I've been craving vegetables a lot lately. The other day when this craving struck yet again, I began thinking about different ways to incorporate some veggies into a meal as more of the focus rather than just a side. I remembered a box of mini farfalle with tomatoes and carrots that I had bought and knew I wanted to use them in a dish without red sauce to let their warm orange color show through. Starting with my veggie craving, the box of pasta, and the knowledge that Jeff would not be happy if I didn't work some sort of meat into the meal, I came up with the idea to make a veggie-laden pasta topped with steak and a balsamic glaze.
We had recently tried broccolini (also called baby broccoli) and really enjoyed it, so I picked up a bunch along with asparagus and a red onion. Then for the meat, I went with hanger steak because it cooks quickly and is relatively inexpensive. I used only 3/4 pound here since there were just two of us, but there's plenty of pasta and veggies to handle more meat if you're serving four. You'll just need to cook the meat in two batches. (You could also make this with chicken... or skip the meat altogether.)
To flavor the pasta and veggies, I stirred in a little Parmesan cheese and squeezed lemon on top. Then I made a balsamic glaze to drizzle over the meat and pasta. I was actually running low on balsamic vinegar, so I mixed my remaining balsamic with a little Cabernet vinegar and reduced both together. The glaze was wonderful, and I imagine you could try it with other flavored vinegars as well.
Ingredients
3/4 pound hanger steak
Salt and pepper
1 bunch asparagus, ends snapped
1 bunch broccolini, leaves removed and ends trimmed
1 large red onion, ends trimmed, halved, and cut in wedges
4 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cups Barilla Mini Farfalle with Tomatoes and Carrots
1 to 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Lemon wedges
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Season steak with salt and pepper and set aside.
Arrange asparagus, broccolini, and red onion on sheet pan.
Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil.
Cook 20 to 25 minutes. Until vegetables are roasted to desired texture. I kept ours a little on the crisp side.
Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for pasta.
Meanwhile, cook the steak. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in medium skillet over high heat. Add steak and cook, flipping once, about 6 minutes (for medium-rare).
Transfer to a plate, and tent with aluminum foil.
Lower heat to medium and pour balsamic in pan. Reduce to about 1/2 cup.
Transfer to small serving pitcher or measuring cup with pour spout.
Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water before draining. Return pasta to pot after draining.
When veggies are done, chop broccoli and asparagus into thirds, and stir them and the red onion into the pasta.
Stir in any accumulated juices from resting steak, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and reserved pasta water, as needed. Transfer to serving bowl.
Slice steak thinly against the grain.
Transfer the pasta to plates, serving with lemon wedges or squeezing lemon over before serving.
Arrange steak over pasta, drizzle balsamic glaze on top, and serve.
This flavorful meal satisfied my veggie craving, and I enjoyed every bite of it. The balsamic added both sweetness and acidity, and the steak provided extra protein for a super-filling dinner.
What meals have you been enjoying lately?