Griller tactics: Frank Camorra's flank steak

Tri tip, flatiron and flank steak are all common cuts of beef you can order from the butcher for your next barbecue. They are perfect for grilling and are laced with a beautiful marbling of fat that, as long as you don't overcook them, will keep the meat very moist.

When you look at a piece of cooked meat, you will see lines going across the surface of the flesh - this is the grain of the meat. When cutting cooked meat, you need to cut against the grain, cutting across the lines. If you cut along the lines, you end up with long, stringy bits of meat. When you cut against the grain, the meat is less stringy and easier to eat.

Bubble and squeak is an old recipe that used to be made from Sunday roast vegetable leftovers, crushed together and fried in the lard from the joint of beef. You can replace the carrot and parsnip here with different vegetables if you prefer, and sliced savoy cabbage is a great alternative to the spinach. For the salad, the buttermilk dressing gives it a fantastic, tart flavour that works well with the sweet crunch of cos lettuce.

Flank steak

6 x 200g flank steaks

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp chopped thyme

2 tbsp sea salt

ground pepper

Heat your grill. Place steaks on a plate, rub a small amount of oil over them, then sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. Place on a very hot grill and cook for five minutes. Turn steaks over and cook for a further five minutes, then remove from the grill and rest in a warm place for five minutes. Slice against the grain into four to five pieces and serve immediately, sprinkled with sea salt and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Serves 6

Baby cos with buttermilk dressing

1 cup buttermilk

½ cup mayonnaise

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp Dijon mustard

½ tsp salt

black pepper

1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 tsp chives, chopped

3 baby cos lettuce, split into 4 lengthways, washed and drained

In a medium bowl, mix the buttermilk and mayonnaise. Add the remaining dressing ingredients, adjusting for taste. Lay the cos on a plate, cut side facing up. Spoon the dressing over and serve immediately.

Bubble and squeak

2 carrots, peeled, cut into 1cm-thick slices

1 parsnip, peeled, cut into 1cm dice

2 handfuls baby spinach

5 Nicola potatoes, peeled, cooked and mashed

1 tbsp seeded mustard

2 tbsp butter

100ml olive oil

Place the carrots and parsnip in a pot with cold water and bring to the boil. When the vegetables are tender, add the baby spinach. Take off the heat as soon as the spinach has wilted, then pour into a colander. Squeeze the spinach to remove as much water as possible. Add the cooked vegetables and mustard to the mashed potatoes. Roughly chop the spinach and add that. Mix together with your hands, then shape the mixture into six patties. Heat a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat, then add the butter and oil. When the butter has melted, but before it starts to burn, add the patties and adjust the heat to low-medium. Cook for five minutes or until you have a crispy crust on the cooked side. Be careful flipping them, as the crust can come off if you're not gentle. Cook for a further five minutes. Serve immediately.

FRANK'S TIP
When cooking your steak, only turn it once, which will ensure you get a beautiful crust and do not overcook it.