Antipasti-Stuffed Flank Steak

Antipasti-Stuffed Flank Steak

Ingredients

Flank Steak:

One 1 1/2-pound flank steak

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 clove garlic, grated

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 ounces sliced deli ham

3 ounces sliced mozzarella

4 ounces sliced Genoa salami

4 ounces marinated mushrooms, sliced (about 1/2 cup)

4 ounces roasted red peppers, sliced (about 1/3 cup)

8 small hot pickled cherry peppers, stemmed

Herb Paste and Sauce:

1 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves

1 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 clove garlic, crushed

Kosher salt

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Special equipment:

a meat mallet, butcher’s twine and an instant-read thermometer

  1. For the flank steak: Set the flank steak on a cutting board. Starting at the thin, narrow end of the steak, slice it in half horizontally to within 2 inches of the opposite wide end. Open it up like a book so you have one long piece. Pound the steak with a mallet to an even thickness of about 1/2 inch.
  2. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, honey, red pepper, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Combine the marinade with the meat in a large resealable plastic bag and flip over several times to make sure the meat is well coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours, flipping several times.
  3. For the herb paste and sauce: Combine the basil, parsley, red pepper, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. With the motor running, slowly pour in 1/4 cup of the oil. Remove 2 tablespoons of the herb paste from the processor and mix with the remaining 1/4 cup oil in a small bowl; reserve this sauce for finishing.
  4. Prepare an outdoor grill for direct and indirect grilling. (If your grill has a thermometer, aim to keep the temperature at about 350 degrees F throughout grilling.)
  5. Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry. Spread it flat on a work surface. Cover the steak with the remaining herb paste, leaving a 1-inch border along the edges. Layer with the ham, mozzarella and salami, then sprinkle with the mushrooms and roasted peppers. Arrange the hot peppers in a line along the edge of one of the short ends (when you roll up the steak they will be in the middle). Roll up the steak like a jelly roll, starting at the short end with the hot peppers. Tie the roll closed around the circumference with butcher’s twine at 2-inch intervals. Tie one more piece of twine lengthwise around the meat.
  6. Put the steak on the direct heat side of the grill and cook, turning, to brown all 4 sides, about 2 minutes per side. Move the steak to the indirect heat side of the grill, cover and cook, turning occasionally, until the very center reads 115 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer for a steak that is well done on the outside and medium rare in the center, 25 to 30 minutes more. (Test frequently; the time will vary based on the temperature of your grill.) Let the steak rest 5 to 6 minutes.
  7. Untie the steak and cut it into 6 thick slices. Serve with the reserved herb sauce for drizzling.