A 2- to 2½-pound flank steak, ¼ tsp ground sage
thoroughly trimmed 1½ tsp salt
8 T butter ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 or 5 slices homemade-type white 2 T vegetable oil
bread, cut into ¼-inch cubes 2 medium-sized celery stalks,
(2 cups) trimmed, leaves removed, cut
1 c finely chopped onions crosswise into ¼-inch-thick
1 c finely chopped celery slices
¼ pound lean ground beef 1 medium-sized onion, peeled and
¼ pound lean ground veal cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick
¼ pound lean ground pork slices
1 egg 1 medium-sized carrot, scraped and
¼ c finely chopped fresh parsley coarsely chopped
¼ tsp crumbled dried rosemary 1 c beef stock, fresh or canned, or
½ tsp crumbled dried basil 1 c water or a combination of the
½ tsp crumbled dried savory two
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Ask your butcher to cut a pocket in the steak, or do it yourself in the
following manner: With a long, very sharp knife, slit the steak horizontally
from one of the long sides, cutting through the steak to within about ½ inch
of the other long side and to within about 1 inch of each short end.Preheat the oven to 350°. In a heavy 8- to 10-inch skillet, melt 4 T of the butter over moderate heat. Add the bread cubes and, stirring frequently, fry them until they are crisp and golden brown. With a slotted spoon, transfer the cubes to a deep bowl.
Melt 2 more T of butter in the skillet, add the chopped onions and chopped celery and stir for about 5 minutes, until they are soft but not brown. With a rubber spatula, scrape the onions and celery over the bread cubes. Add the ground beef, veal, pork, egg, parsley, rosemary, basil, savory, sage, salt and pepper. Knead vigorously with both hands, then beat with a wooden spoon until all the ingredients are well blended.
Holding the steak upright on its long closed side, pack the stuffing tightly into the pocket, a handful at a time. Then lay the steak flat and close the open side by sewing it with a large needle and white thread.
Melt the remaining 2 T of butter with the oil in a heavy casserole large enough to hold the steak comfortably. Brown the steak in the hot fat, turning it with two spoons and regulating the heat so that the meat colors richly and evenly on both sides without burning. Transfer the steak to a plate and add the sliced celery, sliced onion and carrot to the fat remaining in the casserole. Stirring frequently, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and delicately browned.
Pour in the stock or water or stock and water combination and bring to a boil over high heat, meanwhile scraping in the brown particles clinging to the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the steak to the casserole together with any juices that have accumulated around it. Cover tightly and braise in the middle of the oven for 1 hour, or until the steak shows no resistance when pierced deeply with the point of a small, sharp knife. Place the steak on a heated platter. Remove the thread.
Skim off the surface fat and strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve into a sauceboat or bowl, pressing down hard on the vegetables with the back of a spoon to extract all their juices before discarding the pulp. Taste for seasoning, and serve the gravy separately with the steak. Serves 6 to 8.
