With their midafternoon meal historically being the largest of the day, Spaniards are usually not identified for consuming lunch on the go. However the bocadillos served at bars, cafeterias and bakeries round nation are the exception to the rule.

They usually are easy sandwiches made on baguette-like bread. The fillings run the gamut from cured meats to seafood to potato omelets. Typically, comparable to on this recipe from our ebook “Tuesday Nights Mediterranean,” which options weeknight-friendly meals from the area, they’ll change into borderline elegant.

Our hearty flank steak and mushroom model was impressed by a recipe from “Spain: The Cookbook” written by Simone Ortega and first revealed in Spain in 1972. After the meat is seared, the remainder of the filling comes collectively shortly in a skillet. Butter lends richness, whereas lemon juice and contemporary parsley raise and brighten the flavors.

For further savoriness, strive tucking ribbons of thinly sliced serrano ham or prosciutto into the sandwiches together with the steak.

When slicing the steak, you should definitely minimize in opposition to the grain for essentially the most tender texture. The muscle fibers of flank steak are distinct and run horizontally. If the meat is minimize with the grain the slices will likely be unpalatably chewy and hard.

Bocadillos with flank steak and mushrooms

Begin to end: 35 minutes

Servings: 4

Elements: 

1 pound beef flank steak, trimmed and minimize in half
Kosher salt and floor black pepper
1 tablespoon grapeseed or different impartial oil
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
2 medium shallots, halved and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons salted butter, minimize into 2 items
4 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
¼ cup finely chopped contemporary flat-leaf parsley
4 7- to 8-inch sections of baguette, break up horizontally

Instructions: 

Season the steak on each side with salt and pepper. In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, warmth the impartial oil till barely smoking. Add the steak, scale back to medium and prepare dinner till effectively browned on the underside, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and prepare dinner till effectively browned on the second sides and the facilities attain 120°F (for medium-rare), 3 to 4 minutes. Switch to a big plate and tent with foil.

In the identical skillet over medium, warmth the olive oil till shimmering. Add the mushrooms, shallots and ½ teaspoon pepper, then prepare dinner, stirring often, till the moisture launched by the mushrooms has nearly evaporated, 3 to five minutes. Off warmth, add the accrued steak juices, the butter, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and the parsley, then stir till the butter melts. Style and season with salt and pepper.

Minimize the steak into skinny slices in opposition to the grain. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, then toss. Style and season with salt and pepper. Divide the mushroom combination evenly among the many backside halves of every part of baguette, then high with the steak slices. Cowl with the highest halves of the baguette.

Get extra recipes and dinner concepts from The Washington Occasions meals part.