Accounting for Taste

Looking for a quick, tasty meal that’s sure to appeal to the meat lovers in the family? Look no further because this Sear-Roasted Flat Iron Steak with Endive and Blue Cheese recipe will definitely win them over. Plus the side of Belgian endive is not your usual go-to veggie. Cooked until tender, peppery endive is great alongside this beefy steak slathered with blue cheese butter.

Endive is a leaf vegetable belonging to the daisy family that can be used raw in salads or cooked, as in this recipe. There are three main varieties of cultivated endive: Curly endive, or frisée; Escarole, or broad-leaved; and Belgian endive, a form of common chicory, a different species from the other two. All are a very low caloric food that help you manage cholesterol levels, promote stronger bones, and improve your vision and brain health.

Pronunciation: on-DEEVE, en-DEEVE. There is a statement by the California Endive Farms that curly and broad-leaved endive is pronounced en-DIVE, while Belgian endive has the on-DEEV pronunciation…. dahling

Now about that cut of steak. The original recipe called for skirt steak which is usually a cinch to find at the supermarket. Not so when I went shopping for this meal. However, they were carrying flat iron steak (on sale too) which I know makes for a fabulous substitute. Wish I would have purchased more…

What’s the difference? Both are value cuts that come from various parts of the cow. The skirt steak is a thin, fibrous cut separating the chest from the abdomen, the cow’s diaphragm muscle. The flat iron is a flat muscle off the shoulder blade and is considered tender for something that lives so close to a joint. Anyway, either cut will suffice, with the flat iron taking twice as long in the oven (10 minutes as opposed to five) since it’s thicker to start with—and Russ and I both agree, a more tender cut of meat compared to skirt steak.

Our piece of meat weighed a bit less than the 1 1/4 pounds indicated, so I only cut it into three pieces. We’re both partial to caramelized onions with steak, so I sliced up two whole alliums, which as you know take nearly an hour on low heat to get a good caramelization, rendering them so sweet and tender they just melt in the mouth!

I’m sure you’ve read about Russ’ aversion to walnuts, so I was the lucky recipient of any that landed on his plate!

What’s odd about this recipe is they tell you to make a certain quantity of the blue cheese butter mixture, but only use half of it—which was plenty BTW. Oh well, we just refrigerated the remainder for an upcoming meal, like a grilled steak, if and when the weather ever warms up?!

Sear-Roasted Skirt Steak with Endive and Blue Cheese

Servings: 3-4
Time: 20-30 min
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

4 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 oz. mild blue cheese, such as Gorgonzola, crumbled (about 1/4 cup)
1-1/4 lb. skirt steak, cut into 3-4 portions
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 lb. Belgian endive (3 large or 6 small), cut lengthwise into 4 to 8 wedges depending on size
1 Tbs. honey; more for drizzling
2 Tbs. walnut pieces, lightly toasted
2 Tbs. thinly sliced chives

Directions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F.
In a small bowl, mash 2 Tbs. of the butter and the blue cheese. Set aside.
Pat the steaks dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steaks and cook, flipping once, until nicely browned, about 4 minutes.
Reserving the skillet, transfer the steaks to a small baking sheet and roast until medium rare (130°F to 135°F), 3 to 5 minutes. (If using flat iron, cook for 10 minutes in the oven.) Let rest for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, arrange the endive in one layer in the skillet. Dot with the remaining 2 Tbs. butter and drizzle with the honey.
Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Arrange the steaks and endive on a platter. Slather the steaks with half of the blue cheese butter, and drizzle lightly with additional honey, if you like. Sprinkle with the walnuts and chives, and serve.