Grilled Rib-eye Steak with Pistachio Gremolata and Charred Balsamic Broccolini

Chef Vartan Abgaryan of Yours Truly in Venice serves Flannery’s Jorge steak with a floral herb and citrus gremolata, teeming with sweet poached garlic cloves, and a side of grilled broccolini dressed in a tart balsamic vinaigrette. Flannery sells its Jorge steaks nationwide via the company’s website, flannerybeef.com. But you can also ask your local butcher for a 3-inch-thick, bone-in rib-eye steak, cut from the chuck end, as a substitute. Because these steaks are so large, it’s important to remove them from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes, before you plan to cook them, so they cook evenly.

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Grilled Rib-eye Steak with Pistachio Gremolata and Charred Balsamic Broccolini

50 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw peanuts
• 2 Jorge steaks (see note above) or other 3-inch-thick, bone-in rib-eye steaks (36 ounces each)
• Olive oil (not extra-virgin)
• Flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 pound broccolini, trimmed
• Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe below)
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced
• Pistachio Gremolata (recipe below)

Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the peanuts, and cook, tossing occasionally, until toasted and fragrant. Place the peanuts in a mortar and pestle, let cool, and roughly crush (or roughly chop with a knife); return to their bowl.
2. Prepare a charcoal grill for both direct, high-heat grilling and indirect grilling. Or heat a gas grill to medium-high on one side and low on the other side. (Alternatively, heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and heat the oven to 250 degrees.) Brush the steaks very lightly with olive oil, then season liberally with salt and pepper. Place the steaks on the direct, high-heat side of the grill (or in the skillet) and cook, flipping from cut side to cut side once, then to fat side, until lightly charred at the edges and mahogany brown all over. (If you encounter flare-ups, move the steak to the indirect or low-heat part of the grill for a few seconds before returning it to the flame.) Move the steaks to the indirect or low-heat part of the grill and close the grill. (Alternatively, transfer the steak on the skillet to the oven.) Continue cooking the steaks, checking every 5 minutes or so, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 120 to 125 degrees for medium-rare doneness. Transfer the steaks to a platter, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for at least 10 minutes while you cook the broccolini. Leave the grill on.
3. In a large bowl, toss the broccolini with a drizzle of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place the broccolini on the direct, high-heat side of the grill (or in another large skillet), reserving the bowl, and cook, turning occasionally and placing the stems on the hottest part of the grill, if possible, until lightly charred and the stems are just tender, about 8 minutes. Return the broccolini to the reserved bowl and toss with the crushed peanuts, ¼ cup of the balsamic vinaigrette and the scallions.
4. Uncover the steaks, cut along the bone in each steak to remove it (reserve the bone, if you want to present it with the meat), then slice the meat crosswise into ½-inch-thick pieces. Transfer the slices with the bones, if saved, to a large serving platter and “reassamble” the steak, and spoon some of the gremolata over the meat. Serve the broccolini on a platter next to the steak with bowls of extra gremolata and balsamic vinaigrette on the side.

Pistachio Gremolata

Makes 3 ½ cups.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups whole milk
• 1 cup whole garlic cloves, peeled, plus 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ cup shelled raw pistachios
• 1 ½ cups olive oil (not extra-virgin)
• 1 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• ¼ cup pitted picholine or other green olives, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 small lemon
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 small orange

Instructions

1. Bring the milk and the 1 cup whole garlic cloves to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, then reduce the heat, if necessary, to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover partially and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cloves are very tender, about 15 minutes. The tip of a paring knife should slip in and out of each clove with no resistance. Drain the garlic in a colander, rinse and then transfer to paper towels to dry.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pistachios and cook, tossing occasionally, until toasted and fragrant. Transfer the pistachios to a cutting board, let cool, then finely chop. Place the chopped pistachios in a medium bowl, then stir in the olive oil, parsley, olives, salt, citrus zests and juices and the 1 clove of raw minced garlic. Add the poached whole garlic cloves and stir them into the gremolata. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature again before serving.

Smoked Balsamic Vinaigrette

Makes 1 cup.

Ingredients

• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 ½ teaspoons smoked soy sauce (available from Amazon and other online retailers) or regular soy sauce
• ¾ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 small lemon
• ½ cup olive oil (not extra-virgin)

Instructions

In a blender, combine the balsamic, honey, soy sauce, mustard, salt, paprika and lemon zest and juice. With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the vinaigrette emulsifies. Season with more salt, if desired, and transfer to a serving bowl. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Make ahead

The pistachio gremolata and balsamic vinaigrettes can both be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use.