Herb and Garlic Rolled Steak Medallions

Herb and Garlic Rolled Steak Medallions

I've always been a simple steak lover. There's no need to go to extraordinary lengths to please me when it comes to a good cut of steak. Season it with salt and pepper and slap it on a hot grill until it reaches a beautiful medium rare and I'll be quite satisfied. Pure beef taste is fine for me, thank-you. 

Spouse is a bit more particular about her steak. She likes her steak more well done and additional flavors added in marinades and rubs. Often, we make steak two ways in order to satisfy all tastes at the table but on this occasion, after being reminded of this recipe by a similar steak idea, again provided by David Olsen over at A Bachelor and his Grill, we all enjoyed these herb and garlic infused rolled steak medallions, which Spouse always says is her favorite way to enjoy steak.

A couple of things to consider when grilling these steak medallions is that they are cooked on bamboo skewers, so you will want to soak those in water for a half hour or so before grilling or just soak them overnight to save time. The heat from the grill will also travel through the rolled meat more quickly using this method, so they tend to cook faster than a solid piece of meat, so be careful not to overcook them. I like strip loin steaks for this recipe and find that it is better to use larger steaks which will yield more medallions and be easier to roll. An additional benefit to these steak rolls is that you can cut them to different thicknesses to accommodate different steak grilling preferences. For those who like well done, they can be cut thinner and those for the medium rare folks can be cut thicker which means they can all  be cooked to the perfect level to suit all tastes in the same cooking time; a valuable benefit indeed, especially when serving guests, so that nobody is left waiting or letting their steak get cold.

I do brush these with butter before putting them on the grill because I like the way that temporary flame-up adds an extra char to the meat but this step is, of course, optional. Thinner cuts of meat are best for this recipe so cut your steaks in half or get your butcher to cut them thinner for you, about 1/3 to 1/2 an inch is good.

The herbs can also be varied to suit your taste. Almost any combination will work well but we always tend to start with rosemary as a base.

For more outstanding grilling ideas, check out our Pinterest Board, Great Grilling by Rock Recipes.

Serves 4-6

8 large thin cut striploin steaks

6 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Marinate the steak in the Worcestershire sauce for only 10 to 15 minutes before preparing the rolled steak medallions.

Mix together:

4 cloves minced garlic

4 tbsp chopped rosemary

4tbsp chopped oregano

4 tbsp chopped chives

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Season the steaks lightly on both sides with salt and pepper lay them flat on a cutting board and rub the herb and garlic mixture onto the surface of the steaks. Starting at the narrowest end roll the steak up tightly. Cut the steak roll into as many medallions as you want, usually 2 or 3 depending on the size of the steak you use. Working with 3 or 4 of the medallions at a time, lay them flat on a cutting board in a straight line and push one of the soaked skewers horizontally through the center of the medallions.

6 tbsp melted butter

Brush both sides of the medallions with the butter and transfer them to a hot preheated grill.  Grill for 2- 4 minutes per side depending on if you want them rare to well done. When cooked, let the medallions rest for 4 or 5 minutes on a serving plate, covered in aluminum foil before serving.

Salted Caramel Buttercream with a Mustache

Mustaches will always make me think of my dad.

He sported a mustache from the time I was a baby,

until the year my first child was born.

When I was a child, I would beg him to shave it off! I didn't like scratchy kisses.

But when he finally did get rid of the mustache, I was actually a bit traumatized.

My dad looked like a stranger! 

But it's OK, I recovered without therapy.

In honor of my dad,
I created these yummy cupcakes for Father's Day.

First, I made chocolate mustache lollipops with candy melts and this mold.

Then I perched the lollipops on top of chocolate cupcakes, that I had topped with delicious salted caramel buttercream and drizzled with caramel sauce.

You can find my favorite chocolate cake recipe here.
Just change the baking time to approx. 18 minutes for cupcakes.

Salted Caramel Buttercream

adapted from allrecipes.com

6026091

Caramel

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup heavy cream (may use less)

Buttercream

• 3/4 cup salted butter (softened)
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar

To make caramel: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Mix in the brown sugar, corn syrup and vanilla; bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened (3 to 4 minutes), remove from heat and allow to cool. While it is still warm, add the cream a little at a time, until the caramel has the consistency of honey. Stir until smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Beat the softened butter until fluffy, with an electric mixer on medium speed. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar and mix well. Slowly add the caramel, beating until the frosting is smooth.

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OH. MY!!!
This combination of salty and sweet is absolutely incredible!
You really should make some of these for your dad...
even if he doesn't have a mustache.

Enjoy!

I link up at these fun weekly parties.

This post was featured!

Orange Cake with Easy Chocolate Truffle Frosting

Orange Cake with Chocolate Truffle Frosting

Yes, I am a little obsessed with the combination of chocolate and orange and I think I've figured out why. Baking has always been a part of my family life and some of my earliest memories include sitting in my Nan's kitchen waiting to see what she would bring out of the pantry as a treat for her gaggle of grandchildren. Raisin tea buns, date crumbles, rocky road squares and peanut butter cookies were regular mainstays in Nan's pantry but it seemed there was always an orange cake with chocolate frosting and a sprinkle of coconut for garnish sitting in the fridge. Nan was more prone to use a cake mix than make a scratch cake at the time but this flavor combination became a favorite of mine and you can find quite a few recipes celebrating this taste combination on this blog. If you are a chocolate-orange lover and enjoy those recipes, I think it is Nan Morgan that  you really have to thank for it.

Orange Cake

Sift together and set aside:

• 2 3/4 cups cake flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Cream together until fluffy:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar

Add, one at a time, beating well after every addition;

• 4 eggs at room temperature 

Mix in :

• zest of two medium size oranges, very finely chopped

Beat in:

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Gently fold in the dry ingredients in three equal portions, alternately with

• 1 cup undiluted evaporated milk

When adding dry and wet ingredients alternately in any baking recipe, always begin and end with the dry ingredients.

Pour batter evenly into 2 well greased and floured 8 or 9 inch cake pans. Bake in a 325 degree F oven for about 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Watch it carefully, you will not want to overbake this cake, as soon as the toothpick comes out clean, remove the cake from the oven and let it rest in the pans for 5 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Truffle Frosting

• 4 cups dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup whipping cream

Stir constantly over a gentle simmer in the double boiler, just until melted and smooth throughout. You do not want this mixture to get hot, it should be just at the melting point and only lukewarm to the touch.

In a separate bowl, whip to firm peaks:

• 3 cups whipping cream

Add the whipped cream to the chocolate mixture in four portions, folding gently after each addition until the whipped cream is completely incorporated into the chocolate. 

At this point you will probably have to chill this frosting for a half hour or so in the fridge if it is too soft to work with. Just give it a quick fold with a rubber spatula every 10 minutes so that it cools evenly in the fridge.

Fill and frost the cake layers with the frosting and garnish with orange slices if desired. Chill the cake for a couple of hours before serving.

May 2012 Rock Recipes Roundup!

 

It has been a busy month here at Rock Recipes with 26 new recipes posted from fantastic desserts to quick and easy workday meals. If you missed any, check out this album on our Facebook Page. You don't need to be a member to view all the photos. Links to the recipes are included with the photos. Happy browsing.


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Orange Almond Cookie Bars

Orange Almond Cookie Bars

These soft, tender cookie bars are part orange cookie, part shortbread and part almond filled cookie. The collision of flavors and textures is just excellent. They would make great lunchbox cookies or a great take-along treat to a summer picnic. Either way, they are sure to be a hit.

These also freeze quite well, making them ideal for Holiday baking too.

In a food processor pulse together until well combined and small pieces of butter are still visible:

• 2 2/3 cups flour
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cups cold butter

Whisk together:

• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Add to the flour and butter mixture and pulse until a dough forms. Press half of the dough into a well greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Roll the remaining dough into approximately a 9x13 inch rectangle and set aside.

Filling:

• 1 cup finely chopped almonds
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• zest of one large orange, finely minced
• 1 beaten egg

Mix together well and spread evenly over the bottom crust. Place the second layer of pastry over the filling and using a small juice glass, roll the dough gently until it fits into the corners and completely covers the filling. Press whole almonds into the center of where the bars will be cut for garnish if desired.

Bake 325 degrees F for approximately 40 - 45 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Bacon Wrapped Mediterranean Stuffed Grilled Chicken

Today we have a very tasty grilling idea that would make a great family dinner meal or it would be just as at home  at a summer dinner party featuring courses from the backyard grill. We sometimes make a baked version of this recipe but I was inspired to wrap this great chicken dish in bacon by a recent photo by my blogging buddy David Olsen over at A Bachelor and His Grill, where there is always something tasty and grill-marked to be found.  Mediterranean flavors are quite popular at our house so the result was a terrific success with everyone cleaning their plates.


4 large boneless chicken breasts

Mix together:

½ cup crumbled feta cheese
½ cup chopped fresh spinach
½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (oil packed)
2 tbsp fresh oregano (or 2 tsp dried oregano)
½ cup chopped, pitted kalamata olives
½ tsp cracked black pepper

Butterfly the chicken breasts by laying them flat on a cutting board and using a sharp knife, cut half way through the meat horizontally, stopping at about ½ inch from the edge and before you cut them completely in half. Fold the breasts open and season with salt and pepper. Share the feta, olives, oregano and sun-dried tomatoes evenly among the 4 breasts and fold the other half of the breasts back over the filling.

16-20 slices of good quality smoked bacon

To bacon wrap the chicken breasts, place 4 or 5 slices of bacon side by side on a cutting board, letting them overlap only slightly.  place one of the stuffed breasts at one end and roll the entire breast in the bacon. Secure with wooden toothpicks if necessary  but be sure to remember to remove them before serving. 

Grill over medium-low to medium heat turning occasionally to brown all sides, until the bacon is evenly browned on all sides and the center of the chicken breasts reaches 180 degrees F. If you are using particularly large chicken breasts and the outside browns too quickly, you may want to finish them by open roasting them on a wire rack in the oven at 350 degrees F. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Strawberry Cointreau Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast

Be sure to browse all of our great brunch ideas on our PINTEREST BRUNCH BOARD.

 

Strawberry Cointreau Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast

Here's another terrific weekend brunch idea featuring fresh, ripe, juicy strawberries and a honey and orange liqueur infused cream cheese filling.

Serves 4

Blend together until smooth:

4 ounces cream cheese
3 tbsp honey
3 tbsp Cointreau (or other orange liqueur)

Fold in:

3/4  cup chopped strawberries

Cut 4 slices of good crusty bread, (Belgian, French, Italian...) twice as thick as a regular slice. Cut a pocket into each slice on one side of the crust, leaving the other sides intact. Carefully spread ¼ of the cream cheese mixture into the pocket of each slice.

Beat together

2 eggs
2 tbsp heavy cream
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla extract

Dip bread in egg mixture and fry over medium heat in 3 tbsp butter. Serve with powdered sugar, maple syrup or both!