By Fall. LSU football Saturdays with Rémy on the couch, duck gumbo. The season of gumbo weather and hunting mornings and the slow darkening of the days that matches the slow darkening of the roux, and both are beautiful, and both are necessary, and the dark is where the flavor lives.
The dinner table conversations are getting deeper as the kids get older. Colette talks about art and meaning and the responsibility of the artist to preserve what\'s disappearing. Rémy talks about food philosophy and sustainability and the relationship between the hunter and the hunted. These are my children, cher. These are the people the roux built. They think in layers. They see in seasons. They understand that the food on the table is not just fuel but language, and the language is Cajun, and the Cajun is alive.
Those long Saturday afternoons — Rémy on the couch, the gumbo going low and slow, Colette talking about what it means to preserve something before it disappears — they always start with something to pick at while the real cooking happens. Boudin balls are my heart, but when I wanted something that could carry that same spirit of a gathered table without the sausage grinder, I landed on these flank steak crostini: savory, layered, worth the effort, and exactly the kind of thing that makes people stop scrolling their phones and start talking. That’s the whole point, cher.
Flank Steak Crostini
Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 1 lb flank steak
- 1 French baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup arugula or baby spinach
- 1/4 cup roasted red peppers, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Season the steak. Pat the flank steak dry with paper towels. Rub with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then season all over with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Toast the baguette. Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet, brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and bake for 8–10 minutes until golden and crisp at the edges. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Cook the steak. Heat a cast-iron skillet or grill pan over high heat until very hot. Sear the flank steak 4–5 minutes per side for medium-rare, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 130–135°F. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Make the horseradish spread. In a small bowl, stir together the softened cream cheese, horseradish, and chives until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Slice the steak. Slice the flank steak thinly against the grain, then cut each slice into pieces sized to fit the crostini.
- Assemble. Spread a generous layer of the horseradish cream cheese onto each toasted baguette round. Top with a small handful of arugula, a slice or two of steak, and a strip of roasted red pepper. Arrange on a platter and serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 185 | Protein: 12g | Fat: 9g | Carbs: 14g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 310mg