Roasted Garlic Bruschetta with Steak Tips

• 1 head garlic, 1/4 inch cut off the top to just expose the cloves
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Eight 1/2-inch slices crusty ciabatta, French bread, or Italian bread
• 12 ounces steak tips or flatiron steak, cut into 1 1/2-inch strips
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

1. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
2. Place the garlic in a small ovenproof skillet or gratin dish and pour 1 tablespoon of the oil over the top of the garlic onto the exposed cloves.
3. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
4. Roast the garlic for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when you squeeze them or test them with a small, sharp knife.
5. Remove the garlic from the oven and let it cool for just a few minutes.
6. Once the garlic is cool enough to handle without burning yourself, squeeze the cloves from the skins into a bowl (discard the skins).
7. Sprinkle lightly with salt and, using a regular kitchen fork, mash the garlic into a thick paste.
8. Add 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil to the puree and season with pepper.
9. The garlic puree can be made 1 hour ahead of time.
10. Cover and keep in a cool, dark spot; it need not be refrigerated.
11. Preheat the broiler.
12. Place the bread slices on a baking sheet.
13. Broil them for 1 to 2 minutes, or just until the bread begins to turn a golden brown.
14. Do not let it bum.
15. Remove from the oven and flip the bread over.
16. Divide the garlic puree between the toasts and spread it evenly on each slice.
17. Broil for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until the toasts just begin to brown.
18. Remove from the oven.
19. The toasts can be made several hours ahead of time; cover loosely and keep in a cool, dark spot; they need not be refrigerated.
20. Just before serving, heat a large skillet over high heat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.
21. Add the steak tips, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, undisturbed, for 4 minutes.
22. Carefully flip the meat over, season again, and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, until the meat is well browned and medium-rare inside.
23. Alternately, you can cook the beef on a hot gas or charcoal grill on a grill tray for 4 to 5 minutes per side.
24. Remove from the heat and let the meat sit for 1 minute.
25. Thinly slice the meat on the diagonal.
26. Place 2 to 3 thin slices of beef on top of each piece of garlic bread and sprinkle lightly with parsley.
27. Variations:
28. You can add any of the following toppings to the beef:
29. Thinly sliced jarred sweet pequillo peppers
30. Crumbled blue cheese or feta cheese
31. Dab of chile paste
32. Thin slices of sun-dried tomatoes drained of their oil
33. Julienned strips of fresh basil

garlic, olive oil, salt, freshly ground black pepper, crusty, flatiron steak, fresh parsley

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/roasted-garlic-bruschetta-with-steak-tips (may not work)