Week 4: Recipe - Creamy mint polenta with Flank Steak

Flank Steak Over Corn-Kernel Polenta

•    4 1/2 vegetable or chicken stock

•    1 cup cream

•    1 teaspoon salt

•    3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

•    2 cups fresh (cut from about 3 ears) or frozen corn kernels

•    1 1/3 cups coarse or medium cornmeal or polenta

•    2 tablespoons butter

•    2 tablespoons cooking oil

•    1 1/2 pounds flank steak

•    1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

•    2 cloves garlic, minced

•    1 cup red wine

•    ½ cup parmesan (or similar hard cheese)

•    mint to taste

•             In a medium saucepan, bring the stock and1  teaspoons of  salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the thyme to a boil. Stir in the corn and cook until tender, 5 minutes for fresh, 1 minute for frozen. Add the cornmeal/polenta in a slow stream, whisking. Pour in the cream, reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter, cheese and chopped mint.

•            In a large frying pan heat the oil over moderate heat. Sprinkle the steak with salt and the pepper to taste. Add the meat to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Turn and cook to your liking, about 5 minutes longer for medium rare, depending on the thickness. Remove.

•                Reduce the heat to moderately low. Add the garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon thyme, the wine and stir to dislodge any brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Boil until reduced to approximately 1/4 cup, 3 to 4 minutes. Slice the steak across the grain and on the diagonal. Serve the steak over a bed of corn polenta, with the sauce drizzled over all.