Italian Steaks For Two Food

ITALIAN MARINATED SIRLOIN STEAK

Steps:

• Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, rosemary, parsley, oregano, honey, red pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Transfer 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette to a small bowl; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Combine the remaining vinaigrette with the steak in a large resealable bag; turn the bag several times to coat the meat. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, turning the bag occasionally.
• Preheat a grill to high. Transfer the steak to a plate or baking sheet, letting the excess marinade drip off; season the steak with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature, 30 minutes. Grill the steak until a thermometer inserted into the thickest side reaches 130 degrees F, 16 to 20 minutes for medium rare, flipping every 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Thinly slice the meat against the grain; serve with the reserved vinaigrette.

ITALIAN STEAKS

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, whisk egg. In another shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Cut steak into four pieces; dip each piece in egg, then coat with bread crumb mixture., In a large skillet, cook steaks in oil over medium-high heat for 2-4 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a thermometer should read 135°; medium, 140°; medium-well, 145°)., Meanwhile, heat sauce in a small saucepan. Spoon over steaks; sprinkle with cheese.

BRACIOLE

Steps:

• Stir the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl to blend. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the oil. Season mixture with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Lay the flank steak flat on the work surface. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the steak to cover the top evenly. Starting at 1 short end, roll up the steak as for a jelly roll to enclose the filling completely. Using butcher's twine, tie the steak roll to secure. Sprinkle the braciole with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the braciole and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Add the wine to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir in the marinara sauce. Cover partially with foil and bake until the meat is almost tender, turning the braciole and basting with the sauce every 30 minutes. After 1 hour, uncover and continue baking until the meat is tender, about 30 minutes longer. The total cooking time should be about 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove the braciole from the sauce. Using a large sharp knife, cut the braciole crosswise and diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Transfer the slices to plates. Spoon the sauce over and serve.
• In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrot and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and taste for seasoning. If sauce tastes too acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, to round out the flavor.
• Pour half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and then pour 1 to 2 cup portions into plastic freezer bags. Freeze for up to 6 months.

ITALIAN STEAK SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 3 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper, transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
• Lightly pound the steak between 2 sheets of plastic wrap until about 1/8 inch thick. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steak in batches and cook until browned, about 30 seconds per side; season with salt and pepper. Transfer the steak to the bowl with the onion and garlic. Add the parsley and giardiniera brine and toss to coat. Drizzle the cut sides of the rolls with olive oil. Pile the steak and onion mixture on the roll bottoms and top with the giardiniera and provolone. Cover with the roll tops. Serve with hot sauce, if desired.
• Photograph by Antonis Achilleos

ITALIAN STEAK

Steps:

• Brown meat in hot oil; remove to oven dish.
• Sauté mushrooms, garlic, onion and green pepper until soft.
• Stir in remaining ingredients.
• Pour over steak.
• Cover tightly and bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours in 325º oven or until meat is very tender.

NIGELLA LAWSON'S TAGLIATA FOR TWO

Steps:

• Heat a grill pan, or cast-iron or heavy non-stick frying pan.
• In a small dish that can take the steak snugly later, combine the extra-virgin olive oil, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, salt, and red wine vinegar. Oil the steak lightly and put it in the hot pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side, then remove it to the dish of spicy marinade and sit the cooked steak for 2 minutes a side in the dish. Your steak will be rare, but that's the way it's meant to be.
• Remove the steeped steak to a board, ready for slicing, and while it sits there, arrange the cherry tomatoes, cut-side down, in the marinade dish. Cut the steak into thin slices on the diagonal and arrange on a serving dish or 2 dinner plates.
• Smoosh the tomatoes around in the marinade, then pour them, and the marinade, over the ribbons of meat. Add a few leaves of fresh oregano, if you can get them, and serve immediately.