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8 thin slices beef, chicken, veal, or pork, each about 3 inches wide and 5 to 6 inches long (about 1¼ pounds; see Note)

¼ cup soy sauce

Green parts from about 2 dozen scallions

1. Preheat a grill or broiler until quite hot.

2. Put the meat between two layers of wax paper or plastic wrap and pound it gently until about ⅛ inch thick. Brush one side of each piece of meat with a little soy sauce.

3. Cut the scallions into lengths about the same width as the meat and put a small bundle of them at one of the narrow ends of each slice. Roll the long way, securing the roll with a toothpick or two. (You can prepare the rolls in advance up to this point; cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours before proceeding.) Brush the exterior of the roll with a little more soy sauce.

4. Grill until brown on all sides, a total of about 6 minutes for chicken, 4 to 5 minutes for veal or pork, 4 minutes or less for beef.

VARIATIONS

Chives also work well as a filling, as do small amounts of lightly cooked chopped spinach or chard; cooked chopped shiitake (or other) mushrooms; julienned and lightly cooked carrots or parboiled asparagus spears.

NOTE

The cuts of beef that supermarkets most frequently slice thin are from the round, which is not only tough but relatively tasteless, making chicken, veal, and pork (which are routinely sold as thin cutlets that can be made even thinner with a little gentle pounding) viable substitutes.

ROAST SIRLOIN OF BEEF

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

TIME: 45 MINUTES

FEW MEATS ARE as tender, juicy, and flavorful as roast beef, yet none is easier to prepare, given the appropriate cut and proper technique. But finding the right cut can be a challenge. Two of the best cuts for roasting, filet (or tenderloin) and standing rib, are not always ideal. The first is supremely tender but expensive and nearly tasteless; the second tends to be sold in large cuts that are too unwieldy for most weeknights. But the sirloin strip, also called New York strip (the same cut that makes for some of the best steaks), cut in a single large piece, is a perfect roast. The only drawback is that it is not routinely offered for sale. But if you tell the butcher you want a two- or three-pound piece of sirloin strip—essentially a steak cut as a roast—you should have it a few minutes later.

A meat thermometer can help you judge doneness, and it pays to undercook the meat slightly and let it sit for a few minutes before carving; this not only makes carving easier but prevents overcooking. It’s worth noting that this technique will work for larger roasts of sirloin as well and, because the meat is of more or less uniform thickness, cooking time will not be appreciably longer for a roast of four or five pounds than it is for one of two or three.

One 2½- to 3-pound piece beef sirloin strip

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 500°F; put an ovenproof skillet large enough to hold the roast into the oven so it preheats as well. Sprinkle the meat liberally with salt and pepper.

2. When the oven and pan are hot, add the roast to the pan, top (fatty) side down. Ten minutes later, turn and roast fatty side up. After 10 more minutes, roast for 5 minutes on each side so total cooking time is 30 minutes.

3. At this point the roast will be nicely browned all over. When a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the meat, about 1 inch from one of the ends, registers 120°F, the meat will be rare to medium-rare. Cook it longer if you like, but beware that from this point on it will increase a stage of doneness every 3 to 5 minutes.

4. Let the roast rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then carve and serve with its juices. Serve either thick, steaklike slices, or carve the meat more thinly, as you would a traditional roast beef.

VARIATIONS

Roast Sirloin with Pan Gravy

Discard all but a tablespoon or two of the cooking fat remaining in the pan. Put the pan over high heat and add 1 cup red wine, chicken or beef stock, or water and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is reduced to about ½ cup. Stir in a tablespoon