Florentine Steak Recipes

FLORENTINE STEAK (BISTECCA ALLA FIORENTINA) - HISTORY AND RECIPE

Steps:

• First of all, you have to know that the perfect dry hanging is by resting the entire loin in a fresh and dry place before cutting.
• Therefore, it would be better buy dry hanging meat directly from your butcher. If you need to make it at home, wrap each steak in single cheesecloth.
• Now, place the steak in the lower part of the refrigerator for up to 4 days, well separated on a rack. Change the cheesecloth once a day.
• Finally, analyze analyze carefully the meat before consuming. It have to be darker, with a stronger smell, with not trace of ammonia smell that suggest a wrong maturation.
• If you can, prepare the grill with coal or wood embers.
• Alternatively use an electric grill or a cast iron griddle. You can get great results also with a soapstone griddle.
• Heat very well the surface chosen to cook the steak. Place the Porterhouse steak standing on the bone to warm the interior and soften the fat fiber. Continue for 15 minutes in this way.
• Now, heat at a very high temperature about 5 minutes per side without moving the meat.
• This step is particularly delicate: the surface of the meat should roast very well without burning, finding the right temperature depending on the tools at available.
• Let the steak rest in a warm place (e.g. an oven previously heated then turned off) for about 10-15 minutes: in this way, the fiber of the meat will relax themselves redistributing the juices and retaining the flavors into the steak.
• Serve the Florentine Steak after sprinkling it with cooking salt and prepare yourself for a huge meal!

FLORENTINE STEAK

Steps:

• Sprinkle both sides of the meat with a drizzle of high-quality extra-virgin olive oil. Place the steaks on a red-hot grill and roast over a very high heat for 3-5 minutes - depending on how you like your steak cooked. (A true Florentine steak must be rare, however.)
• Then turn them over and salt; continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes. Rotate them once more to salt the other side.
• Once the steaks have finished cooking, let the meat rest for a few minutes before cutting it, so that its juices are redistributed inside. Transfer to the serving dishes and season with a drizzle of oil, ground pepper and some roasted porcini mushrooms, potatoes or cannellini beans (depending on personal preference).

STEAK AND EGGS FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Bring 3 inches of water to a boil in a large wide pot. Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat until very hot. Season the steak with salt and pepper, add to the skillet and cook until browned, 2 to 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Remove to a cutting board to rest.
• Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium; add the spinach and 2 tablespoons water and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the English muffin halves among plates and top with the spinach.
• Meanwhile, combine the egg yolk, butter, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking, until the butter melts and the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Add the tarragon and season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.
• Add the vinegar to the boiling water, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Crack an egg into a small bowl or ramekin and carefully slide the egg into the water; repeat with the remaining eggs. Cook until the whites are set but the yolks are still jiggly, about 3 minutes. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon, blot the bottoms dry on a kitchen towel and place on the English muffins.
• Slice the steak against the grain and divide among the plates. Spoon the sauce over the eggs.

FLANK STEAK FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Lay steak out flat on the cutting board and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
• Spread entire block of cream cheese on one side of steak (really pile it on there!); sprinkle cream cheese with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste.
• Sprinkle cream cheese side with spinach, then fold other half of steak over the side with cream cheese.
• Place on baking sheet, then pour beef stock and red wine over the top. Bake for 60 minutes, adding additional beef stock as needed.
• When done, remove from oven and place steak on cutting board to rest. Pour drippings into pan and whisk in mixture of water and corn starch, then bring to boil and cook to desired thickness.
• Serve slices of steak with gravy (there is no good way to cut this by the way!).

BISTECCA ALLA FIORENTINA (TUSCAN PORTERHOUSE)

Steps:

• Press chopped rosemary onto both sides of porterhouse steak; set onto a plate and allow to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Start an outdoor grill using hardwood charcoal, such as hickory. When coals are white and glowing, arrange for high heat.
• Gently brush or rub olive oil onto steak, then season to taste with sea salt and pepper.
• Place steak onto grill, and cook until a dark, golden brown (not burnt) crust forms, 5 to 10 minutes depending on thickness of meat. Turn over, and continue cooking until golden on the other side, 5 to 10 minutes more. When finished, place steak onto a platter, and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
• To serve, remove the two pieces of meat from the bone, and replace the bone onto the serving platter. Trim any unwanted fat from the round (tenderloin) steak, slice into 6 equal pieces at an angle to the grain, and fan out on one side of the bone. Slice the rectangular (loin) steak into 1/4-inch slices at an angle to the grain. Fan out on the other side of the bone. Finish by garnishing the platter with lemon wedges and a sprinkle of additional sea salt.

STEAK FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let them rest at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• In a large sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat and when hot, add the shallots and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until soft. Add the spinach to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, or until the spinach just wilts. Do not let it get too limp. Remove the pan from the heat, cover to keep warm, and set aside.
• In a small sauté pan, heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter over medium-low heat and cook the garlic for 2 to 3 minutes or until it begins to brown. Set aside.
• Lightly sprinkle the steaks with salt and pepper.
• In another large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and when very hot, sear the steaks for about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the steaks to a roasting pan and roast for 3 to 4 minutes or until barely medium-rare.
• Remove the steaks from the oven and turn on the broiler.Drain the liquid from the spinach and spread the spinach in a broiler pan. Set the steaks on top of the spinach and then top each steak with the garlic and butter. Sprinkle a tablespoon of cheese over each steak and broil for 1 to 2 minutes or until the cheese melts and is lightly browned. Let the steak rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Divide between 2 plates.

FLORENTINE RANCH STEAK

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Grease the grates well.
• Place steaks on a flat surface. Rub the bone of one of the steaks with the cut side of a garlic clove, so that the friction causes the garlic to form a little bit of paste. Rub the paste over the meat on both sides. Season steaks with Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Salad Dressing and Seasoning Mix on both sides. Drizzle with the olive oil on both sides, rubbing into the steak.
• Place the steaks on the grill, and cook, flipping once, about 8 to 10 minutes for medium.
• Remove from grill and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Squeeze lemon juice all over the meat. Slice the steak into strips and arrange on a platter. Serve immediately.