Two New Ideas for Steak!

My doctor recently told me that I was low in iron and she recommended some supplements along with a suggestion to eat more red meat. I had been focusing my menu’s mainly on fruits and vegetables with chicken and fish lately. This prompted me to find some new interesting recipes for meat and I found two new ideas for steak to share with you. They are both absolutely delicious and each recipe has it’s own interesting flare!

The first dish is a Grilled Filet with Gorgonzola, Pancetta and Peach Balsamic Jam. I was inspired by this recipe because of my abundance of peaches and wanting to use them before they spoiled. There are several steps in creating the whole dish, however, none of them are difficult or time consuming and the result is exceptional! I altered a few of the items based on what I had on hand and it had absolutely no negative affect whatsoever. I used a crumbled blue cheese in place of the sliced gorgonzola as well as some applewood smoked bacon in place of the pancetta.

The second dish is Skirt Steak with Pinto Beans and Pasilla Chile Vinaigrette. What was nice about this recipe is that you can prepare the vinaigrette and beans early in the day leaving only the grilling and assembling for the last minute. This time I substituted grass fed, boneless Waygu Ribeye for the skirt steak because our local butcher had just gotten some in and it looked amazing. (Waygu beef has intense marbling allowing the meat to retain flavor and moisture.) I’m sure it would have been a wonderful dish with the skirt steak as well. The rest of the recipe was followed exactly and all of the flavors married together incredibly well.

Grilled Filet with Gorgonzola, Pancetta and Peach Balsamic Jam

1. Make the jam: On the stove top, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent (7–9 minutes). Add the peaches and cook, stirring frequently, for another 3 minutes—you just want the peaches to be nicely softened. Add the vinegar, orange juice, brown sugar, and salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the jam begins to thicken (8–10 minutes). Remove from the heat and set aside.
2. Build a multilevel fire in your grill. When the coals are all ignited, the flames have died down, and the temperature is hot, you’re ready to cook.
3. While the fire heats up, saute the pancetta on the stove top over medium-low heat, turning frequently until it is crisp and brown—about 7 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then to a small bowl; cover to keep warm.
4. Rub the steaks with oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. When the grill is ready, put the steaks over the hottest coals and sear well for 6–8 minutes per side. Move the steaks to the cooler part of the fire, cover with a pie plate or disposable foil pan, and cook for another 8–10 minutes, until done to your liking. To check for doneness, poke the meat with your finger to test its firmness; if you’re unsure, cut into it and look to be sure it is just slightly less done than you like it.
5. Transfer the steaks to a serving platter and top with the cheese. Cover loosely with foil and allow the steaks to rest and the cheese to melt for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle over the pancetta and serve with the jam on the side.

Skirt Steak with Pinto Beans and Pasilla Chile Vinaigrette

1 pasilla chile, stemmed and seeded (see Note)
Boiling water
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 medium onion, minced
Two 15-ounce cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon achiote seeds, finely ground (optional)
1/2 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 1/2 pounds skirt steak, cut into 5-inch lengths
8 large scallions

1. Heat a grill pan. Add the pasilla and toast over high heat, pressing down with a spatula and turning once, until pliable and fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the pasilla to a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand until softened, about 30 minutes.
2. Transfer the pasilla to a blender along with 2 tablespoons of the soaking liquid. Add the vinegar, lime juice, honey and mustard and puree until smooth. With the blender on, gradually add the 1/4 cup of olive oil until incorporated. Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
3. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the beans and achiote and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the stock and cook until the beans are hot and glazed, about 3 minutes. Stir in half of the vinaigrette and the chopped cilantro. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
4. Heat the grill pan. Brush the steak with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat, turning once, until lightly charred, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, brush the scallions with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat, turning, until lightly charred, 1 to 2 minutes. Thinly slice the steak against the grain and serve with the beans and scallions, passing the remaining vinaigrette at the table.