The interesting flaw with the old rule of “red meat, red wine” was to presume certain characteristics of both the meat and the wine; that is, that the meat was fatty and the wine was hard and tannic. Fat and tannin are great pals. But that’s not the case here. Flank steak brags of little fat. (It’s one of the leaner cuts of beef.) Plus, the dish entertains a lot of sweetness because of long-cooked onions — not something to pair with a tannic red. What will work here are soft, fruity red wines.
Flank steak sandwiches with onions and blue cheese
Place 1 1/2 pounds flank steak in a large baking dish; pour 2/3 cup bottled Italian dressing over it. Marinate, 30 minutes. Broil steak, turning once, until browned on the outside but still pink in the middle, about 10 minutes. Let rest, 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook 2 large onions, sliced, in 2 tablespoons oil over medium-low heat until browned and soft, 15 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Cut steak across grain into thin slices; place on bottoms of 6 large crusty rolls. Top with onions, crumbled blue cheese and roll tops. Makes: 6 servings
Recipe by Kristin Eddy
The wines
• 2010 Domaine Santa Duc Cotes du Rhone Vieilles Vignes, Rhone, France: Mostly grenache with a little syrah for depth, but light on the palate with great red-fruit aroma and plush tannins. $15
• 2011 Matetic Syrah EQ, San Antonio, Chile: A cool-climate syrah from coastal Chile; spiced black-red fruit, round-the-mouth tannin, zippy finish. $25
• 2009 Lorinon Reserva Tinto, Rioja, Spain: Red Rioja can be one of the more elegant, food-friendly reds out there, as this is; lots of lengthy flavor too. $22
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