Getting back to normal

Last night I managed to sit down and cook a proper meal for the 1st time in what seemed like epochs.

I had just been going over the most recent issue of Cook's Illustrated when I got an idea. In this issue they were going over less-common steaks and they mentioned the flatiron steak, also known as the top-blade steak (to those of you in other parts of the Anglosphere, you're on your own as re. names of these things), which reminded me that Willoughby & Schlesinger (in How To Cook Meat, IIRC) mentioned this steak as being the second tenderest, after the tenderloin BUT with the seriously beefy flavor of, say, flank. It's also surprisingly reasonable in price.

So I went to look for it at the butcher, and I see why it's less than common. It's a complete PITA to butcher. There are two ways to do it...if you just cut the whole thing crosswise, it's "officially" a top-blade steak and it has this serious-ass hunka connective tissue running through the whole length of the steak, this I was able to pick up for $3.99/lb at my very frou-frou butcher (within my very frou-frou Whole Foods-but-independent grocery store). If you take the whole chunk o' cow and remove the connective tissue first, you are left with what looks like a Personal Size Flank Steak, and that clocks in at $5.99/lb., still not unreasonable...this is the "official" Flatiron Steak.

Anyway, since I didn't have the time to stand in line to ask the butcher to cut it that way for me (especially with some lady who looked to have marched with Susan B. Anthony asking for flanken ribs cut in such a way that would have required a micrometer and three NASA logisticians) I grabbed the top-blade steaks that had just found their way in the case.

A pound is about 5-6 of these and, removing the connective tissue from 6 of them is no great shakes, and it leaves you with 10-12 very shish-kabob-able strips of beef. And this, dear reader is what I done did wit' 'em:

Joke's Vaguely Asian-ish Flatiron Steak

1 lb (550 gm, for you metric types) flat iron or (trimmed) top blade steaks
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 bok choy (radicchio will do, if you wanna go more Italian and less Asian-ish)
8 tablespoons soy sauce (I like San-J low-sodium--!--tamari best. 4-year old balsamic will do, if you wanna go more Italian and less Asian-ish)
1 chile, I like a red serrano (seeded, if you like) and finely chopped (if doing the Italian thing, use a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dab of Italian red pepper paste)
2 garlic clove, finely minced
1 lime, juiced (if doing the Italian thing, use lemon)
1 2"/5cm of ginger, peeled and smashed to a gazillion bits (if doing the Italian thing, use grated lemon peel)
Peanut oil with a dash (or two) of toasted sesame oil (if doing the Italian thing, use EVOO)

Season beef w. salt and pepper. On a very hot grill (or grill pan), cook your steak until done to LESS THAN your liking (I usually go for medium-rare, you do whatever). Plate (on a warmed platter) the beef and let it rest, since carryover cooking will bring it, gently, to your desired doneness.

In the meantime, steam your bok choy over salted boiling water until JUST tender (you don't want to lose that color or some of the texture). Plate the bok choy on individual plates. Slice the beef diagonally/thinly and place atop the bok choy, then douse with the juices, soy sauce and oil(s), sprinkle with the garlic, ginger, chile and lime juice.

Lick the plate when nobody is looking.

You're welcome, Internet!

-Joke