Sharron's Birthday Menu: Flank Steak, Spinach & Apple Crisp

Last night was really Sharron’s birthday and she had some very specific requests for dinner - some of her favorite dishes growing up. Unfortunately, the shot of the set table groaning under all the food didn't survive. Obviously we were in too big a hurry to eat to really pay attention to the photography. Here was her order......

Flank steak - I make this excellent and inexpensive cut of meat with many a different marinade to break down the toughness, and Sharron loves them all. That said she wanted the first recipe (and the one most frequently requested).

Sautéed spinach with garlic (because “flank steak needs a green veggie” – her quote, but my long standing rule, I’m told).

Apple crisp for dessert – the “real” one and she insisted I share the recipe with all of you. It is a purist’s version and my mother’s recipe. No frills just apples, brown sugar, flour and butter. When I posted my other apple crisp recipe (our cousins were heading back home after spending a year in Toronto and requested it so that they'd be able to make it back home), Sharron complained that it wasn’t the “real” apple crisp. So I’ll let you be the judge.

I added roasted new potatoes (this time with lavender as suggested by Kitchenmage, (you have to check her site out, it's great) but my favorite herb to accompany strong flavors like Teriyaki is still fresh rosemary, and jalapeno cornbread muffins because I know she likes them and because I felt the meal needed the carbs. Who am I kidding – I just like them!!!

So without further ado……


Teriyaki Flank Steak
From Every Kitchen Tells Its Stories

Hands-on time: 5 minutes
Marinate time: 2-24 hours
Total cooking time: 15-20 minutes
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
2 Flank Steaks
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup teriyaki sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated or 1 tsp powdered ginger
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp finely chopped onion

Directions:
1. With a sharp knife, score (cut slashes across flank steak) about one inch apart. Just barely slice into the meat. Do not make deep gashes.

2. Combine all other ingredients in a shallow dish long enough to hold the flank steaks flat.

3. Marinate in refrigerator for 24 hours or on the counter for at least 2 hours. The longer the better to tenderize the meat.

4. Preheat oven to broil or heat up the BBQ. Grill 5 minutes / side for medium rare. Add 1-2 minutes if you like it more well-done.

5. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing. This relaxes the meat and makes it even more tender. Slice across the grain and at a slight angle. (Just off of being perpendicular)


Tips & Variations

Great with rice and sautéed vegetables like baby bok choy, spinach or asparagus.


The “Real” Apple Crisp
From Every Kitchen Tells Its Stories

Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Total Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
Apples pared, cored and sliced (Enough to fill an Ovenproof dish to the top- they will sink during cooking)-anywhere from 4-10 depending on the size of the apples and the size of the dish.

Topping*:
¾ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
¾ cup flour
½ cup butter, chilled

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325°F/170°C.

2. Cut the chilled butter into flour and brown sugar. If you have a food processor, several on/off beats should do. The mixture should be dry and look crumbly and the butter should still be in tiny pieces. It should not look creamy.

3. Mound brown sugar mixture over apple slices and spread right to the edge of the dish so that no apples are showing through. Bake for at least 1 hour.

Tips & Variations

My favourite apples for this dish are Macintosh or Cortland as they are very tart, but any sour apple will do. It balances the sweet topping. A great yin/yang.
The longer you bake it the more like applesauce the filling becomes. It is all a matter of taste.

*Topping amount mentioned in "Ingredients" is for a round ovenproof casserole or 8x8 square pan. For larger pans, double the brown sugar and flour but only increase the amount of butter
to ¾ cup.

So let us know which apple crisp suits your fancy.