Thin cuts of steak such as flat iron and hanger are great for weeknight meals because they’re full of flavor and cook up fast. But a flavorful spice rub and quick marinade easily elevate the meat to a meal worthy of a special occasion. Pairing it with a simple side of partially mashed chickpeas will satisfy that meat and potatoes guy in your life for Father’s Day.
For this recipe from our book “Milk Street Tuesday Nights,” which limits recipes to 45 minutes or less, we took inspiration from Moro, the London restaurant of chefs Sam and Sam Clark. They serve their steak over hummus, but our simpler approach to the chickpeas saves time and effort without sacrificing flavor.
First, we briefly marinate the meat in soy sauce, then pat it dry and coat it with a mixture of coarsely ground cumin and fennel seed, salt and black pepper. When grinding the seeds, be sure to keep them coarse — don’t pulverize them to a powder. This helps to create a crust when searing the meat and helps prevent the spices from burning.
We then partially mash chickpeas and cook them in a skillet with chopped scallions. The warm salad is a perfect foil for the steak, which we sprinkle with a little more of the spice mixture after cooking it to double down on the flavor. A dollop of plain yogurt and warmed pita bread will round out the meal.