Steak need not be a luxury confined to main courses. An array of flavorful cuts can be called on to kick off meals in meaty style.
This article first appeared in the 1 April 2007 issue of Restaurants & Institutions (R&I).
R&I is the USA's leading source of food and business-trend information and exclusive research on operators and restaurant patrons. Editorial coverage spans the entire foodservice industry, including chains, independent restaurants, hotels and institutions. To find out more about R&I, visit its website here >>
By Allison Perlik, Senior Editor
Stuffed Piquillo Peppers (pictured above)
Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen, St. Helena, Calif. Roasted Spanish piquillo peppers are hot-sweet vehicles for hanger steak sautéed with onions, garlic, tomatoes, oregano and cumin in Chef-owner Cindy Pawlcyn’s Latin-influenced recipe. Served over charred-tomato sauce with guajillo and jalapeño chiles, the peppers are garnished with almonds and lime crème fraîche.
Steak Asado
The Globe, Atlanta. Chef Josh Perkins’ urban-bistro menu starts diners off with zesty flat-iron steak, coated with smoked paprika, cayenne pepper and coriander and cooked rare over a hot grill for a crisp, charred crust. Sweet red-onion marmalade complements the spicy beef strips, while cilantro pesto with garlic and Thai chiles lends a bright finish.
Crispy Steak Bomb Snacks
The Metropolitan Club, Chestnut Hill, Mass. Soft, riced potatoes encase thinly sliced, medium-rare sirloin in Executive Chef Todd Winer’s hearty play on the spring roll. Sautéed poblano peppers and onions with white Cheddar, mozzarella and Comté cheeses round out the rich mixture, bound tightly in thin pastry wrappers and deep-fried golden brown.
Grilled Filet & Blue-Cheese Flatbread
Black Angus Steakhouse, multiple locations. The Los Altos, Calif.-based chain’s 84 restaurants recently switched to all-natural Angus beef throughout its menu. In a new appetizer, sliced, char-grilled filet beefs up grilled flatbread brushed with garlic butter and topped with green onions, caramelized onions, and Jack, Cheddar, and blue cheeses.