Ancho Rubbed Flap Steak with Corn and Black Bean Relish

When I discovered this “flap steak” recipe in Emeril Lagasse’s Sizzling Skillets cookbook,  I realized that this is what the French call bavette or the French bistro steak and it is the most common cut for steak frites.  The bavette is also called hanger, or butcher’s steak, and should be well marinated, like your guests, before cooking.  It has a very beefy flavor and, if cooked properly, has a melt in your mouth texture.  It is often labeled as sirloin flap, flap meat, or sometimes butcher flap.  It’s is not popular anymore, if it ever was as it was usually taken home by the butcher for personal use, and we have to go to Tony’s Meat Market to find it, but they occasionally have it at Safeway, but it is seriously our favorite cut of meat, even over filet mignon or any other steaks.

 

Emeril’s latest book just hit the shelves and is a great cookbook for the home chef wanting simple one-dish meals yet with tasty seasonings and international flare. This dish was amazing and works great for polo asado picnics.  Flap steak is an underrated cut of meat.  It has been called the butcher’s cut because the butcher would often take this inexpensive cut for him steak.  However, in the US, it is no longer inexpensive, as this wonderful cut of beef is now hovering at a price per pound even a couple bucks greater than tenderloin here in the Western states.   Restuarants must be the ones buying all of it, as you rarely find it in the public supermarkets.

 

• 1 Tablespoon Ancho Chile Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Light Brown Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• ½ Teaspoon Dried Mexican or Regular Oregano, crumbled
• between your fingers
• ¼ Teaspoon Ground Coriander
• 1 Tablespoon plus ½ Teaspoon Mexican Chili Powder
• ¾ Teaspoon Ground Cumin
• ¼ Cup Olive Oil
• 1 ½ Pounds Flap Steak
• 2 ¼ Teaspoon Salt
• 1 ½ Cups Small-Diced Red Onion
• 1 Cup Small Diced Red Bell Pepper
• 1 Cup Small Diced Green Bell Pepper
• 1 14.5 Ounce can Black Beans drained and rinsed
• 2 Cups Fresh Corn Kernels, cut from the cob or frozen corn
• 1 Cup Drained Canned Petite Diced Tomatoes
• ¼ Cup Sliced Green Onion (both green and white parts)
• ¼ Fresh Squeezed lime juice
• 1 Tablespoon Minced Jalapeno Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. In a small bowl, combine the anchor powder, brown sugar, cocoa powder, oregano, coriander, 1 tablespoon of the chili powder, ½ teaspoon cumin and 2 tablespoons oil until thoroughly mixed. Rub the paste evenly over both sides of the flap steak. Cover the meat lightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.

2. Remove steaks from refrigerator and set aside at room temperature for 20 minutes.  Heat 1 tablespoon remaining olive oil in a large sauté pan (or better  yet a plancha, which is a heavy metal two handled griddle, over medium-high heat. Season both sides of steak with 1 ¼ teaspoon salt. Place steaks in the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer steak to a platter and tent with foil.

3. Add the remaining olive oil to the sauté pan. Add red onion and red and green peppers and cook over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until tender.  Add the black beans, corn, tomatoes, green onion, lime juice, jalapeno, garlic, and remaining ½ teaspoon chili powder and ¼ teaspoon cumin and continue to cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with remaining 1 teaspoon salt.

4. Return steaks along with any juices to the pan and cook until heated through, 4 to 5 minutes.

5. To serve. Transfer steak from the pan to a cutting board and, using a carving knife, slice the steak across the grain into thin slices. Divide the corn and black bean relish among four plates, lay steak slices over relish, and garnish with sour cream, avocado, and cilantro. Serve with a basket of warm tortillas or pan tomate.