Low-Carb Lesson #35: Italian Marinated Flank Steak

Low Carb Cooking 101

I like simple meals, and I like meals that provide leftovers that I can use later. Tonight’s meal, featuring Italian Marinated Flank Steak, fits the bill. It goes together quickly with a minimum amount of fuss, and leftover steak is wonderful to munch on for breakfast or lunch, and it is also a terrific addition to a simple salad to turn it into a main dish meal. (Since I have two children and a husband with voracious appetites, I often double the Italian Marinated Flank Steak recipe and broil two at once. Otherwise there wouldn’t be any leftovers!)

Now I know what you’re thinking…. “Does she think I’m made of money?!? Flank steak is expensive!!” Well, yes, it is – at least it is to me. But I never pay full price for it. I haunt what I call the “used meat bin,” and buy every single flank steak I find. That way I get them for half price. (I also buy most of my boneless pork chops, ribs,  ground lamb and veal, and all my steaks from the “used meat bin.” We have never had any trouble with the meat, and I’ve been doing this for years.)

A word of caution: when shopping in the “used meat bin” you need to either cook the meat immediately or freeze it as soon as you get home. I do not buy things like stuffed pork chops (back when I ate stuffing) or kebobs from the “used meat bin,” nor do I buy poultry. There’s most probably nothing wrong with them (other people buy them and live to tell the tale), but I prefer not to.

Here’s this evening’s menu:

• Italian Marinated Flank Steak
• Italian Style Green Beans
• Easy Italian Tossed Salad With Pepperoni Crisps

Here’s the shopping list for the meal: (You may very well already have some of these things on hand.)

• 2 pounds flank steak
• small sliced pepperoni rounds
• 1 bag prewashed Italian salad greens
• 1/2 cucumber
• 8 cherry tomatoes or 1 medium tomato
• butter
• shredded mozzarella cheese for salad (optional)
• grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 box frozen Italian (flat) green beans (If you can’t find the flat Italian green beans, you can use plain ol’ cut green beans.)
• 1 8-ounce bottle Italian salad dressing (for the steak)
• additional Italian salad dressing or salad dressing of your choice for salads
• salt
• pepper
• paper towels

Here’s the game plan:

Make the pepperoni crisps ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator. (They will keep indefinitely, and are nice used as “chips” to have with dip, too.)

The night before you are planning to serve the meal, take the flank steak out of the freezer and put it into a Zip Lock bag along with the Italian salad dressing to thaw and marinate. Place the closed bag in the refrigerator.

This meal comes together quickly, so make the salads before you start broiling the steak. When you have the salads together, turn on the broiler. Set the table while the broiler is preheating.

Line the broiler pan with aluminum foil to ease cleanup. Cut a few slits in the foil so that any grease will drain off.

Remove the steak from the marinade and place it on the aluminum foil. Broil the steak 4 to 5 inches from the upper heating unit for 5 to 8 minutes. Turn the steak and continue broiling for 4 to 5 more minutes, or until it reaches the desired doneness.

Turn off the broiler! (You wouldn’t think that I’d need to include this, but I forget about a third of the time. It drives my husband nuts.)

Take the steak out of the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes so that it reabsorbs the juices as much as possible.

While the steak is sitting, prepare the Italian Green Beans according to the recipe directions. Add the butter and toss, but do not serve them quite yet.

Using an electric carving knife or a very sharp kitchen knife, slice the flank steak into thin strips, cutting across the grain (cutting side to side rather than lengthwise).

Serve the steak and green beans. Sprinkle the green beans with the Parmesan cheese, and take the plates to the table.

Sit down to a well-deserved, relaxing meal.

And, finally, here’s the recipes:

Italian Marinated Flank Steak

• 2 pounds flank steak
• 1 8-ounce bottle Italian salad dressing
• salt (optional – to taste)
• pepper (optional – to taste)

Pour the Italian salad dressing over the flank steak and marinate for at least 4 hours.

Broil the flank steak to the desired doneness.

Slice the flank steak across the grain in thin strips. (It’s easiest with an electric carving knife, but if you don’t have one, just use the sharpest large knife you’ve got.

Serves 4 to 6.

***Note: Leftover Italian Marinated Flank Steak is terrific added to a salad to turn it into a main course. I like it cold, but you could heat it up in the microwave briefly if you want to.

Italian Style Green Beans

• 1 box frozen Italian (flat) green beans
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Microwave the green beans or cook them on the stovetop according to the package directions. Drain thoroughly, then toss them with the butter.

Serve, then sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon of the Parmesan cheese over each serving.

Serves 4.

Easy Italian Tossed Salad With Pepperoni Crisps

• 1 bag prewashed Italian salad greens
• 1/2 cucumber, sliced
• 8 cherry tomatoes or 1 medium tomato
• 15 small pepperoni crisps, crumbled (***See recipe below.)
• shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)
• Italian salad dressing or salad dressing of your choice (I particularly like Kraft Zesty Italian.)

Wash and slice the cucumber, but do not peel. (There’s lots of good fiber in the peel.) Quarter each cucumber slice and set aside.

Quarter the cherry tomatoes or, if you are using a whole tomato, wash, seed, and chop it into small bite-sized pieces.
Set aside.

Place 1 to 2 cups of the Italian salad greens in the salad bowls or on small salad plates. Divide the cucumber and tomatoes between the salad bowls. Crumble 4 pepperoni crisps onto each salad, then sprinkle the salads with the shredded mozzarella cheese.

Drizzle the dressing over the salads and serve.

Serves 4.

Pepperoni Crisps

• small sliced pepperoni rounds
• paper towels

Line a microwave platter or dish with 2 layers of paper towels. Separate the slices on pepperoni and place them on a single layer on top of the paper towels. Cover the pepperoni slices with another paper towel.

Microwave on high for 4 to 5 minutes. Using yet another paper towel, blot any grease that has appeared on the pepperoni slices. Recover the slices with the paper towel and continue microwaving on high for an addition 4 to 8 minutes, or until the pepperoni is completely dried and crisp. (The actual microwave time will vary depending upon the strength of your microwave.)

Remove the now crisp pepperoni slices from the microwave and blot them with a paper towel a second time. Cool and store in a Zip Lock bag or small covered container in the refrigerator.

Makes as many crisps as you have pepperoni, but only 16 are required to make 4 salads.

***Note: Pepperoni crisps will keep indefinitely in the refrigerator. Store them in a Zip Lock bag or a small covered container.