Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Chevre and mango steak bites


Jenny tried this recipe yesterday for friends who came over yesterday afternoon. First appearing in Sunset magazine, the recipe is available at myrecipes.com.

Though perhaps the steak was a bit on the rare side for some (you can judge from the photo), I happen to like meat a little rare and I think this turned out fine. It's easy to buy too much mango, so I'd cut the quantity below in half. The key to the whole thing, in my mind, is the mint, which goes a long way in giving this little gem its looks, flavor and aroma.

Jenny worked on this for a while and got a head start the night before.

The recipe from the aforementioned source:

The ingredients:
  • flank steak (about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 lbs.)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • About 2 tbsp. milk
  • 1/2 cup (4 to 5 oz.) packed fresh goat cheese
  • 30 to 34 small mint leaves
  • About 15 dried mango pieces, cut into 1/4- by 1-in. slivers
And the prep:
  1. 1. Trim fat from steak. Rinse meat, pat dry, rub with oil, and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
  2. 2. Lay steak on an oiled cooking grate over a solid bed of very hot coals or highest gas heat (you can hold your hand 1 to 2 in. above grate for only 1 to 2 seconds); cover gas grill. Cook until firm when pressed on thin end but still quite pink inside (cut to check), 8 to 10 minutes; turn over halfway through. Transfer steak to a plate; let cool at least 30 minutes. About 45 minutes before slicing, put steak in the freezer (it will be easier to slice thinly).
  3. 3. On a board with a very sharp knife, cut steak across the grain, straight up and down and as thinly and evenly as possible, to make 30 to 34 slices; save narrow and uneven ends just to eat. If wet, blot with paper towels.
  4. 4. Measure accumulated meat juices and add enough milk to make 2 tbsp.; pour into a bowl. Crumble cheese into bowl and mash with a fork into a smooth paste.
  5. 5. Working with 1 steak strip at a time, lay strip on a flat side. Spread strip with about 3/4 tsp. cheese mixture, then lay 1 mint leaf and 1 mango piece at end of strip and roll to enclose. Let stand at room temperature at least 10 minutes before serving.
  6. Note: Nutritional analysis is per roll.
Note:
Cut chilled grilled steak when ready to assemble appetizers and slice it very thinly (less than 1/4 inch, if possible). The finished appetizers can be covered and chilled for up to 6 hours.