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  • The Best and tasty Flank Steak Recipe – Oh Sweet Basil

    The Best and tasty Flank Steak Recipe – Oh Sweet Basil

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    There’s nothing quite like a perfect grilled steak and so I’m sharing my secrets on Grilled Flank Steak and my favorite balsamic marinade. 

    We went over to one of our friends’ home the other night for dinner. We brought the meat and salad and they supplied side and dessert (oh my gosh it was the most delicious strawberry shortcake. A true favorite of mine!)

    I got this recipe from a girl I went to Elementary and Junior High School with. Fast forward 5,000 years, we became friends on facebook and the rest is history! 

    Anyway, this is hands down our new favorite way to cook flank steak. If there is one meat recipe you try from me this weekend, make it this one. You will love it forever.

    a sliced flank steak that has been cooked on a gas grill with a balsamic soy sauce marinade

    What is Flank Steak?

    Flank steak is a somewhat tough but lean cut of beef that is long and flat. It is still quite flavorful but it mostly benefits from a marinade that tenderizes the meat.

    Prepared this way, marinated, cooked quickly at high heat, and thinly sliced, flank steak practically melts in your mouth.

    What’s in the Marinade?

    At first glance, this flank steak recipe might look like a lot of ingredients, but you’ll likely have most of them in your pantry or fridge already. Here is everything you will need…

    • Soy Sauce– This adds a lot of flavor and a touch of salt to balance out the sweetness in the marinade.
    • Oil– Vegetable is what we use, but you could use olive oil.
    • Dark Brown Sugar– Dark brown sugar gives a touch of sweet and balances the salty of the soy sauce, but we prefer dark brown sugar to add a little more depth of flavor.
    • Worcestershire Sauce– Umami is the flavor you forget about. Yes, there’s sweet, salty, bitter, sour but did you know umami is that earthy goodness? Worcestershire enhances that in a beef marinade.
    • Dijon Mustard– A strong but not bitter mustard that helps to enhance flavor.
    • Garlic– Garlic breaks up the muddled flavors in a beef dish, adding a stitch of a bite.
    • Chives- A more mild onion flavor that also adds a little freshness.
    • Pepper- While we don’t need to add salt thanks to the soy sauce we do need a little heat from the pepper.
    • Balsamic Vinegar- Acid is one of the key components in cooking as you’ll read in our cookbook, Raised in the Kitchen. It cuts through the flavors, tenderizes the meat and adds a sweet but tangy flavor.

    What to Use if You Can’t Find Flank Steak

    A great substitution for flank steak is a skirt steak or flat iron steak. We loooove skirt steak!!

    What is Another Name for Flank Steak?

    Some butchers sell flank steak under the name “London Broil,” while others use that term for cuts from the round.

    roasted yukon gold potatoes with a grilled flank steak sliced thinlyroasted yukon gold potatoes with a grilled flank steak sliced thinly

    How to Keep Flank Steak Tender

    Flank steak has a lot of muscle fibers running through it, and it is a fairly lean cut of meat. It has an intense beefy flavor, but it can be a little tough.

    • It should be thinly sliced and cut against the grain. Look for which way the lines are running through the meat and cut the opposite direction. This will give it maximum tenderness.
    • Marinades can also help it to be tender. 
    • Let it rest! Once it has cooked, remove it from the grill and set it aside to rest for about 5 minutes. This allows juices to redistribute and the meat will be more flavorful and tender. 

    How Should Flank Steak be Cooked

    • Grilling is the best way to cook flank steak, as it caramelizes the flavor on the outside, adding a nice sear but you can still control the inner temperature.
    • To keep your flank steak grill time to a minimum. Start with a high heat to sear both sides then turn it down to medium and only cook for about 9-12 minutes total.
    • Because this is a lean cut, it is best cooked rare, medium-rare, or medium. I would never cook a flank steak to well done. 
    • Additionally, you can also pan-sear it in a skillet or broil it in your oven, but you will lack flavor.

    What to Eat with Flank Steak

    We like to eat flank steak as the main dish with a side of mashed potatoes or roasted fingerlings. A side salad or any vegetable also makes a great side dish like grilled corn on the cob or roasted garlic veggies.

    This steak can also be used to make a great steak salad or sliced thin and served in flank steak tacos.

    thinly sliced flank steak that marinated in a balsamic marinade all daythinly sliced flank steak that marinated in a balsamic marinade all day

    This balsamic flank steak marinade is bold in flavor and makes the most tender, juicy steak! It’s a staple in our summer grilling rotation! 

    Servings: 4

    Prep Time: 8 hours 10 minutes

    Cook Time: 15 minutes

    Total Time: 8 hours 25 minutes

    Description

    A delicious flank steak marinade that brings the often tough flank steak to a mouthwateringly tender cut of steak.

    Prevent your screen from going dark

    • Mix all ingredients together in a ziploc or a large dish.

      1/2 Cup Soy Sauce, 1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil, 2 Tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar, 1/4 Cup Worcestershire Sauce, 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard, 4 Cloves Garlic, 2 Tablespoons Chives, 1 1/2 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper, 2 teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar

    • Add the flank steak and marinate (covered) in the fridge overnight or at least all day.

      2 Pounds Flank Steak

    • Heat the gas grill to high heat. Remove the steak from the marinade and lay on the grill for 2 minutes per side. Then turn down to medium and cook another 7-10 minutes, flipping halfway again, or until an internal temperature of 130 degrees F (using a meat thermometer) for medium rare, or longer for medium etc. Remove and set aside to rest on a cutting board with foil draped over the top.
    • Meanwhile, place 1/2 of the remaining marinade in a sauce pan over medium heat.

    • Bring the marinade to a simmer for 10 minutes, set aside.

    • Slice the steak against the grain and serve with a drizzle of additional sauce if desired.

    Flank steak is a lower quality of meat so cooking to well done will make it more chewy. It’s incredibly flavorful and delicious when cooked properly!!
    Store left overs for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

    Serving: 1gCalories: 374kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 52gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 136mgSodium: 1980mgPotassium: 1011mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 84IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 88mgIron: 5mg

    Author: Sweet Basil

    Course: 100 + BEST Easy Beef Recipes for Dinner

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    a cutting board with roasted yukon gold potatoes and sliced grilled flank steak with a delicious marinadea cutting board with roasted yukon gold potatoes and sliced grilled flank steak with a delicious marinade

     

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  • ELLE Escapes: Modena

    ELLE Escapes: Modena

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    There is perhaps no more fitting way to arrive in Modena—located in the heart of Italy’s Motor Valley—than in a Maserati. I was invited to join the luxury Italian automaker on a road trip from Rome, through Tuscany, to Maserati’s hometown on the south side of the Po Valley, in order to test-drive both the 2024 gas-powered GranTurismo Trofeo and GranTurismo Folgore, the brand’s first-ever electric sports car.

    For the uninitiated, the Folgore, which translates to “lightning” in Italian, is capable of reaching 60 mph in 2.7 seconds, and after driving the car and feeling its torque pulse through my entire body, I can confirm it was just as quick to accelerate, if not faster, as its gas-powered counterpart. In the course of two days, I went from nervously saying, “We drive the cars ourselves?” to asking (er, demanding) my driving partner to forego his last driving shift so I could cruise through the city behind the wheel myself.

    It’s been said that a passion for racing and cars runs through the veins of Emilia-Romagna, and with the region (located just north of Tuscany) serving as home to not only Maserati, but Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Ducati, and several other car companies, it’s easy to see why. But Emilia-Romagna is also famous for its cuisine, and for good reason, as many of the most famed Italian foods—prosciutto di parma, mortadella, parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar—originate here.

    Located in the middle of Emilia-Romagna, Modena is the perfect place to try them all. It’s also a great jumping off point to explore the region, as Parma and Bologna are each within a 30-minute drive. Here’s a rundown of what to see, eat, and drink, and where to stay, while you’re in Modena, no matter how you arrive.

    What to See


    Acetaia Pedroni and Osteria di Rubbiara

    Courtesy of Pedroni Family

    Given that balsamic vinegar originated in Modena, I knew I had to visit an acetaia, or vinegar cellar, while I was in town. A short cab ride through lush grapevine fields brought me to Acetaia Pedroni, which was built on the site of a former monastery that dates back to 1100. I took a tour of the grounds where the Pedroni family has been producing traditional balsamic vinegar since 1862 and learned about the various steps in the production process, including that, in order to be an officially certified Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena under the European Protected Designation of Origin system, the vinegar must be aged for at least 12 years. (I also had the pleasure of meeting the 87-year-old patriarch Italo, who still lives on site, though his son, Giuseppe III, is running the place now.) After the tour, I was given a tasting, where I was able to try a vinegar that had been aged for 25 years in a barrel that was 150 years old. It may have ruined all other balsamic for me; this is what it’s supposed to taste like? I had to buy a bottle to take home. Next up was a delicious four-course lunch featuring local specialities with balsamic dotted on top, paired with a glass of Casa Pedroni Lambrusco. My favorite course was dessert: a rich vanilla custard drizzled with vinegar, a salty-sweet lover’s dream.

    Maserati Factory and Showroom

    maserati modena factory tour showroom

    Courtesy of Maserati

    No visit to Motor Valley is complete without taking in a bit of auto history. But rather than visiting one of the more traditional car museums in town, I recommend taking a tour of the Viale Ciro Menotti factory Maserati has called home since the 1930s. I’ve never considered myself much of a car geek, but even I could get into how cool it was to see Maserati’s MC20 supercar being handcrafted by workers standing a mere 10-feet from me. In addition to the assembly line—where you see each custom-made MC20 constructed from frame to the final product being wrapped to ship out to its lucky new owner—the tour also includes a visit to the engine lab, the areas where the cars are meticulously tested and, my favorite part, where they are painted by huge robot arms. Before or after the hour-long tour, you can visit Maserati’s showroom and admire (and hop in!) some of its latest models and pick up some merch to take home.

    Mercato Albinelli

    modena pasta

    Kayla Webley Adler

    There are few activities I love more when traveling than wandering a food market. Not only is it a great, cost-effective introduction to local cuisines, but grocery shopping among the locals always helps me feel a little less like a tourist and a little more at home. The stalls inside Mercato Albinelli, a large covered market in the heart of Modena, overflow with all of the regional food specialties: hunks of prosciutto, parmesan wheels, and freshly made tortellini. One shop not to be missed is Je Suis Marisa, which sells fresh pasta that is almost too pretty to eat (almost). Stop by for a view of the colorful fresh pasta case decorated with flowers and pick up some pasta to take home, or enjoy a bowl of tortellini on-site. Don’t skip the sandwiches from Bar Schiavoni, just outside of Albinelli; you might recognize the sausage option from the second season of Master of None.

    Delaney Embroidered Pointelle Knit Cotton Vest

    Varley Delaney Embroidered Pointelle Knit Cotton Vest

    B-Buzz Dynastie Leather Shoulder Bag

    Balmain B-Buzz Dynastie Leather Shoulder Bag

    Where to Eat


    Franceschetta 58

    francescana

    Courtesy of Francescana Group

    I wish I was the kind of person who planned far enough ahead to have secured a reservation at chef Massimo Bottura’s Osteria Francescana, which holds three Michelin stars and has been named the best restaurant in the world…twice. But if you’re like me—a last-minute Larry—don’t despair, grab a table at Francescana’s casual and more accessible family bistro, Franceschetta 58. Choose from two tasting menus, one featuring seasonal fare and the second with the classics, or order à la carte. But whatever you choose, make sure to try the Emilia Burger; the patty is made from beef (chianina) and pork sausage (cotechino), layered with parmesan, and topped with a green sauce made with parsley, anchovies, and capers, and mayonnaise infused with balsamic vinegar. I’m still drooling.

    Prospero

    prospero

    Kayla Webley Adler

    Old meets new at Prospero, which takes local classics like tortellini served in chicken broth and modernizes the dish by making the broth lemongrass-flavored and adding dots of pistachio cream to the pasta. I also especially enjoyed the asparagus carbonara. Another nice touch: the restaurant puts as much care into the music it plays as the food it serves; you can listen to its playlists on Spotify.

    Bloom

    bloom gelato modena

    Courtesy of Bloom

    This is a bold statement, but Modena just might have the best gelato in all of Italy—and that’s mostly thanks to Bloom, which serves up all-natural gelato and sorbet that features inventive ingredients, like grapefruit marmalade, peach jam infused with juniper, and candied Sicilian tangerines.

    Double Sided Silk Scarf

    Wolf & Badger Double Sided Silk Scarf

    Gathered Bustier Midi Dress

    COS Gathered Bustier Midi Dress

    Maysalebi Heel

    Manolo Blahnik Maysalebi Heel

    Where to Drink


    Archer

    archer wine bar modena

    Courtesy of Archer

    Archer is a cozy, romantic natural wine bar that has a great selection of wines from Italy and nearby countries like France and Slovenia, along with a selection of small plates. Enjoy a glass of chianti with a plate of anchovies, butter, and toast, and enjoy the view of the Ghirlandina bell tower.

    Cleto Chiarli

    cleto chiarli wine modena

    Courtesy of Cleto Chiarli

    Cleto Chiarli is the oldest winery in Emilia Romagna and the first to bottle and commercialize the region’s now-famous Lambrusco. Choose from two varieties of the effervescent wine: the drier pink-hued Lambrusco di Sorbana, or the sweeter purple Lambrusco Grasparossa. You can visit Cleto Chiarli in the heart of Modena, or at its winery in the countryside 20 minutes outside the city.

    Cesare

    cesare

    Davide Sabattini

    Travel back in time at Cesare, a quaint tavern that dates back to 1934. The space, with wooden tables and chairs, retro paneling, and old photos, is a dive (in the best way) but the cocktails are high-brow. The “Lola Love,” made with vodka, passionfruit, vanilla, lychee foam, and lemongrass, is especially tasty.

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    Jean Paul Gaultier Striped Flower-Appliqué Crop Top

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    Where to Stay


    Hotel Rua Frati 48 in San Francesco

    hotel rua frati

    Courtesy of Hotel Rua Frati

    I fell for Hotel Rua Frati 48 as soon as I learned it is set in a Renaissance-era palace. And indeed, everything about staying there was royal: There are multiple gorgeous commonspaces, palatial guest rooms, enormous jacuzzi tubs, and an expansive breakfast spread. Rua Frati 48 was also the only time I have encountered a “pillow menu” in my hotel room, something I didn’t know I needed and now must have at any future hotel (a girl likes to have options!).

    Casa Maria Luigia

    casa maria luigia

    Courtesy of Francescana

    Osteria Francescana’s Massimo Bottura turned his attention to luxury lodging, opening a country house hotel in 2019 in the outskirts of Modena along with his wife, Lara Gilmore. Casa Maria Luigia is a beautifully restored 18th-century farmhouse, surrounded by private gardens, that includes just 12 rooms, no two alike. The hotel is exquisitely designed with a mix of vintage and contemporary furnishings and pieces from the couple’s art collection—Ai Weiwei and Damien Hirst, among others—hang on the walls. But perhaps the best part about staying at Casa Maria Luigia is being able to raid the kitchen, where chef Jessica Rosval (who worked at Francescana for seven years) and her team leave salads, snacks, and fresh baked bread for guests to nibble on from 6 A.M. to midnight.

    Hotel Cervetta 5

    hotel cervetta 5

    Courtesy of Hotel Cervetta 5

    Nestled on a charming street full of sidewalk cafés, just steps from Piazza Grande, lies Hotel Cervetta 5, a recently renovated boutique hotel, smack in the middle of historic Modena. The 22 rooms feature chic décor, luxury furnishings, and all the comforts of home, including fresh baked pastries in the morning.

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    Sunkissed cheeks start with a flush of blush. Merit’s Flush Balm can be warmed up on your fingertips or swiped across the apples of your cheeks for a dewy, rosy glow.

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    Headshot of Kayla Webley Adler

    Deputy Editor

    Kayla Webley Adler is the Deputy Editor of ELLE magazine. She edits cover stories, profiles, and narrative features on politics, culture, crime, and social trends. Previously, she worked as the Features Director at Marie Claire magazine and as a Staff Writer at TIME magazine.

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