Flank Steak Crostini with Whipped Goat Cheese and Arugula Pesto
This Christmas crostini is the perfect appetizer for a holiday party, Christmas Eve or anything festive! The sweet honey with the peppery arugula pesto is the perfect combination and the flank steak literally melts in your mouth! I was told it was better than any wedding appetizer my friend has ever had lol
This recipe does take some time since there are many pieces to the puzzle, it’s not the quickest. So what I did was, the day before the party, I prepped the hot honey, arugula pesto, sautéed the onions, cut the chives and marinated the steak. So the day of the party all I had to do was toast the baguette, grill the steak, cut the tomatoes and assemble the crostini! It’s way easier to break up the preparation over two days than do it all in one day.
Ingredients:
1.5 lbs flank steak
1 tbsp dijon Mustard
1 tbsp coconut aminos
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
Salt/pepper
8 oz goat cheese log (or crumbles)
2 tbsp hot honey
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced (I used a mandoline)
1 tbsp avocado oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
4 cups Arugula
2 cloves garlic
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/3 cup cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced thin
1 loaf french bread, cut into 1/2” pieces
1 tbsp chives, minced.
NOTES:
If you make the whipped goat cheese the night before, store it in the fridge in in an airtight. Make sure to let it sit at room temperature, for at least an hour, before you make the crostini. This will let the cheese to soften, making it more spreadable. If its too cold, it will just crumble!
I used a Jacard meat tenderizer (linked below) to make the flank steak super tender. I use this to tenderize all my meats and its a game changer! It reduces cooking time by up to 40% and provides pathway for marinades to be absorbed deeper into the meat and increasing absorption by up to 600%.
I used Mike’s Hot Honey (linked below) for the whipped goat cheese, but if you don’t it that, just use regular honey and 1 tsp of chili flakes.
Directions:
The night before you make the crostini, use the Jacard meat tenderizer and puncture both sides of the meat. Put the meat in a freezer-size ziplock baggie and add the mustard, coconut aminos, chili powder, cumin and salt/pepper. Close the bag and rub the steak so its evenly coated with the seasoning. Leave in the fridge overnight.
Take the meat out of the fridge and let it sit at room temp for 30 minutes before you grill.
In a food processor add the goat cheese, garlic powder, hot honey (I use Mike’s Hot Honey) and pulse for a minute or two, until it is a whipped consistency. This will allow it to spread easily.
Make the arugula pesto by pureeing arugula, garlic and lemon juice in a blender while drizzling olive oil until a smooth puree is achieved. Set aside.
In a medium heat sauce pan sweat the onions in avocado oil until soft, about 10 minutes. Add vinegar and cook a few more minutes until all liquid is gone and onions are lightly caramelized. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Brush the french baguette slices with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add them to a lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes until light golden brown on both sides.
In a medium-high heat cast iron skillet add 1 tbsp of avocado oil. Cut the flank steak in half if its too long for the cast iron. Sear the flank to medium rare. Mine took about 4 minutes each side, but the cook time will depend on thickness of your steak. Use a meat thermometer to check the meat, the internal temp should be 125-130 degrees F. Remove from the cast iron, and let it rest for 15 minutes, then slice thinly across the grain.
Assemble this recipe by spreading the whipped goat cheese on a toasted baguette slice, then drizzle the arugula pesto, layer on two cherry tomato slices, then the meat and a small pile of onions. Garnish with a few chives.
