Steak, Mozzarella and Orange Flatbread

Now this flatbread (although very delicious) was a bit of a challenge when it comes to pairing wine. Steak – usually paired with a deep, bold red, like a Zinfandel; but that won’t work with orange.  Mozzarella - that works well with Chardonnay but oaky, buttery Chardonnay and steak is not the best match. And orange is made for a citrusy Sauvignon Blanc, but again Sauvignon Blanc with steak or mozzarella.. no.

After a lot of trial and error (I love my job) I decided on an Unoaked Chardonnay, the Yangarra Estate Chardonnay ’08. I already LOVED unoaked Chardonnays for their fruity vibrance and smooth finish but now I love them even more because I can enjoy them with a pizza!

Ingredients (Makes 4 servings)
1 1/2 lb flank steak
1 store bought pizza dough
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 lb fresh mozzarella, sliced
1 large orange, peeled and segmented
1/2 small jicama, julienned
5-6 leaves fresh basil, roughly chopped
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Generously season the steak with salt and pepper. Add to pan. Sear on both sides, 3-4 minutes per side, until a golden brown crust forms and meat is cooked to rare (will cook again later on the flatbread).

Stretch pizza dough across a baking sheet to a thin crust.  Brush with remaining tablespoon olive oil. Season with dried thyme, salt and pepper.  Bake until lightly golden, 7-8 minutes.  Remove from oven.

Slice steak on an angle, across the grain, then into bite size chunks. Layer mozzarella cheese slices across flatbread. Next add steak. Bake again for 5 minutes until mozzarella is melted, the crust is golden brown and the steak is warmed through. Pull out of the oven.

Layer in orange slices and jicama and top with basil. Slice into large square chunks and serve it up!