Ingredients: |
Ingredients: One 2 to 2½ lb round or top round steak, about an inch thick a couple of Tablespoons of flour Salt and pepper 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or other cooking oil 1 onion and 1 bell pepper, roughly chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped 2 cups puréed tomatoes, canned or fresh (or 1 large can of crushed tomato) 2 t. each if fresh (or ½ t dried) of each of the following: thyme, sage, and marjoram 1 T. dried Basil
Optional: Vegetables such as new potatoes, carrots and/or fresh green beans, cut into 2" segments.
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Directions: |
Directions:1. Rub flour into both sides of the steak. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 Tablespoons of oil in a wide shallow pan, such as a skillet with a cover, to medium high heat. Place steak in the hot pan and sear for approximately 10 minutes on each side, enough to brown the steak. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. Saute' onion, bell pepper, and garlic in the same pan that you used to sear the steak, using another Tablespoon of oil. Cook the onions and garlic for 3-5 minutes, using a metal spatula to scrape up any steak drippings, mixing them in with the onions. Add half the herbs to the onions. If you are adding vegetables such as new potatoes or fresh green beans, add them after the onion becomes translucent, and cook a few minutes longer.
3. Return the steak to the pan, placing it on top of the onions and bell peppers. Crowd the onions around and on top of the steak. Sprinkle the rest of the herbs on top of the steak. Add the 2 cups of puréed tomatoes to the pan.
4. Cover and simmer. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, preferably a domed lid if it fits. Bring the steak in the tomato purée to a simmer and then lower the heat to the lowest heat possible to maintain a low simmer. Cook for 1½ hours, then turn the steak over. Return the cover and cook another 30 minutes. If you would prefer to cook the steak in the oven, after you have brought the steak to a simmer, make sure your pan is oven-safe, cover and put in oven at 300º. Cook covered for 1½ hours, turn steak and bake another 30 minutes covered at 300º.
To serve, remove the steak and slice it on a carving board and spoon sauce over steak. Serve with buttered noodles. |