Going Back to My Roots

Straccetti di Manzo con Pepe, Caperi, e Limone in Salmoriglio

Flank Strips in Salmoriglio with Peppers, Capers & Lemon

I have posted dishes using "salmoriglio" dressing before- but especially in the Summer- it is just so wonderful you can do it again and again! Also, for me it is a wonderful memory of growing up every time... it was just one of those things we all loved- all 9 of us kids! We would be mopping up every last drop with a pice of bread and licking our lips it was so delicious!

So this evening I used up the last little piece of flank steak I had left over from last night. I cut in into bite-sized pieces, across the grain, wanting to present it and serve it up a little differently to the way we would have it back home, in one large, paper-thin slice. This was a delicious, tangy, appetizer-sized treat and it was put together in, I kid you not, less than 10 minutes! Read on!

There is a little prep-work involved, so let's deal with that first. The bed of this little dish is romaine lettuce, chopped down finely already laid out into those little serving bowls- simple!

Next, chop the red pepper into relatively small and thin strips. Finely chop a handful of parsley and a handful of oregano. Don't fret- we are almost done! Now cut off a few strips of orange peel- just the yellow part, none of the white pith, and cut it into fine slivers. We're almost done now- I promise! Finely chop a clove of garlic, cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice and prepare a few capers to add later.

There! Finished! it wasn't all that bad now, was it? From now on, it is very fast-moving and a whole lot of fun!

Turn the heat right up, get your pan really hot and add a little olive oil and the strips of beef. Season with salt and pepper and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. By this time, the meat should have changed color and have begun to give off some juice... and at this point you can add the peppers and garlic. Continue frying for 2-3 minutes, until the peppers are beginning to soften and have taken on lots of good flavor from the meat and garlic.

Next, add the lemon juice, a little more olive oil and a splash of water. Once all of the built-up juices have loosened from the bottom of the pan, add all of the herbs, the capers and the lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper, add a light drizzle of honey, remove from the heat and serve immediately on the bed of chopped lettuce.

Make sure to add plenty of the juices- they will make for a delicious salad dressing and the combination of all those flavors is simply amazing! And I am sure you try it and love it as much as I did!