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Grilled Flank Steak with Provencal Spices

Flank steak, more than most others, is tolerant of medium doneness, but in any case it must be thinly sliced. Slicing meat against the grain is especially important for tougher cuts like flank and skirt: it cuts the long, tough muscles into shorter, easier-to-chew pieces, giving the impression of tenderness. If you have a garden or a windowsill, both rosemary and lavender are easy to grow and maintain (and the small investment you will make in those plants will save you from paying the king’s ransom supermarkets charge for fresh herbs). If you can’t find any lavender, up the rosemary to 2 tablespoons. In any case, do not substitute dried herbs for fresh in this recipe: they will rob it of its charm.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 4 servings

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lavender leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 1/2 to 2 pounds flank steak

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Start a grill or preheat the broiler. Combine all ingredients except the steak in a small food processor and blend until minced (you can, of course, mince by hand) but not pureed. Rub all over the steak.

    Step 2

    When the fire is hot, grill for about 4 minutes per side, or until nicely browned, for medium-rare, turning only once. Remove from the fire and let rest for about 5 minutes before slicing thinly and serving.

From Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes From the New York Times by Mark Bittman Copyright (c) 2007 by Mark Bittman Published by Broadway Books. Mark Bittman is the author of the blockbuster Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.
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