Pizza Steak and the Weekly Menu Planner

I saw pork balls at the market today.

No, not the kind one makes with ground pork and spices that often appear on Chinese buffets.

The other kind.

They were in between the horse steaks and the goat.

One of the things that we can't get here, or, at least, not easily, is really good, thick-cut steak.  We make the effort to find it, once or twice a summer, and willingly spend the small fortune to buy it.  When we do it's cooked, simply, on the barbecue grill.

More often we buy the 'French' steaks, which are never cut more 1/3" (1cm) thick and tend to be flavorful but a bit tough.

And we do something more, shall we say, creative?

Pizza Steaks

2 steaks, 6 - 8oz each (I used beef)
2 shallots
2 cloves garlic
15oz (450gr) whole tomatoes, drained
1 tsp paprika, sweet or smoky
4 tsp oregano
2 tbs red wine
2 tbs olive oil

Chop shallots; mince garlic. Heat 1 tbs oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and paprika, sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 5 minutes longer. Drain tomatoes. Roughly chop tomatoes and add to skillet along with wine and oregano. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until reduced and thickened. Meanwhile heat remaining tbs of oil in large nonstick skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add steaks and fry quickly, 1 - 2 minutes per side, depending on thickness and desired degree of doneness. When done, put on small platter. Spoon sauce over and serve with Creamy Herbed Polenta (recipe tomorrow).

For the week of March 21, we're having Quesadillas, Pizza Steaks, Creamy Polenta, Emerald Soup, Roast Asparagus with Garlic Chips and Leg of Lamb on a Bed of Potatoes.  Happy Easter!

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Comments

[MyKitchenInHalfCups]

That sounds most excellent. Tough cuts demand creativity. This might be polenta pizza. If these are pizza steaks does pizza go with them? ;)

[Colleen]

I'm confused. You can't get thick cut steak in France? Why not? Can't you have the butcher cut a thick slice? OK, I might be missing something.

[Zoomie]

I wonder how one cooks the pork balls... ;-)

[katie]

Tanna, steak pizza...now, that has possibilities!

Colleen, we can get them, it's just a challenge...and not possible at the local supermarkets. I have to go to an actual butcher and then explain what I want (and somtimes what I plan to do with it)

Zoomie, I don't want to know!

[neil]

That's the trade off right there, more money = tender but less flavour, less money = more flavour but tougher meat. You know what though, we can get reasonably priced cuts of good steak, but fairly often we have our butcher thinly slice some oyster blade just for the flavour. I can't speak for pork balls, but I've had beef and they are a bit like sweetbreads. C'mon, just try one; slice it thinly like little steaks, flour them and fry quickly. If you don't like them, I'm sure the dogs will, but if you like offal, you might be surprised.

[Peter]

The steak looks great...and there's sauce for mopping up.

Bonus points from "moi"!

[katie]

Neil, I'll think about it... I like liver but will admit to being on the squeamish side when it comes to the rest. Besides, they look awful.... (Oooohm punny)

Peter, it's always about the sauce for me!