I won a slow cooker in a recipe contest. I hadn’t used one in years so I didn’t have any slow-cooker recipes on hand. This tasty beef was my first creation, and it got rave reviews.
—JULIE MERRIMAN SEATTLE, WA
PREP: 35 MIN. • COOK: 6 HOURS • MAKES: 4 SERVINGS
1/4 cup dried cherries
3/4 cup dry red wine or beef broth, divided
1 beef flank steak (1 1/2 pounds)
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup pitted Greek olives, halved
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
1/2 pound bulk hot Italian sausage
1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce
Hot cooked pasta
1. In a small bowl, combine cherries and 1/4 cup wine; let stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut steak into four serving-size pieces; flatten to 1/4-in. thickness. Sprinkle both sides with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
2. In a large skillet, saute onion in 1 tablespoon oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Transfer to a bowl; stir in bread crumbs, olives, cheese, basil, cherry mixture and remaining salt and pepper. Crumble sausage over mixture and mix well.
3. Spread 1/2 cup sausage mixture over each steak piece. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; tie with kitchen string.
4. In the same skillet, brown meat in remaining oil on all sides. Transfer to a greased 3-qt. slow cooker. Top with marinara sauce and remaining wine. Cook and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until beef is tender. Serve with pasta.