EFFICIENT HOLIDAY CROSTINI WITH MUSHROOM-SPICED STEAK AND CREAMY CHICKPEA PURÉE
A clever recipe designed to stretch one ribeye steak (here a 500 g flap steak) to feed several guests with delicious, visually stunning crostini. Earthy mushroom and chili-spiced beef, paired with a smooth chickpea purée and fresh herbs, served on grilled baguette slices.
🕒 Prep Time: 4+ hours (marinating)
🍳 Cook Time: 15 min
🍰 Servings: 6 guests (approx. 20 crostini)
Ingredients
Crostini:
- 1 long baguette (about 20 slices)
- 1 garlic clove
- Olive oil, for brushing
Mushroom-Spiced Beef:
- 1 slice flap steak (approx. 500 g, 2.5-3 cm thick)
- 30 g dried porcini mushrooms
- 15 g whole black peppercorns
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- ½ tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Chickpea Purée:
- 250 g cooked chickpeas (+100 ml cooking water)
- 25 g butter
- 25 g olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To Assemble:
- 20 small basil leaves
- 20 small baby spinach leaves
- Flaky sea salt (Maldon or fleur de sel)
- Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- Prepare the spice mix: In a small grinder or coffee grinder, pulverize dried porcini mushrooms until powdery. Add black peppercorns and chili flakes; pulse briefly to coarsely grind, leaving some visible pepper pieces. Mix in salt and sugar. This yields about 5-6 tbsp seasoning—store unused portions in an airtight jar.
- Marinate the beef: Rub steak evenly with 2 tbsp olive oil, then generously coat with 1 tbsp mushroom spice mix. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Remove 15-30 minutes before cooking to reach room temperature.
- Prepare the chickpea purée: If using refrigerated cooked chickpeas, warm them with cooking water until hot. Alternatively, use canned chickpeas and heat with some of the canning liquid. In a blender or food processor, combine chickpeas, butter, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Blend adding water gradually until smooth, creamy, and spreadable. Adjust seasoning and lemon juice to taste.
- Prepare the baguette: Slice diagonally for larger surface area. Brush one side lightly with olive oil.
- Heat a grill pan. Grill baguette slices first on oiled side until light grill marks form (1-2 min), then briefly on the other side (30 sec). Transfer to serving platter, oil side up. Rub each slice with garlic to desired intensity.
- Cook the steak: In the still-hot grill pan, cook steak 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Rest on cutting board for 4-5 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain. Cut slices in half if too long to fit bread.
- Assemble crostini: Place beef slices in a bowl. Add black pepper, chili flakes, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, basil leaves, and spinach leaves. Toss gently with a pinch of flaky salt.
- Using a teaspoon, place a heaping scoop of chickpea purée on one end of each baguette slice. Dip spoon in olive oil and press an indentation in the purée. Drizzle a few drops of olive oil into each indentation.
- Arrange beef and herbs on the remaining side of each crostini. Sprinkle cracked black pepper and flaky sea salt over the assembled crostini.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
💡 Tips
- Pulverize dried mushrooms finely for a deep earthy flavor.
- Let steak rest before slicing for maximum juiciness.
- Prepare chickpea purée fresh or shortly before serving for best texture.
🎉 Perfect For
- Holiday parties and gatherings
- Elegant finger foods
- Stretching a single premium steak across many servings