Surf and Turf

 

This roulade style dish elevates the classic grilled steak to the next level, and the pesto inside makes the steak super moist and a beautiful presentation when served along side roasted baby potatoes and snow crab legs.

 

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Serves 6

Ingredients:
For the Herb  Pesto:
1 1/2 cups packed fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup  packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup packed parsley
2 1/2 cups baby spinach
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 to 1 cups  extra-virgin olive oil

For The Steak:
One  3-pound flank steak
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 Tablespoons olive oil

For the Baby Potatoes:

A variety of about 30 to 40 baby potatoes
(Red bliss, purple, Yukon gold, white)
2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt, to taste


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

To roast the potatoes, place 2 sheets of parchment paper onto a roasting pan.

In a bowl, toss together the potatoes, rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil, making sure that the potatoes are well coated.

Pour the potatoes onto the parchment paper-covered roasting pan, and cover with 2 more sheets of parchment paper. Fold the edges of the parchment in to seal the potatoes. Cook them in the oven for about 35 minutes, or until they are crispy.

For the pesto, combine the mint,  basil, parsley, spinach, garlic, pine nuts, lemon zest, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese in a food processor and pulse to partially combine.  Turn the processor on Auto and drizzle in the olive oil, a half cup at a time, until the ingredients start to come together into a chunky paste. Make sure to add the oil a little at a time to ensure a good consistency with the pesto. You do not want it to be thin and runny.

Place the flank steak flat on a work surface  with the grain of the meat running perpendicular to you. Using a long, thin, very sharp knife, butterfly the meat by slicing through the long side of the steak, opening it up like the pages of a book,as you go, stopping  1/2 inch short of cutting the steak in  two. Season with salt and pepper.Spread the pesto all over the meat, leaving a 1 1/2-inch space all around the edge. Roll up the steak, with the grain running the  length of the roll, and tie up with kitchen twine every 2 inches. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Rub the steak with olive oil then sear it in a very hot, cast-iron skillet over high heat or on a very hot grill. Place it in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes for medium-rare steak. Place the steak on a cutting board and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Remove the strings and carve across the grain into 1-to 2-inch slices.

Serve alongside Baby Potatoes  and Snow Crab Legs for an elegant surf and turf presentation.