I have never really had too much flank steak in my life. I don’t know why, I just never got around to buying and trying it. So the other day I am in the supermarket just looking for something different to make. Staring at the butchers window I see this flank steak. Now I have seen them cooked on many a cooking show but I have never actually eaten it, or cooked it before.

So what the heck, I buy it and decide to try and make my own rub for it. When we sliced this up, everyone at the table was astounded how well this came out.

While I was searching for spices to make the rub, I came across one that I had never used before: Cardamom. Reading the spice guide in the store it basically had little information on it other than some people use it in pot roast. So, I figured I might be able to use it, and if not, I will try it for my next pot roast.

When I got home and opened the spice bottle of the Cardamom seeds and smelled it, I nearly coughed. It has an aroma similar to a vapor rub, i.e. vicks. I gave it the one eyebrow look and wondered if I should not just put this bottle in the back of the spice cupboard.

Well, always up for something new I decided to try it anyway. Using a cheap $10.00 coffee grinder, I ground up some whole spices into a powder to use as a rub for the flank steak. I did not keep exact measurements, but after dinner I remembered basically what I did and wrote it down. Here is what I did and the result was INCREDIBLE! The pungent aroma of the Cardamom seemed to pickup all the flavors.

Rub:

• 1 1/2 tablespoon peppercorns.
• 1 teaspoon mustard seed.
• 1 tablespoon garlic salt.
• 1 tablespoon onion powder.
• 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika.
• 2 large Cardamom seeds (about the size of a Halloween candy corn each).
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt.

Put all of this in your spice grinder (coffee grinder) and grind until it is a fine powder.

Get a 1 1/2 pound to 2 pound flank steak from your butcher.

Heat your grill on high.

Cover both sides of the flank steak with the powder while your grill heats up and rub it in there good.

Cook the steak on the grill until medium rare, about 3-4 minutes on each side depending on thickness.

Rest for 15 minutes.

HERE IS THE TRICK:

You do not slice this steak like other steaks. You have to cut this on an sharp angle. The knife itself should be on an angle to the steak so it would almost appear like you are sharpening your knife on the steak. The blade should be at around a 20 -30 angle to the meat and then cut thin slices. After you put all of the slices on the platter, cover with any juices that may have come out during the slicing process.

Optional pan sauce:

Slice up about 6-7 medium size mushrooms of your choice. Mince 2 cloves of garlic.

With about a tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil, saute gently in a skillet until the mushrooms are just tender. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and remove from heat. Add any drippings from the cut steak to this after the butter has melted. Serve on top of the sliced meat.