In Italy, this deceptively simple but highly flavorful dish is called straccetti, meaning “little rags” — a reference to the thinness of the pounded meat slices and the unevenness of the edges. Topped with blistered cherry peppers and fresh herbs, it makes a colorful and special main course.
Panfried Rib-Eye with Roasted Cherry Peppers
For the roasted cherry peppers:
1 lb. (500 g.) sweet red and yellow cherry peppers
1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml.) balsamic vinegar
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 boneless rib-eye steak, 1 3/4-2 lb. (875 g.-1 kg.) and about 2 inches (5 cm.) thick, trimmed of excess fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbs. olive oil
6 large cloves garlic, smashed with the side of a heavy knife
4 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
To prepare the roasted cherry peppers, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place the peppers on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with the vinegar and olive oil. Scatter the garlic and oregano over the peppers and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly and spread in an even layer.
Roast for 30 minutes. Drizzle 2 tablespoons water over the peppers, toss, spread in an even layer, and continue to roast until the peppers are shriveled and slightly blackened but still juicy, about 20 minutes more. Set the baking sheet aside.
Place the steak on another baking sheet and freeze, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Cut the steak crosswise into slices about 1/3 inch (9 mm.) chick. Place a piece of plastic wrap over each slice and pound it with a meat mallet or rolling pin until it is slightly less than 1/4 inch (6 mm.) thick. Season both sides of each slice generously with salt and pepper.
Warm the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and rosemary and saute for about 1 minute. Add half of the beef and fry for 1 minute, without moving it around in the pan. Turn and fry for 30 seconds more. Transfer to a platter. Let the pan reheat for a few seconds, then repeat to fry the remaining beef. Transfer to the platter.
Top the beef with the rosemary and garlic from the pan and with the roasted peppers and their juices. Garnish with the parsley and serve at once. Serves 4-6.
Recipe from The Cook & the Butcher, by Brigit Binns.