Marinated Flank Steak on Grilled Bread with Caper Mustard Vinaigrette

I've fallen in love all over again...with that strange cut of beef, Flank.  Holy moly.  The flank never fails me, ever.
I had a hankering, but I wanted a new marinade and for some unholy reason, I wanted this all piled up on gorgeous olive oil drizzled grilled bread.  Yep, this gal made it happen.  My other half was moaning while he ate, as he sometimes does, and the ridiculous look on my face was speaking volumes.  Beefy, beautifully marinated medium rare steak on a perfectly grilled piece of Artisan bread that's drizzled with good olive oil,  a bright and briny vinaigrette dripping over said beef, and sprinkled with a salty blue cheese.  Do I have your attention?!
I have adapted the vinaigrette from a Fine Cooking recipe with a few tweaks.  Let the steak marinate for at least 2 hours, up to 24.  Grill it only to medium rare and be sure to slice it thinly on the bias against the grain.
Now, go make this.

They both look so good I couldn't decide.....

Marinated Flank Steak on Grilled Bread with Caper Mustard Vinaigrette

Serves 3 (doubles easily)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 tsp Anchovy Paste (don't hesitate, it needs it)
1/2 cup Olive Oil
Fresh ground Pepper
1 lb Flank Steak
Artisan Bread, sliced into 3/4 inch slices
1 tbsp Capers, drained and rough chopped
1-2 tbsp Fresh Italian Parsley, chopped (not curly parsley)
Blue Cheese, Stilton or Cambazola


In a bowl combine the vinegar, garlic, mustard and anchovy paste.  Whisk in the oil.  Place the steak in a separate dish or a large zip top bag.  Reserve 1/4 cup vinaigrette and set aside.  Pour the remaining over the steak.  Marinate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24.
Heat the grill.  Add the steak and cook for about 6 minutes or until medium rare.  While the steak is grilling on one side of the grill, drizzle the slices of bread with olive oil.  Place them on the grill over medium heat and grill until toasted, making sure not to totally char them. You want some colour and crunch.  Remove the steak and the bread, allowing the steak to rest for 5 minutes before slicing, keeping it warm.  Meanwhile, add the capers and parsley to the 1/4 cup remaining vinaigrette.
Place a piece of bread on a plate.  Slice the steak against the grain, very thinly and pile up on the bread.  Drizzle with some of the Vinaigrette and juices from the steak.  Crumble over the blue cheese.
Pairs nicely with a simple tomato salad drizzled with a little good olive oil and sprinkled with salt.

Farro Salad with Artichokes

You can learn something new every day?  What about trying something new everyday?  I did that....it was Farro. Not that I didn't want to try it before but it just wasn't available in my area for the longest time. FINALLY, I found some.  Hallelujah.  

Farro is a whole grain that is an excellent source for complex carbohydrates. Farro is high in fibre and protein.  There's a carbohydrate in Farro called cyanogenic glucosides that has been found to stimulate the immune system, lower cholesterol and help maintain blood sugar levels......just in case you were wondering.

I absolutely love this salad.  The Farro has a bit of a chew to it, a nutty flavour and is quite filling.  The combination of the green beans and artichoke hearts just works and gives the salad a nice texture.  I couldn't get enough of this salad.  In fact, I wasn't even going to blog about it but after tasting it, knew I needed to share.  I'd done something very right here.  This will be a staple on our table, especially with the warmer weather coming.  

Farro Salad with Artichokes

Serves 6-8, as a side

1 1/2 cups uncooked Farro, cooked according to directions
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp good Balsamic Vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
3/4 tsp salt
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 can artichoke hearts, chopped into bite size pieces
1 cup green beans, *blanched and cut into 1 inch pieces
handful cherry tomatoes, halved
2 green onions, finely sliced
1/3 cup Feta Cheese
Fresh Parsley, rough chopped

Once the Farro is cooked (read directions - different times for certain Farro), let it cool down in a bowl.
In a small bowl, combine the Olive Oil, Balsamic, Dijon, salt and Garlic.  Set aside.
When the Farro has cooled down, add the artichokes, green beans, tomatoes, green onion,  feta cheese and combine.  Drizzle over the dressing and sprinkle on some Parsley and toss gently.
Can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

*Cook the green beans in boiling salted water for only about a minute.  Plunge into ice cold water to stop the cooking.  This will keep the beans a bright green and keep them tender crisp.  They shouldn't be cooked until soft.  You want the crunch!

Tomato Olive Bruschetta

I was having drinks and apps, discussing an upcoming trip with some fine ladies and my cousin Robin puts this out on the table.  First of all, we all ooooh'd and awww'd over the beauty of it and then we tasted it....holy flippin' delicious freshness!!!  Can you say love at first bite?!  This recipe sounds so basic but it's so dang good!

The fresh chili doesn't add fiery heat, it adds a subtle warmth.  If you're unsure of it's heat, try a tiny bit.  Use more or less to your liking but it does add an element that's almost necessary.

Fresh basil, juicy tomatoes, salty olives, warmth from the chili, and a touch of sweetness from the Balsamic.    Soooo good.  The mixture will sit for a few hours but don't add the chili or Basil until just before serving.  

p.s. There is no cheese in this...shocking, I know.  However, it's actually so good, I don't feel it needs any.  The flavours alone, are enough to keep it light and fresh.

Tomato Olive Bruschetta

Makes 14-18

1 small baguette, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds

Olive Oil

1 clove garlic, peeled

1 cup multi-coloured cherry tomatoes, halved and quartered

1/2 cup good Black and Green olives, halved and sliced

3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tbsp good Balsamic Vinegar

1-2 tbsp fresh red Chili, seeded and finely chopped (taste for heat and adjust to your liking - shouldn't overpower)

4-5 Basil leaves

Pre-heat the oven to 350F.  Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush both sides with a little olive oil.  Bake 18-20 minutes, flipping halfway through.  Remove from the oven and rub the garlic clove on each piece.  Set aside until ready to use.  Can be done hours ahead.

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, olives, olive oil and balsamic.  Give it a gentle toss and set aside for a couple of hours to mingle.

Just before serving, thinly slice the basil.  Add the chili and the basil to the tomatoes and gently combine.  Serve with the crostini.

Asparagus Prosciutto Tart

Hellllooooo Spring!  Thought you'd never show your face.  I was sick of the snow, the cold and "winter" food....  Hard to believe I could ever be sick of any food but I was craving lighter, fresher fare.  I've said it before and I'll say it again.  Longest.  Winter.  Ever.
One of my favorite parts of Spring is Asparagus.  I could eat it everyday, and admittedly, I do.  We eat it grilled, roasted, steamed, on pizza, in pasta, with eggs....you catch my drift.
This simple recipe is clean, fresh and light tasting.  It's got sweetness from the Asparagus, saltiness from the Prosciutto, tang from the mustard and creaminess from the cheese.  All good things.  Perfect as a lunch, light dinner with a salad or cut into "fingers" and served as an appetizer.  Happy Spring people.

Asparagus Prosciutto Tart

Serves 4 as a light main, or 10-12 as an appetizer

1 10x10 sheet of Puff Pastry
1 Egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1/2 cup of Oka l'Artisan or Gruyere, shredded
16-18 Asparagus spears, ends trimmed
3 pieces of Prosciutto
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Fresh black pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 400F.

Roll out the pastry if it's not already done.  You can keep it in one sheet or cut it in half, as I did for the photo.  Score about 3/4 inch around the outer edge of the pastry with a knife, making sure not to cut though. With a fork, poke the inside of the pastry a few times.  Place on a baking sheet lined in parchment paper, brush the outer edges with the beaten egg and bake for about 12 minutes.

Remove from the oven, poke a few more holes in the middle if it's puffed up a bit and let cool for a few minutes.  Spread the Dijon over the inner area of the pastry, making sure it's even.  Top with the Oka or Gruyere, then the Asparagus.  Tear the Prosciutto over top and sprinkle over half of the Parmesan.  Bake for 18-20 minutes.
Sprinkle over the remaining Parmesan and a good grinding of fresh black pepper.