GRILLED FLANK STEAK with CUCUMBER + TOMATO FETA SALSA and TZATZIKI

Serves: 4

Marinated Flank Steak:

⅓ cup olive oil 

Juice of half a lemon

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 

2 teaspoons dried oregano 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

¼ teaspoon black pepper 

1 flank steak (about 1 ½ lbs)

Cucumber + Tomato Feta Salsa: 

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into ½ inch pieces

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered 

½ small red onion, finely chopped 

1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced 

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint 

½ cup crumbled feta cheese 

Juice from 1 lime

Drizzle of olive oil 

Salt and pepper 

For serving: 

6 flat breads or no pocket pitas

Labne Tzatziki sauce 

Marinate the flank steak: in a gallon size Ziploc combine olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, oregano, minced garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Add the flank steak, squeeze the bag as you seal it to get the extra air out and. Once sealed, use your hands to massage the marinade into the steak. Set aside at room temp to marinate while you prepare everything else if you are cooking within the next 20 minutes. If you are waiting longer to cook, refrigerate the meat. You can also marinate and refrigerate the steak for up to 4-6 hours. 

Make the cucumber + tomato feta salsa: in a large bowl combine cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno, parsley, mint, feta and lime juice together. Drizzle in a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss together and stash in the fridge until the rest of the meal is ready. 

Grill the steak: heat a gas grill to high heat and let it warm up for 5-10 minutes. Clean the grill once it’s warmed up. Remove the steak from the marinade and shake the excess off into the bag; discard the marinade. Grill steak on high, lid down, about 4 minutes. Flip the meat, place the lid down and grill for another 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat but keep the grill on. Set the steak on a cutting board and let it rest for 7-10 minutes. While the grill is still hot: warm up your pitas or flatbread, grill for about 20-30 seconds per side, just to warm up.

To serve: slice the steak against the grain into thin slices. Serve family style with the Cucumber + Tomato Feta Salsa, tzatziki sauce and grilled pitas alongside. You can make these into proper gyros or quarter your pitas and serve it as composed plates instead.

This recipe is by online creator and cookbook author, Diane Morrisey. If you like this dish you can follow her on instagram: @dianemorrisey or buy her new cookbook titled You Got This

BEVERAGE PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:

The flavors in this meal are both savory and fresh – with the rich steak being complimented by the herbaceous, salty salsa and the tang of Tzatziki. For a wine pairing with this, we would choose rose or a lighter red, both of which we reach for on repeat once the weather warms up. 

One of our favorite reds for grilling season is the Ercole Barbera del Monferrato which comes in a chunky one liter bottle (gotta love more wine for the money!) This Northern Italian red is an everyday drinker – bright ruby colored in the glass with aromas of cherries, black plums and violets, on the palate this wine shows more inviting red and black fruit framed by zippy acidity and a clean, fresh finish. A terrific red to put a little chill on in the summertime or match with pizza any time of year. If you match this bottle with this meal, we guarantee you’ll be a very happy camper.