balsamic-marinated flank steak

When people hear about my gluten-free, sugar-free Lenten adventure, the reactions I get fall squarely into two, gender-divided camps.

One group replies with an excited, "OMG that's seriously AWESOME!  Do you feel amazing?  How much weight have you lost?!  Giving up gluten (and/or sugar) changed my life forever."

My answer goes something like, "Thank you...yes...not any substantial amount, and....it's just 40 days, not forever."

And from the other group, with a look of horror mixed with disgust, I get, "Dude, what do you eat?"

To which I say, "First of all, I'm not a dude.  Second of all, it's not that bad, you just have to be careful."

It's no mystery which group is which.  The ladies are either impressed or shocked, or at least they feign interest.  The boys, on the other hand, look at me as though my choice personally offends them.  Which is why I try not to bring it up with them at all - usually it is after someone else mentions it in casual conversation.  And aside from the Facebook and Twitter posts to keep my loyal readers informed, or if I'm turning down a cookie, I try not to talk about it unless people ask.  I learned a long time ago that generally it's not a good idea to make yourself seem more psychotic than you actually are.

With just a few days left to go, I'm entering the home stretch.  This has not been easy, but it hasn't been that difficult either.  The fact of the matter is that sugar cravings go away completely after just a few weeks.  The gluten thing is a bit harder because I like bread and pasta, but it's nothing insurmountable.  The toughest thing is just that it's so damn inconvenient.  You have to read the labels on everything looking for hidden sources of gluten and sugar.  (Even some canned diced tomatoes have sugar in them, and I've already ranted at length on condiments and "healthy cereals.")  Eating out at restaurants is nearly impossible. 

But for me, the dietary change itself hasn't been all that bad.  Of course, it's not a lifetime switch for me like it is for so many others, but if that were the case, I'd seek out gluten and sugar substitutes.  (Recall that I also told myself that I would use no sugar substitutes at all - no honey, agave, molassas, stevia, artificial sweetner, etc.  I've learned this is really unsustainable in the long-term.)  In fact, I think giving up meat last year was harder.  While it is true that I don't eat that much meat anymore and Lent 2011 had something to do with that, I don't see myself cutting back on gluten and sugar to a similar extent in the near future.  Mostly, it has just made me much more conscious about what little processed food I already eat. 
 
So, this recipe is for all the boys who think I must be subsiding solely on salads and hummus (this is me foreshadowing tomorrow's post) and for my sister.  Bollie asked me for an easy beef recipe that can be made in her tiny NYC kitchen.  When I got her request, I kinda groaned.  It's not that I don't like red meat - I absolutely, unequivocally do.  But, I hardly ever cook it, and I am really particular about the way I like it.  (Okay, so I'm really particular about most things.  But extra particular about beef.)  I like it simply seasoned and pretty close to mooing.  I love a smoky grilled steak, without much embellishment or to-do.  But I don't have a grill, and neither does Bollie.  I make a mean oven-roasted beef tenderloin, but that's a recipe for a very special occasion and a very special person. And again, neither of us have one of those.  So, a friend of mine suggested flank steak, because it is a relatively inexpensive cut of beef and it cooks easily and quickly on a stovetop, perfect for a weeknight meal.  I turned to my latest obsession, Pinterest, for further inspiration.  And of course - the same recipes kept popping up in my searches.  One was for a grilled balsamic flank steak that contained both sugar and Worcestershire (so that's out), and the other was this recipe for a Cuban-style one.

Because I couldn't decide whether to make the Cuban steak or invent my own balsamic one, I decided to do both, naturally.  I cut the flank steak down the middle and marinated each half in separate preparations.  When I got home from work, I roasted some asparagus and caramelized some onions, threw the steaks in the grill pan, and dinner was ready in 20 minutes.

Whitney and I taste-tested both recipes, and we much preferred the balsamic marinade.  Despite the bold, flavorful spices in the Cuban steak (cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, hot sauce, soy sauce, and lime juice), the balsamic steak had much better flavor and texture.  I think I did overcook the balsamic steak just slightly, as it was the thinner half of the flank; however, the balsamic vinegar tenderized the steak so it hardly made a difference - it was still quite tender. That's the one bad thing about flank steak - it can be tough if cooked too much. Don't sear more than five minutes per side over medium-high heat, or if you're using a meat thermometer, which is always a good idea, look for the temperature to be 135-145 for rare-medium rare. 

In hindsight, it's pretty great that the balsamic steak ended up being the bigger hit, because I know Bollie will love it.  When she was last in DC, we shared the steak sampler at Acqua al Due, a Florentine import known for its pasta (which I found to be just okay), and delectable steaks.  Our favorite steak was the balsamic filet.  Holy wow - there are no words for that steak.  We were practically fighting each other for the last bite.  Maybe next time I make my own spin on balsamic steak, I'll try making a reduction with balsamic and port to drizzle on top, just like at Acqua al Due.  Or maybe I won't - because if it is successful, there is a strong possibility that I won't eat anything else ever again.

Balsamic-marinated flank steak
Serves 4
   
1 1/2 pound flank steak
1 tablespoon Montreal Steak seasoning
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1.  Rub steak seasoning into both sides of the flank steak.  Place steak in a large ziploc bag or bowl.
2.  Whisk together ingredients for the marinade - balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and dijon mustard.  Cover steak in marinade and allow to marinate 8 hours or overnight.
3.  Heat a grill pan on medium-high heat.  Spray cooking spray on grill pan.
4.  When pan is hot, cook flank steak 3-5 minutes on each side for rare-medium rare, or until meat thermometer reaches 135-145 degrees F.  Don't cook more than 6 minutes on each side (medium) or your flank steak will be too tough. 
5.  Remove from heat; let flank steak rest on a plate at least five minutes, tented with foil.  Slice across the grain and serve.