TIPS FOR COOKING STEAK RECIPES

Steps:

• Flatten fillets a bit with the palm of your hand, the back of a skillet or a small mallet; they should be about 1-inch thick. Sprinkle with salt and a lot of pepper. In small skillet, preferably one just large enough to hold fillets, combine oil and tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. When butter foam melts, sear steaks on both sides, just until browned, no more than 2 minutes a side. Remove to platter.
• Wipe pan clean with towel; add remaining butter over medium heat, with shallot or onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in mustard, Worcestershire and cream. Add some salt and a fair amount of pepper. Stir once or twice, then taste and adjust seasoning.
• Keeping mixture at a steady simmer, return meat and accumulated juices to pan. Cook, turning two or three times, until meat is done to your liking (125 degrees internal temperature for medium-rare). Remove to a plate, and add lemon juice, if using, salt and pepper to the sauce as needed. Spoon sauce over meat, garnish with chives or parsley, and serve.

Steps:

• Lay flank steak on a baking sheet and season on both sides with salt. Put a handful of peppercorns on a cutting board and crush them by pressing firmly with the bottom of a sauce pan (or use a spice mill or mortar and pestle to obtain a very coarse grind). Measure 1 tablespoon of crushed pepper and sprinkle on both sides of steak. Strip leaves from rosemary. Sprinkle meat evenly on both sides with rosemary and garlic slices. Drizzle with 4 tablespoons olive oil, then massage with your hands to distribute, pressing pepper, rosemary and garlic into surface. Leave at room temperature for an hour (or refrigerate for several hours and bring to room temperature before proceeding).
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 450 degrees. Place a cast iron skillet large enough to hold the steak (or a heavy roasting pan) on the upper rack. Let skillet heat for at least 30 minutes.
• Carefully put flank steak in pan and close oven door. After 5 minutes, flip the steak (it should be well browned on the bottom) and cook just until juices appear on surface of steak, 3 to 4 minutes more for medium-rare meat. (Alternatively, cook steak under broiler about 2 inches from heat.) Remove steak and let rest on a carving board for 10 minutes.
• Cut meat on a diagonal, against grain, into thin slices. Arrange sliced meat on a large platter and surround with arugula. With a vegetable peeler, shave about 2 ounces of cheese over arugula. Drizzle with a little olive oil and garnish with lemon wedges.