Coffee-Rubbed Flank Steak with Corn Quinoa Salad

Recipe: Coffee-Rubbed Flank Steak with Corn Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

Flank steak (1/2 lb per person)

15 oz canned whole kernel corn (or fresh)

2/3 cup red quinoa 

1 jalapeño

1/2 medium red onion

1 lime

Coffee grounds, chipotle powder

Kosher salt, olive oil

Step 1: Prepare Quinoa & Seasoning

Measure out 2/3 cup of quinoa into a sieve, and wash thoroughly under running water. Place in a pot with 1 1/3 cups of water and bring to a boil. When the water begins to boil, turn the heat to low and place a lid on the pot. Allow to cook until liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. 

In a mortar and pestle, add 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 1/2 tbsp ground coffee, 1 tsp chipotle powder per steak, and grind to a spice blend. Coat your steaks liberally. 

Step 2: Prepare Salad

In a mixing bowl, add corn (drained), 1 jalapeño deseeded and finely diced, and 1/2 a medium red onion diced (In the photo, I also added about half a red bell pepper, finely diced, which I had lying around). Juice one lime over the mixture and toss, allowing to marinade while the quinoa cooks. 

Step 3: Cook Steak

In a piping hot pan with a bit of oil (I like Grapeseed oil here, but canola works as well. You want a high heat oil, not Extra Virgin), sear the steaks. Flank steak is a funny steak - it takes far longer to get to medium rare than you think it will. Give it at least 3-4 minutes on each side before flipping, testing for temperature with a probe thermometer. 

You will want to pull the steaks off the heat to rest at about 120-125 degrees F. Rest by placing the steaks on a plate or rack for about 5 minutes.

If 3-4 minutes a side is not enough to get your steak to 120-125, you can move your pan into a 350 degree oven to finish cooking, as keeping the pan on the heat may scorch the spice rub. 

Step 4: Finish Salad, Slice Steak

When the quinoa is finished cooking, add it to your corn salad, mixing liberally to combine. Add 2-3 tbsp olive oil, and a pinch of salt to taste. 

When your steak is rested, slice it. Flank steak has a very clear grain pattern - all the muscle fibers moving in the same direction. You want to slice against the grain. If you slide it with, you will have a chewy steak. 

Step 5: Plate

Liberally spoon 3/4 cup of salad per person onto the plate, and fan out your steak on top. Serve. 

Chef’s note: A chimichurri (an Argentinian parsley sauce) would be a fabulous addition to this recipe. It’s extra steps I don’t usually take for a weeknight meal, but if you wanted to go for it, it would add nicely. In a blender, add 1 head of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped, 1 clove of garlic, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, and about 3/4-1 cup of olive oil, blend until smooth. A nice grassy extra virgin olive oil works great here.