Balsamic-and-Rosemary Marinated Florentine Steak

"Cari Weilhammer is a total dullard," is something you could say that would not be untrue. Cooking rule #1 (if you cook by the rules): READ THE RECIPE. Blast. What we ate more closely resembled pot roast than steak. Baffling. Until I read the recipe and noticed that it calls for a 4" thick porterhouse. O-oh! I see now.

In a way, I'm glad I don't have access to that kind of meat because I would most certainly buy it and it is undoubtedly insanely expensive. But, also, why don't I have a good butcher?!?!

If I remember my reading Food & Wine correctly (we've established that my reading retention is questionable, so it's entirely possible that I do not), this recipe is part of a special profile of chefs cooking in a Florentine vacation home? Some of the other recipes in the article were just a little too... something to really appeal to me. This one stood out and I can see why, because despite the 1", overcooked, porterhouses that I was working with, this recipe was good.  I think it's a forgiving cut of meat and the balsamic and rosemary marinade makes it even more tender and flavorful. I did manage to marinate properly and overnight, despite my cursory reading.

If you can get your hands on a 4" steak, please make this now, with no adjustments necessary. It will be fantastic. If, like me, you cannot, I would adjust the roasting time- perhaps even eliminate it. Test the meat with a quick-read thermometer after it comes off of the grill pan. I would guess that no more than 5 minutes in the oven would have produced a nice medium-rare for my steaks.

With the steak I roasted some onions. I had half a baguette in the freezer so I sliced it and threw the slices on the grill pan with the steak juices and oil. Also, as almost always, salad. I just like that salad picture, so I'm including it.

 Balsamic-and-Rosemary-Marinated Florentine Steak

Recipe By: Food &Wine March 2009

-= Ingredients =-
1 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Finely chopped rosemary
3 pound porterhouse steak ; 4 inches thick
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
2 teaspoons Coarsely ground black pepper

-= Instructions =-
1. In a sturdy resealable plastic bag, combine the vinegar with 1/2 cup of the olive oil and the rosemary. Add the steak, seal the bag and refrigerate overnight, turning the bag several times.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 and bring the steak to room temperature. Heat a grill pan. Remove the steak from the marinade and season with the salt and pepper. Rub the sides with the remaining two tablespoons olive oil. Grill over moderately high heat until nicely charred on the top and bottom, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the steak to a rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes, until  an instant read thermometer inserted into the tenderloin registers 125.