Steak Pizzaiola
- 4 tender steaks of your choice, each 1 portion
- (or 4 to 6 cubes steaks weighing a total of 1 1/2 to 2 pounds)
- Salt
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano or marjoram
- 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups "smooth tomato sauce" (recipe follows)
- Sprinkle both sides of the steak with salt
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion or 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup) or 1 large clove garlic, lightly smashed
- 1 28 -ounce can plum tomatoes, drained of the can juices
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Hot red pepper flakes or freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Few leaves of fresh basil or parsley
- In a large skillet, preheated over high heat, pan-broil the steaks, until the large ones are almost done to taste, or the small ones are well browned.
- If using large steaks, you probably will not be able to fit them all in the pan at once.
- Do a couple at a time, then remove them and set them aside while cooking the rest.
- The small steaks should fit comfortably in the pan side by side, but if they crowd the pan, do not brown them all at once.
- When all the steaks have been cooked, pour off any fat in the skillet.
- Add the 2 cups of tomato sauce and dried oregano to the pan, scraping up any brown film or bits in the pan.
- Return the cubed steaks to the pan if you are using them and they were set aside.
- Bring to a simmer over high heat.
- If using cubed steaks, cover the pan and adjust the heat so the tomatoes simmer gently for about 40 minutes, or until the meat is tender.
- Place each steak on dinner plate and top with sauce.
- If the sauce on the cubed steaks is not thick enough, uncover pan at the end of the cooking time and reduce.
- In a 11/2 to 2-quart saucepan, combine the oil and onion and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is fully tender and golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Or, over medium-low heat, combine the oil and the garlic.
- Cook the garlic, pressing it into the oil a couple of times to release its flavor, until it barely begins to color on both sides.
- Remove the garlic.
- With a food mill, puree the tomatoes directly into the pot and stir well.
- Add salt and either hot pepper flakes or black pepper to taste.
- Increase the heat slightly and bring to a brisk simmer.
- Adjusting the heat as the sauce cooks down, and stirring frequently, simmer briskly for about 12 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and reduced.
- Season with herbs according to the recipe you are preparing.
- For the most basic sauce, add a few torn basil leaves or a tablespoon of finely cut parsley while the sauce is simmering.
- Then add a little more at the end of cooking.
your choice, salt, oregano, salt, tomato sauce, salt, extravirgin olive oil, onion, tomatoes, salt, red pepper, basil
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/steak-pizzaiola-recipe.html (may not work)