Flat Iron Steak and Carrots with Parsley Pesto
To cook this steak, we used a technique called blackening. This is a method of cooking where the meat is seared in a cast iron skillet at a very high temperature, so a charred crust forms on the outside. Make sure you do your blackening outside or in a well-ventilated cooking area. This process creates a lot of smoke, but produces delicious results. If blackening worries you or you don’t have a well-ventilated kitchen, you could grill the steak instead.
Pick up a bag of organic rainbow carrots if you want to add some extra color to the dish. Orange carrots work just fine, but the rainbow ones make it a little prettier and a little more fun to eat. Plus, the different pigments mean that the carrots have diverse nutritional benefits, as each color means there are different nutrients found inside the carrot. Our taste testers enjoyed the carrots, but the steak flew off the plate. We credit that to the incredible crust on the medium-rare steak and the intoxicating scent emanating from the espresso rub while the steak was blackening. Serve this with a side salad or some Grilled Home Fries for a dinner that can't be beat.
For the steak:
- 1 pound flat iron steak
- 1/2 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper Medium Grind
- 1 teaspoon Espresso Rub
- 1 teaspoon ghee
- 2 teaspoons peanut oil (or other high-heat friendly cooking oil)
For the carrots and pesto:
- 1 pound rainbow carrots
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Coriander
- 1 cup fresh Italian ("flat leaf") parsley
- 1/2 cup fresh mint
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Remove steak from refrigerator and let come up to room temperature. Pat steak dry with a paper towel.
- Season steak with salt, pepper, and Espresso Rub.
- Toss carrots with vegetable oil, Ground Cumin, and Ground Coriander. Spread onto a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes in oven at 400°F.
- Place parsley, mint, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Crushed Red Pepper Flakes in a food processor . Process until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat an 8-inch cast iron skillet over high heat, until the pan is very hot. Add ghee and peanut oil to pan. Add steak to pan and cook 3-5 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.
- Let steak rest for a minimum of 5 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain and serve with carrots, drizzled with pesto over the top.