by Tierney O'Hara

Created on: August 13, 2009

Take a flank steak or a top round steak and marinate it, then grill it or broil it and you have what is known in America as London broil.

According to Wikipedia, London broil is unknown in London England and no one is quite sure how this dish and/or cut of meat gained such a name.

London broil is the same name used for the type of meat (flank or round steak) you are cooking as the recipe you are preparing. Most people make a London broil by actually broiling a marinated cut of meat known as London broil. But, you can buy a London broil and cut it up into cubes for delicious stew meat.

Confused? I hope not, because in Canada, a ground meat patty or sausage is sometimes wrapped with a tenderized flank steak and also called London broil.

Americans, however, think of thinly-sliced, tender, juicy, flavorful slices of steak when they hear the words London broil.

By marinating the steak, the meat becomes bathed in wonderful flavors and I believe more tender though some people disagree on this issue. Here's a basic marinade that takes a London broil and makes it good enough for a queen.

London Broil

Ingredients

3-4 pound round steak or flank steak scored

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 large garlic cloves smashed

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup red table wine

1/2 cup olive oil

Slash the sides, top, and bottom of the steak with a knife so the flavors can disseminate throughout the meat. Place all the ingredients into a plastic zip lock bag and shake. Marinate the steak for 4 to 24 hours, turning the bag over about 4 times in 24 hours or once in 4 hours.

When you are ready to grill or broil your steak, remove the steak from the bag and cook on high heat (grill) or hi broil (oven) for about 5 minutes per side.

Then place the meat on a platter tented in foil and let it sit for 5 more minutes so the juices distribute back into the meat. It will continue to cook slightly during this resting period.

Slice very thinly on the diagonal and pile onto a platter.

London broil tastes as good as filet mignon to me, but is about one fifth the price and pairs well with baked potatoes, lemon butter broccoli and garlic bread.

You'll have your guests purring if you serve it with pan roasted mushrooms:

Into a large frying pan pour a quarter cup of olive oil and 4 tablespoons of butter. Once combined, add in a large package of clean whole mushrooms and put the temperature down to low.

Chop up 2 garlic cloves and throw into the pan with the mushrooms. Stir occasionally until the mushrooms are mahogany in color and soft. Pour in 1/4 cup dry sherry to deglaze the pan and serve with the luscious ribbons of thinly sliced London broil. Enjoy!

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