As the weather becomes cooler here in Southern California (slightly rolling my eyes) I haven't used my outside grill for cooking as much as I did in the past summer months. This has meant eating less red meat, unless it's a long slow roast in the oven or maybe the ocassional burger from In N Out.
But one of my favorite cuts of meat is flap which is similar to skirt steak or flank but a teeny bit more tender. It's best cooked quickly over a really high heat until It's charred on the outside but still nice and pink in the center. Make sure to let it rest before slicing it with a sharp knife across the grain for some great tacos or fajitas.As an ambassador and Pantry insider for Pompeian Oils and Vinegars, I used their Oak Cask Aged Balsamic Vinegar to complete this flap steak recipe. Balsamic vinegar isn't just for salads or dressing, it goes great with steaks and pork too. The secret is reducing it down to a thick syrup and intensifying the flavor ready to be drizzled over the steak. I reduced the Balsamic Vinegar with some brown sugar and crushed blackberries for about 10 minutes, strained it through a sieve and that was it...so easy! This is a great sauce for lots of other recipes like caprese salad, burgers, and meatloaf.
While I was searching through my fridge for some garlic I found a chunk of blue cheese. This gave me one of those light bulb moments, steak and blue cheese are great with each other. I forgot all about the garlic and ended up throwing some blue cheese over the top of the seared steak and drizzling it with the reduced balsamic. Simple, tasty and great for serving on a large platter for a party, just slice it up and let your guests go at it. You could serve this with some onions, peppers and warm flour tortillas for a DIY fajitas bar!
