Mediterranean Stuffed Flank Steak

Visions of the Greek Isles will dance in your head with every bite!

I have to admit, I've never been a huge fan of Mediterranean food, mostly because I don't like olives-- GASP! I just never have. Black, green, it doesn't matter. I wanted to make a stuffed flank steak because...well...STEAK. As far as red meat is concerned, flank is definitely a cheaper cut, so it's easy on the budget, making it practical for all of us Paleolithic folks on a budget. Most stuffed flank steaks call for cheese, but I am sensitive to cheese and I wondered if I could get good flavor without it. Enter the mediterranean influence. Steak is not very common in Mediterranean food, but I like to live on the edge.

In an effort to get past my fear of Mediterranean foods, I took a leap of faith and bought some capers. People go on and on about them, but I knew they were somewhat similar to olives so I was a little nervous. However, I knew that if I wanted to do something with mediterranean influence, olives or something similar was going to play a roll. They are such an essential part of what makes Mediterranean foods so unique, and I wanted in on that action!

EUREKA! I love capers!! What a pleasant surprise that was! I immediately set to work on this dish because I was so excited to cook with them!

I have included several ugly pictures to show you the process. I thought that those of you who are knew to stuffing meat might find them helpful, as making your first stuffed flank steak can be a little nerve wrecking. But, DON'T FEAR THE FLANK! It's much easier than you probably think!

This is a dairy free recipe. If you follow a more Primal lifestyle, feel free to add a little goat cheese, or grass fed cheese of choice in there to kick it up a notch. But cheese, or no cheese, this stuffed flank steak will please any audience!

Mediterranean Stuffed Flank Steak

Ingredients:

1.5 lb flank steak*

1 cup chopped baby bella mushrooms

4 Tbs red wine**

2 Tbs olive oil
3 c frozen spinach thawed & well strained
1 cup chopped roasted red pepper
4 cloves garlic crushed
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
1 tsp dried oregano (2 tsp fresh)
2 Tbs capers
3 Tbs ghee (I use OMghee brand)

*You can marinate your steak if you wish. If you choose to do so, I would suggest marinating for at lease 2 hours in olive oil, red wine & crushed garlic

**skip the wine to keep this 21 Day Sugar Detox and Whole 30 friendly.

Tools of the trade:

Cotton butchers/cooking twine-- You can buy some, OR if you ask your butcher nicely while you order your meat, he/she might just gift you some. Ladies, that would be a good time to bat your eyelashes and flip your hair. Boys, if you butcher is female, compliment her hair net, smile and wink.

Sharp knife-- this is for prepping the steak. It needs to be sharp or you will rue the day you decided to do this.

Oven safe skillet (like cast iron)-- This is not necessary, however it will lessen the number of dishes you will need, which is something I strive to do as a busy mom!

Don't fear the flank!

To Prepare The Steak:

You will need to butterfly your flank down the middle to make it thin & long (see pic). You can ask your butcher to do this as well if you wish to save yourself the trouble. If you're doing it yourself, take your sharp knife & slice through the middle almost to the end & lay it out so you have one long flat piece of meat. You will also want to tenderize it. Again, your butcher may be willing to do this. If doing it yourself, simply use the tenderizer side of your kitchen mallet, pound into the meat a little bit. Take care not to demolish it!

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F. Place your oven safe skillet on the stove top over medium heat. Pour in olive oil & wine. Sauté the mushrooms until cooked through. Set aside.


In a mixing bowl, mix together mushrooms, spinach, red peppers, garlic, salt, pepper, & oregano with the egg. Spread the filling onto the flat flank steak. Sprinkle the capers over top. Then roll the steak short-ways (see pic). Then, use small pieces of twine to secure the meat in place (see pic). Don't be afraid to tie it up tight!

Cotton candy sweet as gold, let me see your tootsie roll!

Tied up & ready to sear!

Now you will need to sear your steak. Return your oven-safe skillet to the the stove-top over medium high heat. Melt 1 Tbs of ghee & heat until it's hot without smoking. Place rolled steak into pan and use tongs to turn the roll every 1-2 minutes, searing on all sides. Once it is seared on all sides, remove pan from heat. Top the roll with 2 Tbs of ghee, and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Put into the 350*F oven and bake for 45 minutes- 1 hour. Cooking time will depend on how done you want it. 45 minutes will yield a pinker center, an hour will leave a little pink inside. I cooked mine for 1 hour. When finished cooking, remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Get in mah belly!!

To Plate:

Serve your Mediterranean Stuffed Flank Steak with a greek inspired salad and a side of cauli mash, and ENJOY!