eef is king when it comes to center-of-the-plate, no
matter how it’s prepared. “A good piece of steak will
always be popular, but the more ways a chef can
prepare and menu beef, the more people will like it,” says
John Doherty, executive chef/principal of John Doherty
Enterprises, New York.
B
Technomic’s 2010 Beef Industry Volumetric Study reported
beef volume increased 0.7%, a whopping 54 million pounds
of incremental tonnage, despite declining restaurant sales
and traffic. Steaks and roasts continue to represent the
largest share of beef pounds and dollars and helped to drive
the volume increase.
But because the economy continues to challenge how
people spend their money, not everyone might be able
to afford USDA Prime steaks when going out to dinner.
So, help guests get their beef fix with an affordable and
flavorful item to menu, roulade. It could be your next
signature dish and help increase sales.
With roulade, you’re limited only by your imagination,
and it lends itself to different cuts of beef. “Roulade offers
chefs and operators several opportunities to use cuts of
less-expensive, underutilized meats that can actually be
tastier if they are handled correctly, compared to more
expensive cuts,” Doherty says.
FLANK STEAK
It’s common for people to be unfamiliar with roulade, so
restaurants often call it something else. Scott Neuman,
executive chef at Oba Restaurante, Portland, Ore., prepares
an Argentine matambre made with flank steak.
PHOTO CREDIT: www.kraftfoodservice.com
“A roulade recipe is enticing to guests, because the preparation
method is not generally done at home, or a home cook wouldn’t
think of combining ingredients used for the stuffing,”
Neuman says.
He works with flank steak because the marbling adds a
tremendous amount of flavor. “When you slice the meat in half
and then cut it crosswise, it will pretty much eat like butter,”
he says. “You could use a more expensive cut of meat, but I
don’t think you’d achieve a more flavorful end product.”
He points out that flank steak size tends to be consistent.
SINGLE-SERVE ROLLED MEAT APPETIZER
Mediterranean, Asian and Latin
tend to be the three top food
trends in the market today.
Aliza Katz, corporate executive
chef with Kraft Foodservice,
Glenview, Ill., wanted to follow
those trends in her steak and
scallion rolls with Mediterranean
aioli. “This recipe incorporates
Mediterranean-themed ingredients
and an accompanying dip, as well
as an Asian nod using the wrap
concept,” she says.
She decided to use boneless beef
rib-eye, because there’s not much
you need to do to tenderize the
meat. “It’s a tender cut of beef
and has nice marbling. Since the
meat is cut into thin 1 oz. slices,
you don’t need to pound it out,”
Katz says. “You could substitute
sirloin, boneless short rib or New
York strip steak. Depending on the
amount of marbling and quality of
meat, tenderization may or may
not be required for those cuts. It’s
really a judgment call.”
The benefit to this appetizer, as
with all roulades, is that it can
be made to reflect the seasons or
other flavor trends. Katz suggests
substituting blanched asparagus,
blanched haricot vert or an Asian
coleslaw for the scallions.
“This appetizer is perfect for
catered events or a reception,”
she says. “The rolls can be made
in advance, stored in the cooler
and reserved for service. If the
rolls are to be made in advance,
season only the inside of the meat
before being rolled. Seasoning the
outside and storing in the cooler
will cure the meat and make it
tough when cooked. Season the
outside just before cooking.”
STEAK AND SCALLION ROLLS with Mediterranean Aioli
Aliza Katz, Corporate Executive Chef / Kraft Foodservice
Glenview, Ill. / Yield: 24 rolls
1½ cups Kraft Mayo with Olive
¼ cup capers, chopped
¼ cup orange juice
1 T. + 1 t. finely chopped red
chili peppers
1 T. + 1 t. finely chopped
green chili peppers
24 slices boneless beef rib-eye
steak, cut in 1 oz. slices
2 t. kosher salt
1 t. black pepper
12 scallions, each cut in
2 (3-inch) lengths
¾ cup oil
1) Mix mayo, basil, capers,
orange juice and chili
peppers. Refrigerate.
2) Season meat with salt and
black pepper. Place 3 scallion
pieces on end of each meat
slice; roll up. Secure with
wooden pick. Refrigerate.
3) At service: Heat 1 T. oil in
large skillet on medium-high
heat. Add 6 meat rolls; cook
until evenly browned, turning
as needed. Discard toothpicks.
Serve immediately.
OPPOSITE: The boneless beef rib-eye used in these steak and scallion rolls needs no
tenderization, because the meat has nice marbling and is cut into thin 1 oz. slices.
