Espresso-Rubbed Steak with Green Chile Pesto (and then some)

It has been a LOOOOOONG time since anything food posts have come out of Kelsie's Kitchen. Probably partially because Kelsie's Kitchen (as in my actual kitchen, not the blog) has not been producing share-worthy meals as of late. I hesitate to admit this because - gasp - I supposedly love to cook. And I do. Don't get me wrong. But I've been struggling to adjust my menus to accommodate the wee one who is usually hanging onto my pant leg come dinner prep time. I'm learning to balance gourmet with speed, keeping the under arching theme of nutrition in mind of course. I am not super mom and, much to my dismay, I don't always provide the perfectly balanced meals I imagine to my family, though I certainly do try!

I made this flank steak last night and it was quite the hit! The recipe makes a pretty hefty batch of pesto so plan on having some leftover to toss with pasta or put on roasted vegetables. I served the steak with a grape tomato and corn salad with fresh cilantro and some sautéed red potatoes. The only thing I would add next time is some avocado (and as a side note, my husband thought the leftovers would make great taco filling though we haven't yet tried them that way ourselves). 

Espresso-Rubbed Steak with Green Chile Pesto
(From Better Homes and Garden Magazine)

1-1/2 pound flank steak
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon instant espresso coffee powder (or instant coffee granules)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 recipe Green Chile Pesto (recipe below)
Cilantro leaves (optional)

Score both sides of steak by making diagonal cuts in a diamond pattern. In small bowl combine chili powder, salt, espresso powder, garlic powder, oregano, and pepper. Sprinkle over steak; rub in.

Coat a 12-inch nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat until very hot; add steak. Reduce heat to medium. Cook 12 to 14 minutes for medium-rare (145 degrees F) or 14 to 16 minutes for medium (160 degrees F), turning once halfway through. Transfer to cutting board. Cover loosely with foil; keep warm while preparing Green Chile Pesto .

To serve, thinly slice steak against grain. Pass Green Chile Pesto. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves.

For Green Chile Pesto: Halve 2 medium fresh Anaheim or poblano chile peppers lengthwise; remove stems, seeds, and veins. Coarsely chop peppers. In food processor combine peppers, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, 1/4 cup crumbled Cotija cheese (I used feta), 2 tablespoons pine nuts, 2 cloves garlic, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, and salt and black pepper to taste. Process to finely chop mixture. With processor running add 1/3 cup olive oil in steady stream through feed tube to combine into a coarse paste. Makes about 1-1/3 cups pesto.

Serves 8