Italian Party Flank Steak

I first made this recipe in the late 1980's and my biggest problem was finding the fresh basil .... nowadays, every grocery store and market has fresh basil.  This is just a terrific entree to make - relatively easy to prepare and when you cut the roll, the color of the red roasted pepper, the green basil & the prosciutto make a stunning presentation. If that's not enough to persuade you, it also tastes incredibly good.  Here's the recipe description from the Silver Palate Chefs and I concur with every word:

"A butterflied flank steak, marinated, then layered and rolled with prosciutto, basil, Parmesan cheese and peppers - those magical flavors of Tuscany - makes a dazzling entree."

Marinade:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse black pepper
• 1 flank steak (3/4-inch thick, about 1-1/4 pounds), butterflied*
• 2 red bell peppers
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 6 to 8 thin slices prosciutto or other cured ham
• 24 medium-sized fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 bunch watercress for garnish

Directions:

Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add butterflied steak and marinate for 2 hours at room temperature.

Preheat broiler. Halve pepper lengthwise; remove seeds. Place, skin side up on broiler tray, 4 inches from heat. Broil until skins are charred black. Seal peppers in a plastic bag for 15 minutes to steam. Slip off skins. (Note from Merlot - you can also buy roasted peppers in a jar/can if you don't want to roast them yourself)

After 2 hours, remove steak from marinade and scrape off any excess; lay meat opened on a long piece of aluminum foil on a flat surface. Reserve marinade. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the 4 pepper halves on top of steak to cover it. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of parsley. cover with prosciutto slices. Arrange basil leaves in a single layer over complete surface of prosciutto. Sprinkle the surface with grated Parmesan, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley and black pepper.

With the long side of the layered steak facing you, lift it from the foil and roll it tightly away from you. It should look like a jelly roll.

With 6 pieces of kitchen string, 8 inches long, tie the steak at 2-3 inch intervals. Slip the strings under and around the roll.

Place steak in a shallow baking dish and pour marinade over the top. Bake for 30 minutes, basting twice. Let rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

Carefully cut into 1/2-inch slices, discarding string. Arrange on a serving platter garnished with watercress.


*To butterfly flank steak: With long end of the steak facing you, run a thin, sharp knife through the middle thickness of meat, leaving 1/2 inch at the long opposite end to make a "hinge". Flip meat open to resemble a butterfly.