Italian Beef Florentine Food

BISTECCA ALLA FLORENTINE WITH BALSAMIC-ROSEMARY STEAK SAUCE AND GRILLED TREVISO WITH GORGONZOLA

Steps:

• Whisk together the oils, garlic and rosemary in a large baking dish. Add the steaks and turn to coat in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling and let sit at room temperature.
• Heat a grill to high heat for direct grilling. Add the soaked wood chips to the charcoal or put the wood chips in a smoker box and add to a gas grill. Close the lid and let heat for 5 minutes. Remove the steaks from the marinade and pat dry. Sprinkle both sides liberally with the salt and pepper. Grill until charred on both sides and cooked to medium-rare doneness, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove from the grill, drizzle with a little of the Balsamic-Rosemary Steak Sauce and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
• While steaks are grilling, brush the Treviso with canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until slightly charred on all sides and just beginning to wilt. Transfer to a platter, fan out the leaves, drizzle with a little balsamic, extra-virgin olive oil and crumble over the gorgonzola. Top with slices of the steak and drizzle with more steak sauce. Garnish with parsley leaves.
• Combine the balsamic vinegar, garlic and rosemary in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Remove the rosemary and let cool to room temperature.
• Place the peppers, honey, horseradish, molasses, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and some of the cooled balsamic mixture in a blender. Blend until smooth. Season with the salt and pepper. Taste, and add more of the balsamic reduction as desired.
• Yield: 3 cups.

STEAK FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Rub the garlic cloves over the meat and the bone of the steaks. Sprinkle the steaks with salt and pepper. Place in the refrigerator and allow seasoning to permeate the meat, for about 1 hour. Remove from the refrigerator at least 20 minutes before grilling, allowing the meat to come to room temperature.
• Place a grill pan over high heat or prepare the barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill the steaks until cooked to desired doneness, turning once, about 5 minutes per side for rare, 7 minutes per side for medium-rare. The key to getting those great grill marks is to place the steak down and not move them. After you flip them, do not shift the steaks.
• Allow the steaks to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing, otherwise all the juices will be run all over your cutting board. Run your knife along the bone and carve the meat off the bone. Slice the meat into 1-inch slices. Transfer the slices to a platter. Squeeze the lemon over the steaks. Drizzle with the oil and serve immediately with Grilled Vegetables.
• Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or prepare the barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush the vegetables with 1/4 cup of the oil to coat lightly. Sprinkle the vegetables with salt and pepper. Working in batches, grill the vegetables until tender and lightly charred all over, about 8 to 10 minutes for the bell peppers; 7 minutes for the yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, and mushrooms; 4 minutes for the asparagus and green onions. Arrange the vegetables on a platter. The key to getting those great grill marks is to not shift the vegetables too frequently once they've been placed on the hot grill.
• Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, parsley, basil, and rosemary in a small bowl to blend. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the herb mixture over the vegetables. Serve the vegetables, warm or at room temperature.

BEEF FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef until evenly brown; drain excess fat. Season with oregano, salt and pepper. Stir in tomato sauce and water. Remove from heat, and stir in cooked noodles.
• In a medium bowl, combine spinach, cottage cheese, onion, and Parmesan cheese. Spread half of noodle mixture in a large casserole dish. Layer with all of spinach mixture, then cover with remaining noodle mixture.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Cover with mozzarella, and continue cooking 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

FISH FLORENTINE

Steps:

• You will want get the potatoes on first as these take the longest.
• Potatoes.
• In a medium bowl mix potatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in roasting pan with garlic cloves and cook in 200c oven for 30-40 minutes.
• Serve potatoes and garlic on the side and sprinkle with mint.
• For the Fish.
• In a saucepan bring some water to a boil and add spinach, for fresh cook until just wilted, for frozen cook until thawed, drain, let it cool and then squeeze excess liquid out.
• In a pan combine oil and butter and heat, add onions and cook until soft, add mushrooms and garlic, cook until mushrooms are slightly browned and soft set to one side.
• For the Sauce.
• Heat milk in a pan, add cayenne, nutmeg and paprika. When milk is almost boiling mix a little water with cornflour and pour into milk, stirring until mixture thickens.
• Add the cheeses, reserving the few tablespoons of Parmesan for the top, stir until melted.
• Poaching fish.
• In a large pan mix wine with herbs, add fish and poach for about 8 minutes until fish flakes but is not falling apart.
• Assembly.
• Mix mushroom and onion mixture into spinach, spoon into the bottom of a casserole dish covering the bottom.
• Lay fish fillets on top of the spinach, Pour the sauce over fillets, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
• Grill until browned on top and bubbling.
• While I am grilling fish I put my potatoes over low heat on stove top to keep warm.

GROUND BEEF FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and onion. Add the spinach, garlic powder and dry mustard, and cook until the meat is done.
• In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, heavy cream, Parmesan, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste and mix well.
• Combine the cream cheese mixture and the meat mixture in the large bowl.
• Spoon the entire combined mixture into the large baking dish. Top with the 4 or 6 blend shredded cheese.
• Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until bubbly and slightly golden browned.

BEEF FLORENTINE

Steps:

• SAUCE Place olive oil in large skillet.
• Add garlic and brown for about 2 minutes.
• Add ground beef and brown.
• Drain off excess grease.
• Add crushed tomatoes.
• Add tomato paste.
• Add nutmeg, oregano and salt and pepper to taste.
• Simmer for at least 1 hour.
• While this is cooking prepare the filling.
• FILLING Trim ends from spinach.
• Cook until wilted.
• Drain off all excess liquid and squeeze dry.
• Beat 2 eggs.
• Add cottage cheese and spinach.
• Add 1 cup of Italian blend cheese.
• Salt and pepper.
• CRUST Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spray a 13x9 pan (preferrably glass) with non stick spray.
• Pour sauce into pan.
• Top with filling.
• Cover with rest of cheese.
• Take one sheet of Phyllo at a time and brush with melted butter until you have 8 layers.
• Bake at 350 deg.
• for 1 hour or until top is golden brown.
• Let stand for at least 15 minutes.
• Cut into squares and serve.

ITALIAN BEEF FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Place flour on a plate. Beat eggs gently, in a shallow bowl, until blended. In another shallow bowl, mix Panko bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt and pepper.
• Preheat large saute pan on medium-high 2-3 minutes. Dip patties in flour (coating both sides), then dip in egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Finally, dip into Panko bread crumb mixture.
• Place oil in pan; swirl to coat. Add patties to pan and cook 2-3 minutes on each side to brown.
• Reduce heat to medium; cook 2-3 more minutes on each side, until cooked through.
• Meanwhile, combine sauce mix and milk in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low; stir in butter and spinach. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring often, or until spinach is wilted. Serve sauce over patties.

BEEFSTEAK FLORENTINE IN OLIVE OIL AND GARLIC MARINADE WITH NANCY'S MUSHROOM VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Make the marinade: mix together the oil, salt, pepper, and the garlic in a small bowl. Put the steak in shallow bowl or a dish and rub the mixture all over the meat. Marinate at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours or, better still, covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Turn the meat from time to time to coat both sides evenly.
• To prepare: remove the steak from the refrigerator at least an hour before cooking. When you are ready to grill, prepare a charcoal fire so that you have areas of higher and lower heat.
• Drain off any excess oil from the steak. Sear the steak over the high-heat area of the grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the grill rack and sprinkle 2 cups soaked hickory or oak chips on the low-heat part of the fire. Replace the grill and place the steak over the low-heat area. Cover the grill, but turn the steak frequently; this should take 10 to 20 minutes more, depending on the thickness of the steak and the heat of the fire. Check the interior of the meat with an instant-read thermometer, and remove the steaks at 5 to 7 degrees below the desired degree of doneness. Let the steak rest, covered loosely with foil, for 10 minutes or so before carving.
• To carve, cut the loin meat and the fillet meat away from the bone. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange meat on a platter with the lemon wedges. Serve with vinaigrette.
• Place the dried mushrooms in a glass measuring cup or bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover and soak for at least 30 minutes.
• Remove the soaked mushrooms with a slotted spoon. Chop them and set them aside. Carefully pour the soaking liquid into a saucepan, leaving the last bit of liquid and any grit behind. Add the vermouth or sherry and the chicken or veal stock and bring to a boil. Continue to boil until the flavors are concentrated and the sauce is reduced to about 1/2 cup. Set aside while you cook the mushrooms.
• Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fresh mushrooms and shallots or garlic and cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Put in the reserved dried mushrooms and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. If any liquid accumulates in the skillet, pour it into the saucepan with the reduced sauce. Boil the sauce briefly, if you wish, to intensify the flavors further.
• Pour the reduced sauce over the mushrooms and add both vinegars. Using a whisk, beat in enough of the remaining oil to form a slightly thick, homogenous vinaigrette. Taste for salt and pepper and red wine vinegar and serve with steak.

FLANK STEAK FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Lay steak out flat on the cutting board and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
• Spread entire block of cream cheese on one side of steak (really pile it on there!); sprinkle cream cheese with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste.
• Sprinkle cream cheese side with spinach, then fold other half of steak over the side with cream cheese.
• Place on baking sheet, then pour beef stock and red wine over the top. Bake for 60 minutes, adding additional beef stock as needed.
• When done, remove from oven and place steak on cutting board to rest. Pour drippings into pan and whisk in mixture of water and corn starch, then bring to boil and cook to desired thickness.
• Serve slices of steak with gravy (there is no good way to cut this by the way!).