Lemony marinade adds zing to steak

By Thayer Wine
Nashville Tennessean

When you're in a hurry to get dinner on the table, you might skip recipes that call for marinating, but you don't have to.

Sometimes a marinade can help make the meat a bit more tender. When time is short, it can simply add flavor.

The lemony marinade for this flank steak will add flavor to the meat if you remember to score the meat, making very thin cuts in the surface, drawing the knife across the grain. Allow the steak to rest in the marinade for as long as it takes to light the charcoal grill or preheat the gas grill, or preheat the oven broiler. Then brush any remaining marinade on the meat after turning.

Plan to grill some vegetables to go with the meat at the same time. The flavors are compatible and there is little cleanup to think about later.

To grill vegetables, mix olive oil with a little pepper, basil and oregano or another of your favorite herb blends. Brush zucchini slices, eggplant slices, cherry tomatoes, cut-up bell peppers or onions or a combination of these vegetables with the mixture and place them on the grill, turning as needed. Most of them will be done in 5 to 7 minutes, except for the cherry tomatoes which take only a minute or two to heat through.

Lemony Flank Steak

• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh dill weed
• 1 flank steak, 1 1/2 pounds
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Combine water, lemon juice, oil, salt and dill weed. Trim steak of all visible fat and lightly score diagonally across grain of meat fibers making a diamond pattern, on both sides. Place in plastic bag or shallow glass dish; add marinade, turning to coat both sides. Tie bag securely or cover dish with plastic wrap and marinate 10-15 minutes to 6-8 hours (or overnight), turning at least once.

Prepare charcoal grill and allow coals to burn down to a gray ash or preheat gas grill 10 minutes. Remove steak from marinade; press pepper into surface of meat. Broil steak over medium coals about 8-10 minutes for rare or medium, or to desired degree of doneness, turning once halfway through cooking. Especially if you are marinating the meat for a short time, use any remaining marinade to brush on top of meat after turning.

To serve, carve with knife at a 45-degree angle across grain into very thin slices.

Makes four servings.