Tender slivers of steak and a tasty layer of Watercress Pesto sit atop toasted baguette slices to create a delicious savory for teatime and beyond. Pictured with our Cranberry-Walnut Ham Salad Tea Sandwiches.
Watercress Pesto & Steak Crostini
Serves: 18
Ingredients
- 18 (¼-inch-thick) slices baguette
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 (4- to 5-ounce) beef tenderloin filet
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Watercress Pesto (recipe follows)
- Garnish: shaved Parmesan cheese*, fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Place baguette slices in a single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Brush slices with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway through baking time. Let crostini cool on a wire rack.
- Pat steak with paper towels to dry. Season all sides with salt and pepper. Let steak sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- In a small nonstick skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook steak until desired doneness, 3 to 4 minutes per side, reducing heat to medium, if necessary. Place steak on cutting board and allow steak to rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Cut steak in half. Slice each section against the grain into 9 thin slices.
- Spread a thin layer of Watercress Pesto onto crostini. Top each with a steak slice.
- Garnish with cheese and basil, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
*We used a vegetable peeler to shave Parmesan cheese.
Watercress Pesto
Serves: About ½ cup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped toasted pecans
- 2 tablespoons coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 small to medium clove garlic
- 2 cups loosely packed watercress
- ½ cup loosely packed basil leaves
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse together nuts, cheese, and garlic until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add watercress and basil, pulsing to combine. With food processor running, slowly add olive oil to bring pesto together, scraping down sides of work bowl as needed. Add salt, pulsing to combine.
Notes
Make-Ahead Tip: Pesto can be made up to 3 days in advance, covered tightly, and refrigerated until needed.
