Is a florentine steak (t-bone) better than a football match?

The Anonymous

It was Wednesday, there was something magic in the air. My two best friends and I decided to go to Florence to see the Champions League match, Fiorentina – Bayern München. Unfortunately the train was on delay (how weird!) so we missed the match. When we arrived in Florence (too late for the match!) we hadn't eaten yet. So we decided to go to a local tavern. The menu was very long but we saw immediately these three words “Rare Steak Florentine” and considering that we had missed Fiorentina's match we had to taste at least the dish to find little consolation.

And it was great, that's for sure! It was one of the most beautiful things that we have ever eaten. We know that you haven't lived this experience with us but we can share the recipe... symbolically!

Ingredients

• 2 large garlic cloves, halved;
• 3 T-bone steaks (each about 1 1/2 pounds, and 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inches thick) Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper;
• 1 lemon, halved;
• 2 teaspoons olive oil Grilled Vegetables

Grilled Vegetables

• 3 red bell peppers, seeded and halved;
• 3 yellow squashes (about 1 pound total), sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick rectangles;
• 3 zucchini (about 12 ounces total), sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick rectangles;
• 3 Japanese eggplant (12 ounces total), sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick rectangles;
• 12 cremini mushrooms;
• 1 bunch (1-pound) asparagus, trimmed;
• 12 green onions, roots cut off;
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper;
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar;
• 2 garlic cloves, minced;
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves;
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil leaves;
• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves.

Directions

Rub the garlic cloves over the meat and the bone of the steaks. Sprinkle the steaks with salt and pepper. Place in the refrigerator and allow seasoning to permeate the meat, for about 1 hour.

Remove from the refrigerator at least 20 minutes before grilling, allowing the meat to come to room temperature. Place a grill pan over high heat or prepare the barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill the steaks until cooked to desired doneness, turning once, about 5 minutes per side for rare, 7 minutes per side for medium-rare. The key to getting those great grill marks is to place the steak down and not move them. After you flip them, do not shift the steaks. Allow the steaks to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing, otherwise all the juices will be run all over your cutting board. Run your knife along the bone and carve the meat off the bone. Slice the meat into 1-inch slices. Transfer the slices to a platter. Squeeze the lemon over the steaks. Drizzle with the oil and serve immediately with Grilled Vegetables.

Yield: 6 servings                     Prep Time: 15 minutes                    Cook Time: 25 minutes

Glossary

Clove: aromatic flower bud of a clove tree
Halve: divide by two
Garlic: bulbous herb of Southern Europe widely naturalized. Es. Italian people love pasta with GARLIC, oil and chilly pepper
Teaspoon: a small spoon used for stirring tea or coffee, it holds about one fluid dram
Seeded: having or supplied with seeds
Lengthwise: in the sense of the length
Trimmed: made neat and tidy by trimming
Root: (botany) the usually underground organ that lacks buds or leaves or nodes; it absorbs water and mineral salts; usually it
anchors the plant to the ground
To chop: cut into pieces
To rub: move over something with pressure
To sprinkle: to spread gently
To allow: to let, permit
Seasoning: something added to food primarily for the savor it imparts
To grill: cooking by direct exposure to radiant heat
Room temperature: the normal temperature of a room in which people live
Doneness: cook adequately
Rare: (of meat) cooked a short time; still red inside
To flip: to reverse
Knife: edge tool used as a cutting instrument
To slice: make a clean cut through
T­Bone steak: small steak from the thin end of the short loin containing a T­shaped bone and small piece of tenderloin
Squash: the fruit of a squash plant; eaten as a vegetable. A squash is an orange vegetable also known as pumpkin
To mince: to cut into small pieces
Bone: rigid connective tissue that makes up the skeleton of vertebrates
To carve: tp cut into pieces
Platter: a large shallow dish used for serving food
To drizzle: to spray some liquid
Yield: an amount of a product