Italian Marinated Skirt Steak

It's almost grill season which really makes me happy!  It means dining al fresco and the change of pace to faster cooking.  I am by no means a grill expert but I can manage a few things.  This steak was made under the broiler but you can cook this meat however you see fit. It's this very simple marinade that is packed with flavor that I'm excited to share with you today. 






I served this with sauteed spinach and Israeli couscous.  I bought a great couscous mix from TJ's and added some sauteed peppers and onion to bump up the flavor. 

Italian Marinated Skirt Steak

Ingredients:
1-2 lbs. Skirt Steak
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 shallot
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
fresh parsley, chopped


Directions:

Mix garlic, vinegar, shallot, olive oil, salt, pepper and parsley in a bowl.  Pour over steak, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour.  Turning over once. (I like to use my Tupperware marinator and just flip the container over and you don't have to worry about spilling.)

Let excess marinade drip off of the meat and discard marindade. Place meat directly under the broiler and cook for approximately. 4-5 minutes per side for medium rare.  Or cook on and indoor grill pan or of course, grill it outside. Let meat rest and cut on a diagonal against the grain.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe. 

Italian Marinated Skirt Steak

It's almost grill season which really makes me happy!  It means dining al fresco and the change of pace to faster cooking.  I am by no means a grill expert but I can manage a few things.  This steak was made under the broiler but you can cook this meat however you see fit. It's this very simple marinade that is packed with flavor that I'm excited to share with you today. 






I served this with sauteed spinach and Israeli couscous.  I bought a great couscous mix from TJ's and added some sauteed peppers and onion to bump up the flavor. 

Italian Marinated Skirt Steak

Ingredients:
1-2 lbs. Skirt Steak
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 shallot
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
fresh parsley, chopped


Directions:

Mix garlic, vinegar, shallot, olive oil, salt, pepper and parsley in a bowl.  Pour over steak, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour.  Turning over once. (I like to use my Tupperware marinator and just flip the container over and you don't have to worry about spilling.)

Let excess marinade drip off of the meat and discard marindade. Place meat directly under the broiler and cook for approximately. 4-5 minutes per side for medium rare.  Or cook on and indoor grill pan or of course, grill it outside. Let meat rest and cut on a diagonal against the grain.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe. 

Rigatoni with Flank Steak and Mushrooms

Here is another Giada De Laurentiis recipe from her cookbook, Everyday Italian. The first time I made this recipe I didn't make any changes besides the type of steak I used (I used London Broil) and it was fabulous! I really loved it. I wanted to make this again but I also wanted to use ingredients I had in the fridge already. That meant no arugula but it was still a very tasty dish. I think that this recipe can be used as a guide and all different things can be substituted. I sauteed some cremini mushrooms, added some kalamata olives and used flank steak instead of a strip steak. You could add some sliced red onion, some sort of beans such as chick peas or cannelini beans, maybe some broccoli or green beans. There really is no right or wrong way to make this. Just use what you like and what you have. I haven't changed up the dressing at all but I'm sure you could add some other flavors if you want. Just be careful not to add all the dressing before you taste it. It makes a lot and if you use it all it could overpower everything.

Penne with Beef and Arugula
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

1 (1-pound) New York strip steak
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
1 pound penne pasta
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for steak and pasta water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for steak
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 cups chopped arugula

Directions:

Season the steak with salt and freshly ground black pepper, herbs de Provence, and minced garlic. In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Cook steak about 7 minutes per side. Remove the meat from pan and let it rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water.

In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, fresh herbs, and 3/4 cup olive oil. In a large bowl toss the pasta with half of the salad dressing and the reserved pasta water. Add the arugula and steak, more dressing, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed. Toss, pack for the picnic, or serve.

Rigatoni with Flank Steak and Mushrooms

Here is another Giada De Laurentiis recipe from her cookbook, Everyday Italian. The first time I made this recipe I didn't make any changes besides the type of steak I used (I used London Broil) and it was fabulous! I really loved it. I wanted to make this again but I also wanted to use ingredients I had in the fridge already. That meant no arugula but it was still a very tasty dish. I think that this recipe can be used as a guide and all different things can be substituted. I sauteed some cremini mushrooms, added some kalamata olives and used flank steak instead of a strip steak. You could add some sliced red onion, some sort of beans such as chick peas or cannelini beans, maybe some broccoli or green beans. There really is no right or wrong way to make this. Just use what you like and what you have. I haven't changed up the dressing at all but I'm sure you could add some other flavors if you want. Just be careful not to add all the dressing before you taste it. It makes a lot and if you use it all it could overpower everything.

Penne with Beef and Arugula
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

1 (1-pound) New York strip steak
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
1 pound penne pasta
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for steak and pasta water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for steak
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 cups chopped arugula

Directions:

Season the steak with salt and freshly ground black pepper, herbs de Provence, and minced garlic. In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Cook steak about 7 minutes per side. Remove the meat from pan and let it rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water.

In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, fresh herbs, and 3/4 cup olive oil. In a large bowl toss the pasta with half of the salad dressing and the reserved pasta water. Add the arugula and steak, more dressing, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed. Toss, pack for the picnic, or serve.

No Excuse Steak Pizziaola

When people tell me they can't cook it baffles me. I understand that some things may be too difficult, have too many ingredients or may even be too exotic. I get that, however, there are some dishes that are so easy to make it's difficult NOT to do it. Well folks, it doesn't get easier than this. There are only a handful of ingredients and there is no special technique but the taste is so great that if you serve it to guests they will never know how easy it is!





Steak Pizziaola

Ingredients:

1 package small steaks (sometimes labeled chicken steaks)
3 cloves garlic, minced
Italian seasoning
dried basil
salt and pepper
2 – 14 oz cans Delmonte Tomato Sauce or 1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes
Extra virgin olive oil
½ can petite peas

Directions:

Add garlic, Italian seasoning and basil to oil on medium low heat. Add the steaks and brown on both sides.




Add tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes. Let simmer for 1 hour.




Remove steaks from pan and cut into bite sized pieces, removing vein. I took a close up picture of the steak so you can see the vein. It goes right down the middle of the steak and is very easy to remove.


Return steak pieces to sauce and add peas and stir. Let peas heat through.
Serve over egg noodles ( I like to use no yolk noodles).

My mom makes this dish a lot and she never cuts out the vein. We always did it in our own plates. Well, my honey is a little finicky and to save myself the aggravation I do this before it gets in his plate. Sigh, the things we do for love...

No Excuse Steak Pizziaola

When people tell me they can't cook it baffles me. I understand that some things may be too difficult, have too many ingredients or may even be too exotic. I get that, however, there are some dishes that are so easy to make it's difficult NOT to do it. Well folks, it doesn't get easier than this. There are only a handful of ingredients and there is no special technique but the taste is so great that if you serve it to guests they will never know how easy it is!





Steak Pizziaola

Ingredients:

1 package small steaks (sometimes labeled chicken steaks)
3 cloves garlic, minced
Italian seasoning
dried basil
salt and pepper
2 – 14 oz cans Delmonte Tomato Sauce or 1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes
Extra virgin olive oil
½ can petite peas

Directions:

Add garlic, Italian seasoning and basil to oil on medium low heat. Add the steaks and brown on both sides.




Add tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes. Let simmer for 1 hour.




Remove steaks from pan and cut into bite sized pieces, removing vein. I took a close up picture of the steak so you can see the vein. It goes right down the middle of the steak and is very easy to remove.


Return steak pieces to sauce and add peas and stir. Let peas heat through.
Serve over egg noodles ( I like to use no yolk noodles).

My mom makes this dish a lot and she never cuts out the vein. We always did it in our own plates. Well, my honey is a little finicky and to save myself the aggravation I do this before it gets in his plate. Sigh, the things we do for love...