Spice-rubbed steak with sauteed mushrooms.

What a good spice rub will do for an ordinary cut of meat is amazing.  In this case I use a flank steak, mainly because there is no fat or waste to it, and a 1-pound steak can feed four people, or two with a good amount left over for a salad or lunch.  The spice rub uses readily available seasonings, ones you probably have in your pantry.  That plus the mushrooms elevates this dish to fabulous.

When I make the spice rub, I like to mix up a double or triple (or quadruple) batch to keep on hand because it is good with chicken and firm fish, too. It calls for ancho chile powder, made from poblano peppers, that have a mild, sweet spicy flavor.  This chile powder can be found in the spice section of most large supermarkets.  Other mildly spicy chile powder can be used in its place if you prefer.   Store the mix in a jar or zip-lock baggie in your spice cabinet for an instant dinner solution.

Any type of mushrooms can be used in this recipe, but a combination with some wild mushrooms in the mix really improves the flavor. Also, if cooking with wine is not an option for you, then substitute beef broth for the Madeira in the recipe.

SPICE-RUBBED STEAK WITH SAUTEED MUSHROOMS

SERVINGS:   about 4

INGREDIENTS

For the rub:

Sliced mushrooms. shallots, garlic and beef broth.

• 2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Mix together all the above in a small bowl.

Remaining ingredients

• 1 pound flank steak, trimmed
• 5 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound assorted mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
• 1/3 cup Madeira or dry sherry
• 1/3 cup low-sodium beef broth
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1.  Coat a broiler pan with cooking spray.   Rub the spice mixture evenly over both sides of steak and place on the prepared pan;  let stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes.

Apply spice rub to both sides of steak.

2.  Meanwhile, position oven rack 3 – 4 inches below broiler, preheat broiler to high.     Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 1 minute.  Stir in mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their liquid and begin to brown,  8 – 10 minutes.  Pour in Madeira ( or sherry) and cook, stirring until absorbed, about 1 minute.  Add broth and cook until almost absorbed 2 – 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in parsley and 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper;  cover and keep warm.

3.  Broil the steak 4 to 6 minutes per side for medium.***  Transfer to a clean cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.  Thinly slice the steak against the grain and serve with the mushrooms.

Slice steak and serve with mushrooms.

***An alternate cooking method is on an outdoor grill.  Cook to your desired level of doneness.  If you have a side burner, you can cook the mushrooms on the grill also.   YUM!   We love it this way.

A green vegetable rounds out this meal nicely.

SOURCE:   Eating Well Magazine,  February, 2013