Horseradish, The Secret Ingredient

Some recipes lend themselves to the writing of a blog post where others I have a good non-related topic to opine about. Some, like the one below, lead me to do a little look into a key ingredient or two.

Horseradish. You either love it or hate it. I am a fan. I knew it was a plant and the root is the part that is used to make stuff hot. Beyond that, I decided to do a little research. My first stop was Wikipedia. It contained the typical stuff you’d expect about an edible plant and the only real interesting fact I learned was that horseradish is, in fact, poisonous to horses!

My next stop was the Horseradish Information Council. The opening page features a character of a horseradish root dressed in a trench coat. Mouse over the character and it flashes you! I’m not kidding. The coat opens and around the hip area (if a horseradish root had hips) there is a sign saying “The secret ingredient!”. How odd!

Once inside, the site has the typical kinds of things. One tho, shows the designer had been drinking too much horseradish beer (yes there is such a thing). Under the “Facts About America’s Favorite Root” section there is a resume for horseradish. I’m still not kidding. It has a career objective, educational background and work experience.

Finally, like any good food, there is a festival dedicated to horseradish. Every year in Collinsville, IL (just east of St. Louis) they celebrate the root with a cooking contest, fair food, a 5k run and other fun activities like a contest on who can throw a horseradish root the furthest. Once again, not kidding.

A wacky ingredient and even wackier response to it.

Horseradish-Crusted Steak Roulade

This slice of roulade fell apart before the picture was taken but it was heavenly!

The flank steak is all rolled up in the packaging but was quite big.

The leek is getting a fry.

Roasting the peppers.

The crust getting fried.

There is that meat.

Topped with peppers and cheese.

I used plastic wrap to help me roll it tight and keep everything together. Just remember to remove the plastic before baking.

The crust is on top.

Out of the oven.

So tasty with the tang of the horseradish, the creaminess of the cheese and the flavor of the beef and peppers. A winning combination!

Horseradish-Crusted Steak Roulade

Cook Time: 1 hr 0 min | Makes: 4 servings | Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients:

• 2 red bell peppers, stemmed, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 leek, white and light-green parts only, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 2 1/4-to-2 1/2-pound flank steak, trimmed
• 1/2 pound sliced provolone cheese (about 8 slices)
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 3 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons drained horseradish
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

For the Steak:

For the Crust:

Prepare the stuffing for the steak: Preheat the broiler and place the peppers cut-side down on a foil-lined broiler pan. Broil until the skin is charred, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover with a plate and set aside until cool enough to handle. Peel the peppers with your fingers or a paring knife. If necessary, lightly rinse to remove any remaining skin and pat dry.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leek and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Let cool.

Gently pound the steak with the flat side of a mallet or heavy skillet until 1/4 inch thick. Lay out on a cutting board with the long side facing you and season with salt and pepper. Place the roasted peppers evenly over the meat, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Top with the cheese slices, then the leek mixture. Roll the meat away from you into a tight cylinder, tucking in the filling as you roll.

Make the crust: Mix the breadcrumbs, rosemary, parsley, horseradish, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a medium bowl until moistened. Brush the steak roll with a bit of olive oil and press the breadcrumb mixture over the top and sides. Tie the roll with twine in three or four places, making sure it’s not too tight (you want the crust to stay intact).

Place the steak roll on a rack in a roasting pan and roast until the crust is golden and a thermometer inserted into the center registers 130 degrees for medium-rare, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 15 minutes. Carefully cut off the twine, then slice the roll crosswise into 1-inch pieces.

Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/horseradish-crusted-steak-roulade-recipe/index.html