THE MERLOT STEAK— Some call it the velvet steak—is incredibly lean, but it’s also a beefy and extremely flavorful, quick-cooking cut.

It’s roughly a pound, and comes from the heel of the round, or the back leg. It’s something like a flank steak but without all the muscle fibers.

Salt it an hour before you make it, then throw it into a hot skillet with a little bit of extra-virgin oil and cook it (three or four minutes per side for medium-rare), and that’s pretty much all there is to it.

Let it rest five minutes, then slice it across the grain.

By Bryan Meyer