VEAL-STUFFED FLANK STEAK IN TOMATO CREAM SAUCE

The spicy veal stuffing marries well with the beefy flavor of the flank steak. It’s cooked in a delicious tomato sauce finished with cream to round out its luscious flavor. This meal is awesome served with pasta, a vegetable risotto, or polenta.

SERVES: 6

INGREDIENTS:

STUFFING:

• 1 pound ground veal
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• ½ cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ¾ cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

STEAK AND SAUCE:

• One 1-pound flank steak, butterflied
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt, plus more if needed
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more if needed
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large sweet onions, such as Vidalia, chopped
• 3 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
• 4 celery stalks (including the leaves), coarsely chopped
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried sage
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup beef stock (page 20) or store-bought beef broth
• One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with their juice
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 6 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients until blended.
2. Sprinkle the meat evenly with the salt and pepper and spread the stuffing evenly over the flank steak.
3. Beginning with a long side, roll up the meat into a compact roll. Tie with butcher’s twine or use silicone bands to secure the roll.
4. Heat the oil in the pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and dried sage and sauté for 2 minutes to soften the onions.
5. Add the bay leaf, stock, and tomatoes and put the flank steak in the pressure cooker.
6. Lock the lid in place and cook at high pressure for 25 minutes.
7. Release the pressure naturally and remove the lid, tilting the pot away from you to avoid the escaping steam.
8. Carefully remove the steak to a cutting board and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.
9. Skim off any excess fat from the top of the sauce, remove and discard the bay leaf, and add the cream and fresh sage.
10. Taste the sauce for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
11. Warm the sauce.
12. Remove the butcher’s twine from the flank steak and cut crosswise into 1-inch slices.
13. Serve each slice in a pool of sauce.

NOTE:

• The numbering in the original text is inconsistent, so I have adjusted it for clarity in the bullet form