Culinary Guides

A butterflied flank steak rolled around spinach, melty cheese, and a mix of bell and serrano peppers, then seared and baked. The spiral of green, cheese, and chili looks impressive when you slice it, but the method is simple: stuff, sear, bake. Good enough for a holiday table and easy enough for a weeknight.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds flank steak
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 yellow bell peppers, cored and sliced
• 6 serrano peppers, sliced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 ounces baby spinach
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or your favorite melty cheese)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Trim any excess fat from the steak, then butterfly it: slice along the thin edge almost all the way through, a bit at a time, until it opens like a book.
2. Heat the oven to 375F (190C).
3. Season both sides of the opened steak with the Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper.
4. Layer on the bell peppers, serrano peppers, garlic, and onion, then an even layer of spinach, and finally the cheese.
5. Roll the steak up tightly so the filling stays inside, and tie with kitchen twine at 2 inch intervals.
6. Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron pan over medium high heat and sear the roll on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes per side, until nicely charred.
7. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake 25 to 30 minutes, to an internal temperature of 130 to 135F for medium rare.
8. Cover loosely with foil and rest at least 5 minutes, then remove the twine and slice into 1 inch thick pieces.

Any good melting cheese works here, from provolone to gouda, and you can swap in other vegetables like mushrooms or zucchini. Use a meat thermometer and adjust the time to the thickness of your steak.

Grower's tip: for the tender baby spinach this calls for, sow the seed thickly and start cutting leaves when they are just a few inches tall, before the plant thinks about bolting. Successions two weeks apart in spring and fall keep a steady supply of small, sweet leaves.

The filling is a garden in a spiral. Grow a bed of spinach for the greens, a few bell and serrano peppers for color and heat, and some onions to round it out.