Pleased with her success of the preparation of empanadas, Linda decided to really get into the flavor of South American food and discovered that the unofficial national dish of Argentina is a rolled flank steak dish called Matambre. The term, a contraction of mata and hambre, can be translated into English as “hunger killer,” as it is often used as an appetizer. And it seems that it can be marinated and roasted, or it can be braised...and there lots of differing recipes for it. All I know is that it was quite tasty and unique, and that it was a great main dish for us.

Matambre
Serves 6

Ingredients:
Meat and Filling:
2 to 2 1/2 lb. flank steak, butterflied and pounded thin*
1 Tbs. Cajun seasoning
1 - 1/2 Tbs. minced garlic
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/3 cup Spanish green olives, pitted, unstuffed and sliced lengthwise
1 cup spinach leaves, de-stemmed and packed into cup
15 baby carrots, sliced lengthwise
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced (I used only slices with yolks)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced

Braising Liquid and Gravy:
3 slices thick cut bacon, cut into 1/4" pieces
1 Tbs. minced garlic
2 bay leaves
1 Tbs. fresh thyme, chopped
2 cups Argentinean red wine (we used the Clos de Los Siete Malbec blend)
4 cups beef stock

Preparation:
Pound the butterflied flank steak until even and thin. Season both sides of flank steak with Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper. Spread garlic and red pepper flakes over one side of the steak. Cover that side with spinach leaves, olives, sliced carrots (placed with the grain), half of the onion slices and the egg slices, leaving about 1/2" margin at the edges of the meat. Carefully roll, cinanamon roll fashion, with the grain running lengthwise, and tie tightly with cotton string. Set aside. In a Dutch oven, sauté bacon until crisp, and then remove bacon to drain, as well as setting aside 1/2 of drippings. Brown the rolled steak in remaining drippings, turning to brown on all sides. Set aside. |

Return remaining drippings, and and sauté remaining onion for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, bay leaves and thyme and sauté a couple more minutes. Remove onions, but leave bay leaves. Deglaze the pot with wine, scraping to release the flavors, then add stock and bring to boil. Put meat back into pot, reducing heat to a very low temperature. Simmer (or braise) the steak in liquid, covered, for 1 1/2 hours, or until meat is fork tender, turning once. When done, remove meat and allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes.

Pour off all but 2 to 3 cups of the braising liquid. Return bacon and onions to pot and reduce over high heat for a few minutes, thicken as needed with a cornstarch and water mixture to make a gravy consistency. Once meat has rested, slice into 1" thick slices. Traditionally served with boiled red or white potatoes and the onion gravy, but we enjoyed it with mashed potatoes.

*Linda had the butcher butterfly the flank steak rather than risk cutting her fingers off...if you do it yourself, it helps if it is just a little on the frozen side, but be careful.

 

April 22, 2009