Grilled Flank Steak with Charred Corn, Asparagus and Farro Salad
Early this spring, my middle son was playing out in the driveway with his cousin when my husband noticed a puppy in the orchard next to our house. Assuming the neighbor’s dog was loose, he hollered to Luke to go investigate. Well much to our surprise, it was not the neighbor’s dog but a roughly 4-month-old German Shepard puppy. After trying to locate his owners for a couple weeks with no leads, we realized this puppy had completely stolen all our hearts. Now Max is a permanent fixture on the farm and has settled in easily and smoothly. He mostly spends his days chasing the cat and eating her food, digging holes in the flower beds and being generally very adorable and a little bit naughty somehow both at the same time.
The kids, of course, are very much in love, although they have no sympathy for my flower beds or the cat. I find myself spending extra time in the yard these days, partially because after such a slow cool spring, I’ll take all the warm weather and sunshine I can get and also, the puppy. If I’m in the yard, he’s much less likely to take a big bite out of my flowers and plants.
With the school year just days away from wrapping up for the year and an intense few months of spring sports for my kids coming to a close; we can see some slower more relaxed days just around the corner. To say I’m looking forward to a slower pace this summer would be the understatement of the century.
And, I figure if I ‘get’ to be out in the yard a little extra these days, the least I can do is make it fun for myself and grill as many dinners as possible. Considering most of our dinners the last few months have been sandwiches on the go or easy make-ahead recipes usually involving a crockpot or airfryer, some good fresh locally grown food and a few extra minutes to prepare it is just what I’m in the mood for.
The great thing about this recipe is you can follow it for a classic ‘salt and stone’ salad (you know I love a good hearty salad) but if you’re not in the mood for combining the elements, simply grill the veggies and meat and keep them separate. You could always make the dressing and drizzle it over the veggies for a little boost of flavor. I love to swing through McIlrath Farm Market for fresh produce but the Yakima Farmer’s Market is up and running and of course, there are a ton of wonderful fruit stands dotted all around the Valley.
The point is, flavorful tender grilled steak combined with charred fresh local veggies is a combo that’s always going to be tasty and satisfying; no matter how you put it together. If you ask me, there’s no better way to kick off summer than a leisurely evening in the backyard, kids and dogs running around and a fantastic meal coming off the grill.
Charred Corn, Spring Onion and Asparagus Salad with Grilled Flank Steak
For the steak
2-3 pound flank steak
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
In a Ziplock bag, combine all the ingredients, making sure to flip the steak several times in the marinade so that the meat absorbs the flavors. Refrigerate for up to 12 hours but at least 3 hours. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling.
When ready to make this recipe, heat grill to a medium-high heat about 450 degrees. Remove steak from marinade, gently shaking off any extra liquid. Sear steak on each side about two to three minutes before lowering the heat on the grill to medium and cooking the meat to your preference. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness or simply touch the top of the meat. If it is quite squishy and soft, that means the meat is very rare and not cooked all the way through, if the meat has no give when you touch it, it’s well-done. Allow the steak to rest at least 5 to 10 minutes before thinly slicing across the grain of the meat.
For the salad
2 ears corn
1 bunch spring onions
1 pound purple or green asparagus, woody ends trimmed
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 cups cooked farro
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons minced basil
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Grated zest of 1 lemon, plus 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons minced shallot
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Start by cooking the farro. This is a nutty and hearty grain that cooks similarly to pasta. Fill a pot with salted water, once it’s boiling, add 2 cups of farro and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes until the farro is tender and chewy. Drain the water from the pot and set aside. You can also make this a day ahead and store in an air-tight container in the fridge until you’re ready to make this recipe.
After cooking the steak, leave the grill on medium heat. Husk the corn, wash the spring onions and wash and trim woody stems from asparagus. Drizzle with 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Using tongs, place the veggies on the grill, rotating the vegetables every minute or two until they are charred on all sides. If the asparagus is too thin for your grill, you can lay a piece of tin foil on the grill and place the asparagus on the foil.
Remove the veggies and allow them to cool a little bit before cutting the corn kernels off the cob and chopping the asparagus into bite-size pieces and finely dicing the spring onions.
In a large bowl, start by making the dressing. Combine the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, dijon mustard, shallot, 1 tablespoon basil and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Add the farro, cherry tomatoes and feta cheese to the bowl. Add the charred veggies, reserving a few of the spring onions for garnish. Gently mix the salad so the dressing evenly coats the salad and garnish with fresh basil and the remaining spring onions.
To serve, scoop the salad onto a plate and top with slices of the grilled flank steak. Serves 4-5 dinner portions.