Flank Steak Pinwheels

(5)

These festive wheels of steak, Boursin cheese, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes look fancy, but they're quite easy to make. For a party, arrange them on a platter atop a bed of spinach.

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Cook Time:
40 mins
Total Time:
40 mins
Servings:
4
Yield:
4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, (not packed in oil)

  • 2 cups boiling water

  • 1 pound flank steak, trimmed of fat

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 3 tablespoons light herbed cheese spread, such as Boursin (see Variation)

  • 1 cup baby spinach

  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat grill to high.

  2. Place sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl; pour boiling water over them and let steep until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain and chop.

  3. Meanwhile, place steak between 2 large pieces of plastic wrap. Pound each side of the steak thoroughly with the pointed side of a meat mallet until the steak is an even 1/4-inch thickness.

  4. Rub garlic all over one side of the steak. Spread cheese lengthwise in a 3-inch-wide strip down the middle of the steak. Top with the sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. Starting at one edge of a long side, roll the steak up tightly, tucking in the filling as you go.

  5. Carefully rub salt and pepper all over the outside of the steak roll. Turn the roll so the overlapping edge is on top. Push 8 skewers, evenly spaced, through the roll, close to the overlapping edge to hold the roll together. Slice the roll into 8 equal portions, roughly 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick, with a skewer in each. Lay the slices on their sides and push the skewer through so it sticks out about 1 inch.

  6. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the pinwheels 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Use a spatula when turning them to prevent too much filling from falling out. (Don't worry if the ends of the skewers burn. They will still hold the pinwheels together.) Remove the skewers; let the pinwheels rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Tips

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare the steak roll (Steps 2-4). Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 6 hours. When ready to grill, proceed with Steps 5 and 6.

Blue cheese variation: Substitute 1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers or 1/2 cup chopped artichoke hearts for the sun-dried tomatoes (skip Step 2). Mash 1/2 cup blue cheese with 2 tablespoons milk until smooth and substitute for the Boursin in Step 4.

Meat-Buying Tips:
Make sure that packaged meat isn't past its “sell-by” date and that there's not much moisture in the packaging.
Touch it if possible--it should be firm and not soft.
Look for bright red (not gray) meat. Vacuum-packed meat will be darker looking and should turn red as soon as it's exposed to air.

To oil a grill rack: Oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.)

Originally appeared: EatingWell Magazine, June/July 2006

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

206 Calories
8g Fat
6g Carbs
28g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 206
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 2g 5%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 28g 55%
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 3g 16%
Cholesterol 73mg 24%
Vitamin A 996IU 20%
Vitamin C 8mg 9%
Folate 21mcg 5%
Sodium 364mg 16%
Calcium 53mg 4%
Iron 3mg 17%
Magnesium 54mg 13%
Potassium 698mg 15%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

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