This recipe can be prepared 24 hours in advance, wrapped tightly in plastic and refrigerated.
From “The Best Make-Ahead Recipe,” by the editors of Cook’s Illustrated magazine.
Ingredients
1 flank steak (about 2 pounds)
1 (1 2-ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers, rinsed, drained and patted dry
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 medium shallot, chopped coarse
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
8 ounces thinly sliced deli provolone cheese
2 cups baby spinach
Directions
Lay steak on a large plate and freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, puree the peppers, 2 tablespoons of the oil, parmesan, shallot, garlic, thyme and 1/8teaspoon salt in a food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds, stopping to scrape down the sides of the work bowl as needed; set the pesto aside.
Slice the chilled steak in half horizontally to within 1/2-inch of the edge and open it like a book. Pat the steak dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
Layer the cheese over the steak, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges, then cover with the spinach. Spoon the roasted pepper mixture evenly over the spinach. Roll the steak up tightly and tie with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals. Brush the steak with 1 more tablespoon of the oil.
When ready to cook, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Brush steak with 1 more tablespoon of the oil and transfer to a wire rack set over a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the steak registers 120 degrees, 45-50 minutes, rotating steak and brushing it with the remaining tablespoon oil halfway through cooking. Transfer steak to a carving board, tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes. Remove twine and slice steak crosswise.
