sit for 5 minutes before cutting into it.