Spiral Rolled Fillet With Pesto Recipes

SPIRAL-CUT FILLET OF BEEF WITH PESTO

Steps:

• Ask the butcher to spiral cut or jelly-roll cut the fillet for you to create a flat, rectangular sheet of beef.
• Pound the meat with the heel of your hand to a thickness of about 1/2-inch. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the pesto evenly over the meat, leaving a 1-inch border along one of the long sides. Starting from the opposite long side, roll the meat into a log like a jelly roll.
• Using kitchen string and starting 1/2-inch from one end, tie the meat in 8 places at equal intervals of approximately 1-inch. Slice between the ties to create 8 pinwheels.
• Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill, preheat a gas grill, or preheat a stove-top cast-iron grill pan over high heat. Drizzle the meat with olive oil, then grill on both sides, turning once, until done, to your taste. Let rest for a few minutes, then remove the strings and serve.
• Prepare a bowl of ice water. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Put the basil in a sieve and plunge it into the boiling water, pushing the leaves down into the water and stirring them so they blanch evenly. Blanch for 15 seconds, then plunge the basil into the ice water to cool quickly. Drain immediately, squeeze the basil dry, and chop it roughly.
• In a blender, puree the basil with the oil, pine nuts, garlic, salt, and ascorbic acid. When well blended, add the cheese and whir briefly just to mix. Transfer to a bowl and adjust the seasoning.
• Yield: about 3/4 cup, enough for 1 pound pasta.

SPIRAL STEAKS WITH PESTO, OLIVES, AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• TO MAKE THE PESTO: In a food processor finely chop the basil, garlic, pine nuts, salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and whisk in the olive oil.TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a food processor combine the olives and sun-dried tomatoes and process until smooth.Trim the flank steaks of any excess fat and trim the edges to form a rectangle. Using a meat mallet or the flat side of a sauté pan, pound the steaks to an even thickness, about 7 inches by 9 inches each.Coat both sides of the steaks with the pesto. Spread half the filling on each steak and roll up the long sides over the filling like a jelly roll. Cut each roll into four equal-sized spirals, securing each with a toothpick. Place on a platter, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 to 6 hours.Allow the spirals to stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling. Season with salt and grill, smooth curved side down, over Direct Medium heat until nicely browned on all smooth sides, 12 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove the toothpicks and serve immediately.From Weber's Big Book of Grilling. Copyright © 2001 Weber-Stephen Products Co. All rights reserved. First published by Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, California.