FLANK STEAK WITH MEAT FILLING

SERVES 6

This is a special occasion entree. It takes a considerable amount of work to prepare because of so many different ingredients, but it's simple after that (well, almost). And it is so GOOD!!!

INGREDIENTS

1 (2 to 2-1/2 pounds) flank steak

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 cups 1/4-inch bread cubes made from homemade type white bread (4-5 slices)

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1/4 pound ground beef

1/4 pound ground pork

1/4 pound ground veal

1 large egg

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon savory

1-1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

Pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium celery stalks, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices

1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup dry red wine and 1/2 cup beef stock (or use all stock)

Make pocket in steak, cutting through center from one long side cutting through to within 1/2-inch of edge on long side and 1-inch from edge on short sides.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet. Add the bread cubes and fry until crisp and brown. Transfer to a bowl. Melt 2 tablespoons in the same skillet. Add onions and celery; stir for about 5 minutes. Transfer onions and celery to the same bowl as the bread cubes. Add the ground meats and the next 9 ingredients to the bowl. Knead with your hands and then beat with a spoon until well-blended. Fill the steak with the ground meat mixture. Close the open side using a trussing needle and thread.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter with the oil in a baking pan large enough to hold the steak. Brown the steak in the hot butter without burning. Transfer the steak to a platter. Add the celery, onions and carrots to the baking pan and cook for 8-10 minutes. Pour in the wine and stock; bring to a boil, scraping up all the brown bits. Return the steak to the pan and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 1 hour or until tender. Transfer steak to a heated platter and remove the thread.

Skim fat from the juices in pan. Strain liquid through a fine sieve, pressing down hard on the vegetables to extract all the juices. Discard the remaining pulp. (If you prefer, you may leave the vegetables intact rather than straining.) Taste sauce for seasoning. Slice the steak on the diagonal (against the grain) into thin slices. Pass the sauce separately.

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