Help- what to serve with....

[browneye]

Grilled Chipotle Lime Flank Steak! I'm going to cook that tonight, it has been on my mind for a while!
I am not feeling very creative today- too many work troubles on my mind (that's why I've been on this board more than usual today!! Bad, Bad employee)

Anyway, any side dish suggestions to serve with the Flank Steak -not too complicated because I am feeling worn out...

Thanks for helping a tired friend...
:)

[Linda in MO]

What about simply serving the slices of meat over basmati rice and serving corn on the side. Corn on the cob with some sort of chili powder-lime-cilantro butter spread sounds good.

[mandarin2j]

I'm going to be really boring and suggest that if you do the steak on the grill, you should grill some bell pepper strips & sweet onion strips. This is my favorite Tex Mex-style veggie side dish in the summer! Some yellow rice would make a nice accompanyment as well.

-Amanda

[Linda in MO]

Here's a corn recipe...
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/1465/Recipes/cornonthecob.html

[Grace]

Browneye - I HAD to laugh when I saw this post - I posted the EXACT SAME THING when I made this recipe!! It is a tough one to come up with appropriate sides for.

We LOVE (extra emphasis on LOVE) this Roasted Corn, Black Bean and Mango salad. I leave the chipotle and adobo sauce completely out since it's already in the flank steak, and would be overload in my opinion, but it's FANTASTIC without the chipotle!! And it's easy too - you can use frozen corn (I have done it many times successfully), and either fresh or frozen mango (frozen mango chunks from TJ's work great). Very forgiving salad, and a perfect side to the flank steak.

You could also do Chili French fries (another CL recipe). You will love that flank steak. It ranks up there in my top 10 all time favorite dishes.
CookWare(tm) from Cooking Light(r)

Roasted Corn, Black Bean, and Mango Salad

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: July 2000 PAGE: 94

INGREDIENTS FOR 8 SERVINGS:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups fresh corn kernels (about 6 ears)
2 cups diced peeled ripe mango (about 2 pounds)
1 cup chopped red onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 drained canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, chopped
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
8 cups gourmet salad greens

INSTRUCTIONS:
Browning corn in a skillet gives it a nutty, caramelized flavor that contrasts
with the tartness of the mango. But brown it good--corn likes it that way.

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic;
cook 30 seconds. Stir in corn; cook 8 minutes or until browned, stirring
occasionally. Place corn mixture in a large bowl. Add mango and remaining
ingredients except greens; stir well. Arrange 1 cup greens on each of 8
plates. Spoon 1 cup corn mixture over greens. Yield: 8 servings.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
CALORIES 204 (15% from fat); FAT 3.3g (sat 0.6g, mono 0.8g, poly 1.5g);
PROTEIN 9.2g; CARB 39g; FIBER 6.9g; CHOL 0mg; IRON 2.8mg; SODIUM 315mg; CALC
56mg


CookWare(tm) from Cooking Light(r)

Chili Fries

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: Jul/Aug 1996 PAGE: 85

INGREDIENTS FOR 4 SERVINGS:
1-1/2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl; toss well. Arrange potatoes in a single
layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 35 minutes or until golden.
Yield: 4 servings.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
CALORIES 199 (17% from fat); PROTEIN 3.6g; FAT 3.8g (sat 0.7g, mono 1.1g,
poly 1.8g); CARB 37.6g; FIBER 3g; CHOL 0mg; IRON 0.9mg; SODIUM 314mg; CALC 16mg

[Mbart]

Drats, wish I had seen this before I made my dinner...I am making the flank steak tonite, too! Have never tried it before and can't wait, it sounds so good.

So, my boring sides to accompany this meat are baked potato, green beans, corn on the cob, garden salad and watermelon. Very simple, but at least I know the kids will eat it. And, I have to admit, very easy for another tired gal!

Hope yours works out well!

[beejayw1]

Well, I imagine the flank steak has been grilled and gobbled and it was as delicious as everyone hoped. That said, I'm going to add my thoughts on side dishes.

It's summer. There is corn, tomatoes, and various veggies. I'd make tomatoes vinaigrette with the freshest, ripest tomatoes I could find, and have corn, on or off the cob. (I'm also saving the recipes posted on this thread!;)

[browneye]

Thanks everyone for the speedy replies!!!!

Grace, how funny.... you posted the same question!

Well, I was going to make your Mango salad, Grace, unfortunately when I got to the store the mangoes looked really bad and very pricey. I need to get some at TJ's and make it next time...it sounds so wonderful. Thank you. :(

BUT-Linda in MO thanks for that grilled corn recipe with the spicy butter-I am going to make that, fresh tomatoes, grilled red bells, and a packaged rice mix (Gasp!) the French Tomato Rice ala Paul Prudhomme...(sp?) anyway....I'll let you all know how it turns out!

Thanks again you guys are great!

[browneye]

Wow!

That was absolutely delicious flank steak. Even my 15 yo son said it was the best steak he'd ever had! I served it with the grilled corn-on the cob from Linda in MO, that was sooooo good.
Very easy dinner. I only had time to let the steak marinade for 1.5 hours, and it was still delicious. Next time, I'll plan ahead and let it marinate longer.
The combination of sweet, smoky, tart and spicy flavors were just incredible!

I never would have found these recipes without you guys.
You're the best!
:D

[kwormann]

Im glad to know the marinade is good! We are serving it with shrimp on Sunday!

[cchhbb]

Grace,

Do you have the recipe for the chili fries? It's hard to believe that fries could be Cooking Light. I'd appreciate it if you or one of the other elves on the board would post it.

Thanks,
Cheryl

[SusanL]

Cheryl, Is it on the thread Grace posted or I am seeing something else? I will cut and paste it for you... I am planning to make the flank steak, chili fries, and a roasted veggie salad {posted previously} for my family on Saturday. Now to come up with a dessert... Hmmmm

Chili Fries

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: Jul/Aug 1996 PAGE: 85

INGREDIENTS FOR 4 SERVINGS:
1-1/2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl; toss well. Arrange potatoes in a single
layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 35 minutes or until golden.
Yield: 4 servings.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
CALORIES 199 (17% from fat); PROTEIN 3.6g; FAT 3.8g (sat 0.7g, mono 1.1g,
poly 1.8g); CARB 37.6g; FIBER 3g; CHOL 0mg; IRON 0.9mg; SODIUM 314mg; CALC 16mg

[lovemybeetle]

Wow....we must be buying the stores out of chipoltes....I'm making this for dinner tonight too! I've just put it into the fridge to marinate and I'm already drooling. I hope to broil it because we live in an apartment and can't grill (Though, I just told my husband that if anyone wants to eat with us, I'll donate the steak if they donate the fire!)

For sides, I'm making salt potatoes (which are new potatoes boiled in a lot of salt...they're a upstate NY thing) and fresh corn on the cob.

I rarely make red meat because i'm not so good at cooking it to a nice medium rareness....wish me luck!

[cchhbb]

thanks for the posting of the chili fries recipe. I will be making this during the weekend. Fries that are light. Boy I'm in heaven.

Thanks,
Cheryl

[browneye]

SusanL-

For your dessert, what about the Blackberry Lemon pudding cake or the Chocolate Eclair Icebox Dessert? The thing that is nice about the Chocolate Eclair dessert is there is no oven involved, so it's great for a hot day.

There are some great dessert ideas that would work well with your Steak in this thread:http://cookinglight.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11457&highlight=menu

I did not make dessert last night, but I really craved something sweet after the dinner! Especially something cold, or with a little lemon flavor or tangy fruit.

A sorbet, gelato or ice cream would also be nice.

:D

[SusanL]

Your suggestions are much appreciated, I was sort of thinking aloud, and you came through!! I tried to post this reply twice yesterday and I got a fatal error message, Oh My! I also planned to make these recipes for dinner tonight with my parents, but they would prefer taking us out- so that our concentration is on conversation. But not letting that daunt me, I plan to make these recipes on Sunday for DH and myself. Hoping to make the Blackberry Lemon pudding cake, we usually eat fresh fruit for dessert, but that really caught my eye. Thanks Again!!