Looking at cookbooks is one of my favorite things in the world. I love any kind of cookbooks but the one with the pictures are my favorite because they allow me to visualize what the recipe should look like at the finish. But the thing I love even more is exercise or cook. What a duo, right?! So this evening, instead of going out as most people would, I was happy to just browse through the grocery store in search of what I could fix for my family and I. And after much walking around to find my inspiration, I decided to go with Flank Steak for my children and husband. It is easy, tasty and not so bad for you being a lean meat. But what to cook with it? Mashed potatoes are a favorite at our house so potatoes it will be. I decided to go with a meal my mom used to fix often at our house in France when I was growing up:  Flank Steak also known as Bavette in France, Boursin mashed potatoes and sauteed green beens.

Ingredients for 3 or 4: 1 lb of flank steak, 5 big yukon potatoes, about 1 lb of green beans, 1 cup of heavy cream, 1 boursin cheese, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 bundle of fresh parsley, olive oil, fresh thyme, balsamic vinegar, 1 Tb of mustard, salt and pepper to taste.

First peel the potatoes, dice them, place them in a big pot, cover them water, add 2 Tb of coarse salt, bring to boil and cook until the potatoes are soft. While the potatoes are cooking, baste the flank steak with olive oil, sprinkle salt, pepper and fresh thyme on both sides and put aside. Steam the beans. In a large frying pan, melt 1 Tb of butter, saute the beans, dice the cloves of garlic very thinly, chop the parsley and toss it all on the beans. Mix, toss and cook until the beans are sauteed and the garlic has turned golden. Turn the heat down and keep warm while you are preparing the mashed potatoes. Drain the potatoes, mash them, put in the boursin cheese and mix well. Add heavy cream in the mashed potatoes to make them moist and fluffy ( you may not need 1 whole cup of cream). Set aside. Now it is time to prepare the sauce that will go over the flank steak ( not necessary, but add a good flavor to the meat). In a electric chopper, place a handful of parsley leaves, 1 clove of garlic, 2 Tb of balsamic vinegar, 1 Tb of mustard, salt and pepper and chop until you have a paste.

Cook the flank steak on a very hot grill for 2 minutes on either side until the meat is medium rare. Slice the meat very thinly against the meat grain. Place on plates, drizzle the parsley sauce over it. Add green beans and mashed potatoes and serve. Bon Appetit!