Matambre: Stuffed Flank Steak

This is a super super tasty Argentinan dish. I made this dish with some friends as part of a going away dinner.

Preparation Time: Time flies when you're making food with good friends.

Ingredients:
1 flank steak, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds
Salt and Pepper
1 tbs fresh majoram or oregano or 1 tsp dried
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbs minced fresh garlic
1/2 bunch of chopped fresh parsley and cilantro leaves
6 to 8 thin carrot sticks (1 medium carrot)
1 cup pitted green olives
1 medium red onion sliced
1 hard boiled egg sliced
1 bunch watercress, trimmed
2 tbs olive oil

Directions:
They say:
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Use a boning knife to butterfly steak: Working across the grain, make a cut down the center, but only halfway through the meat. A the top of that cut, make perpendicular cuts, one in each direction, this time with the grain. Again, cut only halfway into steak. Repeat perpendicular cuts at the other end of the center cut. Cuts should resemble the letter H.
2. At the top of the original center cut, hold the knife parallel to the meat and insert knife. Slice toward you, making a pocket. This cut should almost reach the outer edge, halfway through the meat’s thickness. Repeat on other side. Open the flaps.

I say:
We found a piece of thin meat. For the thicker piece we carefully cut the meat in half.

3. Season the meat liberally on both sides with salt and pepper, then place it cut side up, wide side facing you. Season with marjoram, cumin, and garlic and cover it with a fairly even layer of parsley-cilantro mix. Then arrange carrots, olives, egg slices, and onions horizontally over the full width of the meat. Scatter a relatively even layer of watercress over the it.

4. Roll meat up from bottom into a roll; the rain of the steak should run length of a roll. Tie in three or four places with butcher's twine.

5. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large roasting pan. Deeply brown the rolled steak on all sides (takes about 15 minutes total) then transfer pan to oven and roast for about 30 minutes, until meat is cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 30 minutes before serving. Or, put meat in a clean baking dish, weight it with a plate with something heavy on it and chill overnight. Take matambre from refrigerator and slice it into 1/2-inch to 1-inch pieces about an hour before serving at room temperature.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/01/dining/011mrex.html?_r=2&ref=dining
Servings: 6