Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (230 page)
SERVES 4 TO 6
You can use red, yellow, orange, or green bell peppers in this recipe. When you head outside to grill, bring a clean kitchen towel in which to wrap the tortillas and keep them warm.
CHUNKY GUACAMOLE
and
FRESH TOMATO SALSA
make good accompaniments.
1 | (2- to 2¹⁄ |
¹⁄ | cup lime juice |
Salt and pepper | |
1 | large red onion, peeled and cut into ¹⁄ |
2 | large bell peppers, quartered, stemmed, and seeded |
8–12 | (6-inch) flour tortillas |
1A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL:
Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter mounded with charcoal briquettes (7 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
1B. FOR A GAS GRILL:
Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes.
2.
Clean and oil cooking grate. Pat steak dry with paper towels and sprinkle with lime juice, salt, and pepper. Place steak on grill (hot side if using charcoal) and cook (covered if using gas) until well browned on first side, 4 to 7 minutes. Flip steak and continue to cook until meat registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare) or 130 to 135 degrees (for medium), 3 to 8 minutes. Transfer steak to carving board, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes.
3.
While steak rests, place onion rounds and peppers (skin side down) on hot side of grill (if using charcoal) or turn all burners to medium (if using gas). Cook until tender and charred on both sides, 8 to 12 minutes, flipping every 3 minutes. Transfer onions and peppers to carving board with beef.
4.
Place tortillas in single layer on hot side of grill (if using charcoal) or turn all burners to low (if using gas). Cook until warm and lightly browned, about 20 seconds per side (do not grill too long or tortillas will become brittle). As tortillas are done, wrap in clean kitchen towel or large sheet of foil.
5.
Separate onions into rings and slice peppers into ¹⁄
4
-inch strips. Slice steak, against grain, ¹⁄
4
-inch-thick. Transfer beef and vegetables to serving platter and serve with warmed tortillas.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
While this Italian-American dish may look nice and tidy raw, the meat buckles when cooked, forcing the filling to escape. We wanted a filling that stayed put and delivered a complement to the rich, smoky beef in each bite. To start, we butterflied and pounded the steak, for the flattest and widest surface possible. As for the filling, we eliminated bread crumbs from consideration—after grilling, they contributed a taste of burnt toast. The classic Italian-American combo of prosciutto and provolone won raves for its salty savor and the way the dry cheese melted inside the pinwheel yet turned crisp where exposed to the grill. To prevent the meat from shrinking on the grill and squeezing the centers of the pinwheels, we rolled up our flank steak, tied it with kitchen twine, and skewered it at 1-inch intervals before slicing and grilling it. The twine kept the steak from unraveling, while the skewers prevented the meat from shrinking.
See “HOW TO BUTTERFLY AND STUFF FLANK STEAK” illustrations that follow recipe.
SERVES 4 TO 6
Look for a flank steak measuring approximately 8 by 6 inches, with the grain running the long way. Depending on the steak’s size, you may have more or less than 8 slices of meat at the end of step 2. You will need both wooden skewers and kitchen twine for this recipe.
2 | tablespoons olive oil |
2 | tablespoons minced fresh parsley |
1 | small shallot, minced |
2 | garlic cloves, minced |
1 | teaspoon minced fresh sage |
1 | (2- to 2¹⁄ |
4 | ounces thinly sliced prosciutto |
4 | ounces thinly sliced provolone cheese |
Salt and pepper |
1.
Combine oil, parsley, shallot, garlic, and sage in bowl.
2.
Soak 8 to 12 wooden skewers in warm water to cover (you will need 1 skewer per inch of rolled steak length) for 30 minutes. Drain, dry, and set aside.
3.
Lay steak on cutting board with grain running parallel to counter edge. Cut horizontally through meat, leaving ¹⁄
2
-inch “hinge” along top edge. Open up steak and pound flat into rough rectangle, trimming any ragged edges. Rub herb mixture evenly over opened side of steak. Lay prosciutto evenly over steak, leaving 2-inch border along top edge. Cover prosciutto with even layer of cheese, leaving 2-inch border along top edge. Starting from short edge, roll beef into tight log and place on cutting board seam side down.
4.
Starting ¹⁄
2
inch from end of rolled steak, evenly space eight to twelve 14-inch pieces of kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals underneath steak. Tie middle piece first, then, working from outer pieces toward center, tightly tie roll and turn tied steak 90 degrees so seam is facing you.
5.
Skewer beef directly through outer flap of steak near seam through each piece of twine, allowing skewers to extend ¹⁄
2
inch on other side. Using chef’s knife, slice roll between each piece of twine into 1-inch-thick pinwheels. Season pinwheels with salt and pepper.
6A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL:
Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter three-quarters filled with charcoal briquettes (4¹⁄
2
quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
6B. FOR A GAS GRILL:
Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes.
7.
Clean and oil cooking grate. Place pinwheels on grill (hot side if using charcoal) and cook (covered if using gas) until well browned on both sides, 6 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. Move pinwheels to cool side of grill (if using charcoal) or turn all burners to medium (if using gas). Cover and cook until meat registers 125 to 130 degrees (for medium-rare) or 130 to 135 degrees (for medium), 1 to 5 minutes.
8.
Transfer pinwheels to serving platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove and discard skewers and twine and serve.
Microwave 4 ounces chopped spinach, 1 tablespoon water, ¹⁄
2
teaspoon pepper, and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt in bowl until spinach is wilted and decreased in volume by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Cool completely, then stir in ¹⁄
4
cup toasted pine nuts. Replace prosciutto with spinach mixture.
Combine ¹⁄
2
cup drained and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, ¹⁄
2
cup shredded Asiago cheese, and ¹⁄
4
cup rinsed and chopped capers in bowl. Replace prosciutto with sun-dried tomato mixture.
1.
Butterfly meat by cutting through steak horizontally, leaving ¹⁄
2
-inch “hinge” along top edge.
2.
Open up steak and pound flat into rough rectangle, trimming any ragged edges.
3.
Rub with herb mixture; layer with prosciutto and cheese, leaving 2-inch border at top, Roll into tight log.
4.
Place steak seam side down and tie with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals, starting at center.
5.
Skewer steak directly through each piece of twine, allowing skewer to extend ¹⁄
2
inch on opposite side.
6.
Slice steak between pieces of twine into 1-inch-thick pinwheels.
