For my birthday, Hubby bought me a coveted sous-vide. (Okay, I may or may not admit to strongly hinting that I wanted it) Let me just say that it has changed my life! For those of you who are new to the sous vide, (pronounced soo-vee) it is basically an immersion circulator, which means cooking in a water bath on a low and slow temperature. Fish, meat, and chicken are all cooked slowly and to perfection!
For this recipe, I used a flank steak from Seasons. I placed the meat into a Ziploc bag. The key is adding salt, pepper, and an aromatic such as fresh parsley or thyme. I clamped the sous vide machine onto a pot of water. I set the machine to 132°F. When it beeped, I knew the temperature of the water was just right. I slowly slid the bag into the water while keeping the bag open. When the bag touched the water, it became vacuum-packed, sort of. Then I let out the remaining air and closed it shut. This is called displacement. I used clips to clip the bag to the side of the pot while it sat in the water for two hours.
After two hours, I took the steak out and patted it dry. I applied more salt and pepper and threw it on a hot grill pan for a few minutes on each side. The outside had a gorgeous brown crust, while the inside was perfection – I mean, melt-in-your-mouth, buttery soft, medium-done perfection.
I paired it with a delicious mango pesto, some roasted bok choy, and roasted fingerling potatoes with shallots. I’m all about keeping the sides delicious yet simple, to make the meat the star of the dish. Since charcuterie boards are all the rage, I served it up buffet style on a summery wooden plank. I honestly think it was one of the best dishes I have ever made. I could stare at that meat board all day long! #happybirthdaytome
Sous Vide Flank Steak with Mango Pesto aka “Summer on a board”
1.5 lb flank steak
Salt and pepper
Fresh thyme, rosemary or parsley
Pesto:
3 garlic cloves
1 bunch of fresh parsley
½ bag slivered almonds
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. white vinegar
1 ripe mango
Sides:
1 head of fresh bok choy
Salt, pepper, and extra virgin olive oil
Small Fingerling Potatoes (I use Trader Joe’s)
1 shallot
Place the flank steak in a Ziploc bag with salt, pepper, and aromatics. Sous vide on 132°F for a medium-well steak for two hours.
Meanwhile, make the pesto. Coarsely chop the garlic and slivered almonds in a food processor. Add the parsley, vinegar, and olive oil. Dice the mango into small cubes. Add half and pulse for a few more seconds, and add the second half into the pesto with a spoon and mix by hand.
Pat the steak dry, season again, and grill for a few minutes on each side until charred and brown. Let the steak rest for a few minutes before cutting it. Serve the steak with the mango pesto on the side or on top.
Grill the bok choy for a few minutes on each side, while drizzling with a little olive oil and seasoning with salt and pepper.
Slice the fingerling potatoes in half and top with diced shallots on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper and bake on 400°F for about one hour. Serve the sides with the steak. Enjoy!
