Grilled Flank Steak Slathered with Tomato Paste, Shoyu, & Garlic

Post date: Dec 25, 2009 11:36:58 PM

-- Adapted from California Fresh, p. 157.

Previously adapted for Jaguar School of Cooking:

2 lbs. flank steak, scored

1/4 C. tomato paste

2 tbl. soy sauce

1 tbl. Worchestershire sauce

2 tbl. olive oil (or oil from sun dried tomatoes)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbl. oregano

1/2 tsp. pepper

Using food processor fitted with steel blade or a blender, mince garlic by dropping garlic cloves into machine bowl with motor running. Add tomato paste, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, EVOO, oregano, and pepper. Process everything together to form a paste. Scrape down sides of bowl and pulse to combine. Spread paste in an even layer on both sides of the flank steak(s). Cover and marinate under refrigeration for 1-24 hours. Grill to medium rare 3-4 minutes per side, turning once. To serve, slice steak into strips holding knife at a diagonal, flat slanted angle.

Notes:

11/3/18. Made this old stand-by of ours for "Falling Back with..." dinner. We first made this dish from "California Fresh" (Oakland Junior League of Women) in Madison way back in 1985 when we lived on W. Gorham. I later adapted the recipe with Marge, Suzanne, and Tomi for Jaguar School of Cooking by incorporating sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, but I eventually reverted back to tom paste and upped the garlic substantially. The taste has always reminded me of Hugo mixing Heinz ketchup with shoyu when we were growing up and our mom served us steak on Friday nights. "American Night" was our family's tradition of eating red meat on Fridays--started by our grandmother (Mine Ito) after WWII to help the family acclimate to American culture. On Fridays we still ate rice but with a fork and alongside potatoes. Little did we know that while we were eating red meat to be more American, most of America was eating fish on Friday nights!