Steak Pizzaiola � Better Late (Summer) Than Never

I�ve been wanting to post this steak pizzaiola recipe for a while now, but was bidding my time, waiting for those perfectly ripe late-summer tomatoes before trying it. 

Of course, those have been available around here for many weeks, but every time I�d buy some, I�d quickly use them on sandwiches, salads, etc., before getting to make this great dish. Hey, a BTL can be very seductive.

Well, I�m happy to announce I was finally able control my will power, and saved enough for a beautiful bowl of concasse, which is the soul of this superb sauce. Speaking of concasse � which is nothing more than a fancy French culinary term for peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes � I�ll be posting a video for how to do those on Tuesday, so stay tuned.

Like virtually every recipe we post, there are hundreds of ways to make pizzaiola; from versions featuring slowly braised tough cuts, like chuck or rump roast, to quickly seared tenderloin medallions, like I used here. The one thing most people agree on is that you should, if at all possible, use really fresh, very sweet, vine-ripened tomatoes.

Having said that, this would work with some finely chopped, canned San Marzano tomatoes in a pinch. I also encourage the use of both dried and fresh oregano, which I think work great together in this quick sauce. Anyway, I really hope you have access to some beautiful tomatoes, and that you give this steak pizzaiola recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 pound beef tenderloin steaks, cut into 4 medallions

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup mushrooms

2 tsp butter

1 cup sliced or diced sweet and/or hot peppers

4 cloves crushed garlic

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup finely chopped, peeled and seeded tomato (aka concasse)
pinch of hot chili flakes
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp dried oregano

2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano

toasted bread and mozzarella, optional