Matambre (Stuffed Flank Steak)

For the Uruguay recipe, I decided to make “matambre”, AKA stuffed flank steak. I love flank steak because it is very healthy; compared to other cuts of beef, it is low in fat, making a good option for someone watching their weight.  My rendition of this dish was inspired by this recipe:  http://southamericanfood.about.com/od/maincourses/r/matambre.htm but my version is “cleaner”, meaning lower in fat and calories.  Typically, matambre has Parmesan cheese and hard-boiled egg but I omitted these two ingredients to keep it lighter. You can cook this on the BBQ or poach it in red wine; I will be poaching in red wine.

Recipe: Matambre

Makes 2 servings.

Stuffing:

The stuffing has two parts: a bed of spinach leaves and a salsa style filling.  My salsa has:

-  2 tbsp’s each of: tomato, red pepper, red onion, and zucchini

-  1 tbsp each of: garlic, chopped olives, chipotle pepper, basil (fresh), and balsamic vinegar

Method:

-  Make the salsa by finely chopping all the veggies, tear basil, and add wet ingredients.  Mix well.

-  Take one cup of spinach and lay it flat on top of the piece of flank steak.  I used 8 ounces of thinly sliced flank steak.

-  Place the salsa on top of the spinach.

-  Roll the flank steak and hold together using cooking string.

-  Fill a skillet with a 1/2 cup of red wine; I will be using Chilean shiraz since I do not have a red from Uruguay (Uruguay is gaining importance as a red wine producer and occasionally, the LCBO carries some bottles).  Braise the steak for about 3 minutes each side at medium heat for medium rare.

-  Serve on a plate with side dish or side dishes.

It is common for Uruguayans to enjoy red wine with an ice cube in the glass! Cheers!