Flank steaks need to be tenderized by pounding, slow cooking, or marinating. Here, red wine, orange juice, and Middle Eastern spices make a tasty marinade. The addition of sumac and zaatar add a zesty citrus burst of flavor. If you have Aleppo pepper, use it here for its biting sweet yet tangy flavor notes. I like to add the sliced onion so it can grill along with the steak.
It’s best to grill the steak until just medium rare, as over cooking will toughen the meat. Make sure to cut the steak on the diagonal against the grain so that the slices are very tender. Serve this with an arugula and tomato salad. Try a Zinfandel to accompany this.
Plan on making this toward the end of the week so you can have it on hand for weekend sandwiches. When making sandwiches, spread split French rolls with spicy garlic mayonnaise. Layer the rolls with slices of flank steak, very ripe sliced tomatoes, and arugula leaves. Serve the sandwiches with a favorite potato salad, coleslaw or grilled corn along with a chilled rose to accompany the spiced marinated steak. You could also serve a zinfandel, slightly chilled.
