Long Weekend Cooking

Skrobar’s Steak Sandwich

Ingredients

Steak

• ½ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 anchovy fillets, minced
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• 2 lb (900 g) (roughly) flank steak

Asparagus pesto

• 12–14 stalks asparagus, woody ends trimmed, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• ⅓ cup pistachios
• 1 cup finely grated pecorino
• 3 anchovy fillets
• ½ tsp chili flakes
• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Garlic bread

• 1 head garlic, tops cut off to expose the cloves
• 1 tbsp extra-­ virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp cracked black pepper
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup finely grated pecorino
• 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 baguette, sliced in half lengthwise

Directions

1. First up, we’ll marinate the steak. Place all the ingredients, except the steak, in a bowl and whisk. Place the steak in a resealable bag and pour in the marinade. Refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.
2. Next up, let’s make the asparagus pesto. Place the asparagus, garlic, pistachios, pecorino, anchovies, and chili flakes in a food processor. Process for 1–2 minutes, then, with the motor running, slowly pour the olive in through the chute. Continue to process until relatively smooth. Set aside. Any leftover pesto can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
4. Now, prepare the garlic butter for the bread. Place the garlic bulbs on some foil, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Wrap the foil tightly around the garlic and place on a baking sheet,
5. then into the oven for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Squeeze the roasted garlic into a mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Add the softened butter, pecorino, and parsley and mix well. Set aside.
6. Time to grill that flank steak. Oil the grill, turn the heat to high, and let the temperature rise to 450°F to 500°F. Remove the steak from the marinade, letting any excess marinade drip back into the bag, and pat dry. Place the steak on the BBQ and grill for about 4–5 minutes per side. If you’re someone who loves their steak done to a specific temperature, use an instant-read thermometer and you’ll never be guessing if it’s ready. The method I’ve described above will give you a medium-­ rare steak, which, when the steak comes off the grill, should be at an internal temperature of 130°F and will rise to about 135°F after resting. For rare steak, remove the steak when it reaches 120°F and it will rise to about 125°F after resting. If you prefer your steak medium, remove it when it hits 140°F and it will rise to about 145°F after resting. I wouldn’t recommend going over medium for flank steak, but if you insist, be careful not to go over 155°F, which will give you a medium well-done steak. Anything more than that is simply criminal.
7. Remove the steak from the BBQ, tent it with foil, and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing. When slicing steak, you want to ensure that you cut it against the grain for a truly tender piece of meat. On a large piece of flank steak like this one, finding the grain is fairly simple: You’ll see parallel lines of muscle that run from one end of the steak to the other, and that is the grain. Slice against this

Watermelon, Cucumber & Tomato Salad with a Feta Dressing

Ingredients

Dressing

• ½ cup crumbled feta
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tbsp cold water, or more as needed
• Cracked black pepper to taste

Salad

• 4 cups watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 Persian cucumbers, sliced into half-moons
• 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
• ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, torn
• 2 tbsp fresh dill, roughly chopped

Directions

1. We’ll start with the dressing, so the flavors have time to meld while you prep your salad. In a blender or with an immersion blender, add the feta, olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and garlic, and blend until mostly smooth with just a little texture from the feta is remaining. Thin with cold water a tablespoon at a time until it’s pourable but still clings to a spoon, then season with pepper. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
2. For the salad, combine the watermelon, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, mint, and dill in a large bowl, tossing very gently so the watermelon doesn’t break down or release too much juice. Just before serving, drizzle the dressing over top, or serve it on the side.

Grilled Peach Cobbler Flatbread

Ingredients

• Peaches
• 4 ripe peaches, halved
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
• ½ tsp Kosher salt
• Crumble
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
• Pinch Kosher salt
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Salted Caramel
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
• ¼ cup whipping cream, warmed
• ½ tsp flaky salt
• Dough
• 1 lb store-bought pizza dough, divided in half and at room temperature
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• To finish
• Whipped cream

Directions

1. Start with a clean, oiled grill, then heat the grill to medium heat. Toss the peaches with the melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt, then grill directly on the grates for 2 to 3 minutes per side, just until they pick up nice char marks and start to soften. Transfer to a bowl to cool, then slice into wedges once cool enough to touch. If you’re working with a flat-top grill, skip the halving altogether! Cut the peaches into wedges from the start and grill them directly on the flat-top.
2. For the crumble, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl, then work the cold butter in with your fingers until it forms small little clumps. Transfer to a small cast iron pan and place it directly on the grill, stirring occasionally, until golden and toasted, about 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
3. For the caramel, spread the sugar in an even layer in a saucepan over medium heat. Let it melt undisturbed until it starts to liquefy at the edges, then gently swirl the pan to bring in the dry sugar, continuing until it’s all amber in colour. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter until fully melted, then slowly stream in the warm cream, whisking constantly until smooth. Stir in the flaky salt and set aside. It will thicken slightly as it cools.
4. Onto the dough! Stretch or roll each piece into a rough oval about ¼-inch thick, then brush both sides with olive oil. Place directly on the grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until puffed, charred in spots, and cooked through, watching closely since dough cooks fast on the grill.