Grilling is the perfect way to cook steak. Kissed by the flames, crusted with salt and pepper. Now I'm gonna be honest here — I never really get a chance to grill, so when I do, I like to make it special. This dish is that for me. Juicy steak with a toasted baguette, lots of butter, and a spicy-tangy giardiniera — chef's kiss. If you're not familiar with giardiniera, let me tell you: It is a must. It's an Italian relish of chopped veggies (usually cauliflower, celery, bell pepper, and onion) pickled in olive oil and vinegar, plus spices. The giardiniera adds acid and crunch to this dish and is so good next to something rich, like steak, which doesn't need more than just oil, salt, and pepper. Keep things simple with a crunchy toasted baguette and some wine. And if you don't have a grill, you can just pan-sear the steak. — Romel Bruno
Watch this recipe
Ingredients
Giardiniera:
- 1/2 large (12 ounces) cauliflower, chopped into small florets
- 1/4 bunches (4 ounces) asparagus (or 4 ounces carrots or radishes), cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 large bell pepper, diced into 1-inch pieces
- 2 large celery stalks, sliced thickly
- 2 large serrano chiles, sliced into thin rounds
- 2 cups white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
Steak
- 2 (12-ounce) boneless ribeyes
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, like canola
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Baguette and salted butter, for serving
Directions
- Giardiniera: In a large bowl, mix together all of the vegetables, then transfer to a large mason jar.
- In a saucepan, combine the vinegar with 2 cups of water, the olive oil, salt, bay leaves, fennel seeds, sugar, oregano, pepper flakes, and paprika. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Pour the hot liquid over the vegetables, pushing down on them as needed to make sure they're submerged. Close the jar. Let sit at room temperature until no longer hot, then place in the fridge. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 days before using. This will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Steak: Remove the steaks from the fridge while you heat the grill to around 450°F. Rub the steaks with oil and season all over with salt and pepper.
- Place the steaks on the grill, diagonal to the grates, and cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes. Now rotate the steaks to the opposite angle, so you're creating a cross-hatch pattern. Keep cooking for 2 minutes, then flip. Repeat the cross-hatch technique on the other side and keep cooking until the steak reaches your desired internal temperature (say, 130°F to 140°F for medium-rare). Remove from the grill and let rest for at least 5 minutes.
- Halve the baguette crosswise, then halve each piece lengthwise (for four pieces total). Drizzle with olive oil, then lightly toast on the grill. Spread the toasted baguette pieces with butter. Slice the steak against the grain and serve with the giardiniera and the buttered bread.
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