Seasonal Flavors: Tom’s Grilled Flank Steak Pinwheels

0
1068
Tom’s Grilled Flank Steak Pinwheels, before cooking. Photo: Denise Zito.

During the pandemic, my brother Tom, has visited weekly, outdoors and masked, even through most of the winter, to enjoy a meal together. He relocated his Weber charcoal grill to our patio and if the temperature is above 50 degrees or so, he shows up with all kinds of meats and vegetables to cook, share, and take home for weekly meals.

Tom is an expert with that grill. Me? Charcoal is way too much hassle for me. I enjoy turning the knob on my Weber gas grill, pressing the ignite button and being ready to go.

Tom can cook anything on that grill of his. He’s even made breakfast when the power was out. And I have to admit that charcoal imparts that extra bit of flavor to grilled foods.  Propane just isn’t the same.

Our weekly mini-feasts have featured lamb chops, pork loin, whole chickens, sausages (most that he made himself), asparagus, zucchini, and portabella mushrooms. I make a salad and we review our week. While it seems that there is not that much to talk about since nobody goes anywhere or does anything, there is the occasional amusing car sales story from Tom, and we remark on our children’s and their children’s activities. It is enjoyable and treasured during this time of social restrictions.

Special occasions call for Tom to step it up a bit, and for that he makes amazing flank steak pinwheels as a meal starter. They are savory delicious little packets of yum, and contain some of my favorite flavors: garlic, cheese, anchovies, and bacon. Since things are starting to slowly emerge from the Covid fog, and since I have my vaccine, and though, alas, young Tom still doesn’t, I’m in the mood to bring the Gazette readers a little party food for when you’re ready to celebrate a bit.

In the meantime, keep those masks on and be patient.

Tom’s Grilled Flank Steak Pinwheels

  • 2 lb flank steak
  • 1 lb thin sliced bacon
  • 1 tin of anchovies
  • 8 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • Soy sauce
  • Wooden skewers

Rinse and chop the anchovies. Mix with the cheese and garlic. Moisten with soy sauce so that the ingredients are spreadable.

Slice the flank steak into thin strips, similar to the width and length of a bacon slice and about twice as thick—cut against the grain and pound a bit to soften the meat

Cut bacon strips in half.

Put a half slice of bacon on a cutting board. Cover with a same size piece of steak.  

Spread a thin layer of the cheese mixture over the steak.  

Roll the bacon/steak/stuffing into a wheel and skewer the pinwheel.

You should be able to get four pinwheels onto a skewer.

Grill till the bacon is crisp, turning each side as needed. The bacon will be crisp, the steak rare, the cheese melted. Serve as warm appetizer at your next barbeque. 

Tom’s Grilled Flank
Steak Pinwheels, after cooking. Photo: Denise Zito.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here