Hanger Steak with garlic herb sauce

Hanger Steak with garlic herb sauce
Serves 4 with leftovers

You need to butterfly the hanger steak. Hold a long, sharp knife with the blade parallel to the cutting board. Cut the steak in half to within 1 inch of the edge. Open the steak. Remove the center gristle and any fat and sinew. Flatten the steak with the side of the knife. If you use flank or skirt steak, there’s no need to butterfly it. If any of the steaks don’t fit into your largest, heaviest skillet (cast iron works well), cut them in half and cook in two batches.
Ingredients
2 pounds hanger steak, butterflied, center gristle, fat, and sinew trimmed (flank or skirt steak may be substituted, do not butterfly)
Salt and pepper, to taste
5 cloves garlic, peeled
1 can (2 ounces) oil-packed anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry
1 cup olive oil
About 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
Directions
1. Season the steak all over with salt and pepper; let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

2. In a food processor, combine the garlic and anchovies until they are completely crushed. Blend in the olive oil.

3. Place a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil to the pan. Add the steak and sear it for 3 to 4 minutes on a side or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the steak registers 125 to 130 degrees for rare meat.

4. Remove from the skillet (cook the remaining steak in the remaining vegetable oil in the same way). Let the meat rest in a warm place for 5 minutes.

5. Slice the steak thinly against the grain and arrange on a platter. (Set aside half the anchovy sauce for tomorrow’s spaghetti.) Stir the sage into the remaining garlic-anchovy sauce and spoon it over the meat.