Summer Grilled Flank Steak with Kalamata Olives and Feta Cheese

Jun 4, 2003

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Steak and marinade:

- 1 flank steak (about 1½ to 2 pounds)
- 1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine

Topping:

- ¼ cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
- 1/3 cup ¼-inch-diced white onion
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped Italian parsley
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
- About 1/3 cup drained, crumbled feta cheese

1. Read recipe all the way through before beginning.

2. Trim steak of any outer pieces of fat or silver skin. Place the flank steak in a large food-grade, zip-top plastic bag. In a food processor or blender, combine the marinade ingredients and process to a purée. Pour marinade into the plastic bag, then press out any air, seal the bag, and move meat around bag to coat well. Marinate, refrigerated, for a minimum of 1 hour or preferably overnight, turning bag a few times.

3. Heat coals to hot or medium-hot. Remove steak from marinade and drain well. Discard marinade.

4. While coals are heating, prepare the topping. Mix olives, onion, parsley, garlic and oil, and set aside. Have salt, pepper and feta ready.

5. Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper. Grill meat about 4 minutes per side, for rare, or cook to desired doneness. Length of grilling time per side will vary depending upon heat of grill and thickness of meat. Flank steak will be most tender when grilled to rare or medium-rare.

6. Let steak sit about 5 minutes before serving, allowing juices to settle. Slice thinly at an angle across the grain. Keeping the slices together, transfer to a clean, warm platter. Spoon any juices onto meat. Stir up reserved topping mixture, then pour it over the slices. Scatter with feta.