Beef Flank with Brazil Nuts & Spinach Pesto

The Brazilians’ secret to a delicious grilled steak is marinating. The flavoured oil penetrates the flesh giving more flavour and helping to tenderise the meat. A great alternative to a BBQ, this recipe brings the flavours of the outdoors in and can be made with any cut of steak. Here we use beef flank which is tasty and economical.

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Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1kg-1.2kg beef flank (Bavette)

For the marinade

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
• Juice and zest of 1 lime
• 150ml olive oil

For the pesto

• I tablespoon olive oil
• 1 banana shallot, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 200g baby spinach
• 150g feta cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 125ml evaporated milk
• 50g toasted Brazil nuts
• Salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

To marinate

Mix all the ingredients together and pour over the steak in a zip-top freezer bag. Seal and place in the fridge overnight.

For the pesto

Add the oil to the frying pan and heat on a low to medium setting. Gently fry the shallot and garlic for 5 minutes. Allow to cool.

Add all the pesto ingredients to a food processor including the fried shallot and garlic and blend to an even consistency. Season with salt and pepper, set aside.

To cook the steak

Remove the meat from the fridge an hour before cooking. Take out of the bag and dry on kitchen paper to remove any excess marinade.

Pre-heat the Grillit® on a medium heat setting. Test the temperature of the pan before adding the meat – see Cook’s notes - and when hot enough add the steak and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side (to cook medium rare - depending on thickness). Don’t be tempted to move the steak before this time; allow the surface to seal on the ribs of the pan. When it is cooked it will release easily.

Once cooked, remove the steak from the pan, put onto a warm plate or dish, cover loosely and rest for 10 minutes. This will ensure the meat is juicy as it will retain more moisture when carved.

To serve, slice the steak across the grain in thin slices and serve the pesto alongside.

Cook's Notes

• To check if the Grillit® is hot enough add a few drops of cold water to the hot surface. If it sizzles and the water evaporates almost immediately, it is hot enough and ready for use. If the water produces steam and has no sizzle, heat the pan for a little longer and repeat the test again.
• For a more substantial meal, mix the pesto through pasta or even mashed potato.
• Add a few large fresh prawns to the Grillit® for a couple minutes for a surf ‘n’ turf take on the recipe.