Some of the best recipes don't require a lot of ingredients, or hours in the kitchen. This recipe for flank steak with sherried mushrooms and blue cheese is a prime example. There's really only 3 ingredients to buy: the steak, the mushrooms and the cheese (that's assuming you have salt, pepper and canola oil in your pantry). And you'll be able to have it on the table in under 20 minutes. I think the secret is a well-seasoned cast iron pan, which gets nice and hot, and sears the steak perfectly. If you're serving this to dinner guests, let them think you slaved for hours. I won't tell. (Larger image.)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 24 ounces flank steaks, in 2 12-ounce pieces
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more if needed
- 10 ounces sliced mixed mushrooms (such as cremini, shiitake and chanterelle)
- 2 ounces sherry
- 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
Preparation:
- Season steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 to 1 tablespoon canola oil and tilt pan to coat bottom completely with oil. Add steak (cook them in 2 batches if they both won't fit into the pan without crowding), and cook until browned and interior is cooked to your liking, about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Remove steak from pan, keep warm.
- Add mushrooms to the pan and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add more oil if mushrooms are sticking or if pan seems to dry. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms begin to soften and release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add sherry, bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook until sherry is nearly completely reduced, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cut each steaks into 2 pieces and put each on a dinner plate. Top each steaks with a spoonful of mushroom and about 1 ounce crumbled blue cheese. If desired, you can put the steaks under a broiler for a minute or two to slightly melt the cheese.
This recipe for flank steak with sherried mushrooms and blue cheese serves 4 people.
