Super Fabulous Espresso Crusted Stuffed Flank Steak!

Yes, you read it right. Espresso coffee was used to make this delicious stuffed Flank Steak! You are going to want to make this!

I'm not the most masterful at plating my food. That is where a true chef shines! The artistry of plating and making everything on the plate look like something that you can't live without is sometimes lacking when I serve food to my family. Some nights it's all I can do to get it on the plate while everyone is sitting around waiting to eat! Never mind when I grab my camera to take a picture and delay serving the food!
While watching television one day I saw an Italian Chef making a stuffed flank steak.  Never having made one before I was very intrigued. She lost me when she started putting raisins and nuts in the stuffing. However, the idea of making a stuffed flank steak stuck with me, and I decided to play!

 I started with a nice piece of flank steak. Then I made a pocket with a sharp knife and continued to cut through the entire piece of meat. Until the meat was open like a book.

Once I butchered the meat I pounded it to get it just a little bit thinner so it would be easier to roll up.

I seasoned the meat with salt and pepper and put it to the side.
Now for the stuffing!
I chopped up some fresh spinach and a handful of fresh parsley. To that I added some goat cheese, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and a little clove of garlic.

I set the spinach mixture aside and took 2 large portabella mushrooms and chopped them.

Now it was time to stuff the meat.
I spread the spinach mixture on the meat and then added the chopped mushrooms.

I then rolled the meat up, trying to pull it together so that it was tight. You want to roll this like you would a jelly roll.
Then I tied it up as best I could.

Now for the shocker...I rolled the roast in some freshly ground espresso coffee!

In a dutch oven I melted one tablespoon of butter with a tablespoon of olive oil. I seared the meat on all sides.

Once the meat was seared I took the roast out of the dutch oven and added a pint of fresh tomato sauce, 1/2 cup of red wine,  2 - 3 porcini mushrooms,  and some wild mushrooms and let the wine cook off a little. I added the roast back to the liquid.

Cover the roast and finish the steak in a 375 degree oven for 30 - 40 minutes.The temperature of my roast when done was a rare to medium rare.  If you like your meat done to a different temperature keep it cooking in the oven.
I let the meat rest for 15 minutes and then sliced it and served it with the mushroom sauce and a side of ricotta cavatelli that was tossed with the sauce from the meat.

It was a hit! Everyone loved the flavor! The espresso coffee added a hint of smokiness, you've got to try it to believe it!

Buon Appetito!
xoxoxo
Lorraine

Portabella's!

I love Portabella mushrooms. They are hearty and when cooked right can be as satisfying as a steak. Aren't they referred to as the Steak of Mushrooms?  I think I have heard that somewhere...anyway since I am still stuffing everything in sight I wanted to stuff these with lump crabmeat and serve them with a salad for a little bit of a lighter meal.
Making the stuffing for the mushrooms was easy.
I took the "button" of the mushroom out of the center and chopped it up.  Then I added a grated  stalk of celery, a diced onion and a clove of chopped garlic and sauteed it in a pan until the onions were clear. I also had leftover asparagus so I cut them up and added them to the mixture.  I added a little bit of mascapone cheese (maybe 2 tablespoons) mixed it up  and then added the lump crabmeat to the mixture in the pan and seasoned it with salt and pepper.
Put the crabmeat mixture into the mushroom caps and then drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20 - 25 minutes.
The mushroom will wilt and be tender.
I served the mushroom on top of a tossed green salad.
It was a perfect dinner.

Buon Appetito
xoxoxo
Lorraine

I am on my way to Las Vegas and won't be posting for a few days. However, I will be returning with some fabulous pictures of wonderful food to share with you !  I'm going to be in Foodie Heaven!

Stuffed Portabella's

Food Crawl with Portabella's!
I made these the other night for our guests. My family and friends went gaga over them.  It's not like I've never made stuffed mushrooms before! My secret ingredient in these must have been the prosciutto!
To make these you'll need
8 large portabella  mushroom caps
8 links of Italian Sausage
1 large onion, chopped
2 - 3 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
fresh chopped parsley
handful of breadcrumbs
handful of parmigiano cheese
salt and pepper to taste
mozzarella  cheese
prosciutto

Take the sausage meat out of the casing and in a large frying pan, cook the sausage with the onion and the garlic. I added a pinch of rosemary to the cooking sausage. Just a pinch! ;)

After it is cooked through, put it all in the food processor and pulse it a few times. Put your meat mixture into a bowl and add a handful of seasoned bread crumbs.

Just a handful, not too much. If you'd like, add a handful of parmesean cheese at this time.
I sliced up some prosciutto and some mozzarella cheese and added it to the mixture.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and then lightly stuff the mushroom caps.

Just before putting the mushroom caps into the oven I topped them with a slice or two of rolled mozzarella cheese and prosciutto. Drizzle with olive oil and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 15 - 20 minutes. You want the mushroom to wilt a little and the cheese to melt.

When you take them out of the oven they should look something like this!

I served these with a grilled Romaine Caesar Salad!

Stephen getting ready to fire it up!

If you've never grilled Romaine, you should try it. Delicious!

Enjoy!
Buon Appetitto
xoxoxo
Lorraine