New Twist on a Classic: Recipe

Making changes to an old stand-by can run the risk of being too radical but if it's done right, it can be a smash. However, like everything else, "smash" is purely subjective. I saw a Ming Tsai recipe for "Asian Sloppy Joes" and I was quickly drawn in. I followed the basics but make significant enough changes that I'm confident this is my recipe, now...And, we all laughed when my oldest came out with the perfect name - The Sloppy Dog.

Ming's recipe called for only a pork and beef mixture - I added in veal. He suggested using celery, and red onions only - I used a red bell pepper, and half a red onion and half a yellow onion, instead. His recipe used far more heat than this one and instead of iceberg lettuce, I used arugula and added freshly cubed avocado. And for the kicker: hot dog rolls, instead of hamburger buns.  The kids got a kick out of it and the littlest one ate hers deconstructed - she consumed the sloppy dog mixture and the roll separately.  This was a great meal! The Ming Tsai Hoisin-Lime Sauce was really delicious and added that perfect tang to the meat. This is one we'll eat again and again!

Sloppy Dogs
makes 8-10

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 red onion, minced
1/2 yellow onion, minced
1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno
1 lb. meat mixture: ground veal, ground beef and ground pork
1/2 lb. plum tomatoes coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cup Hoisin-Lime Sauce* (recipe to follow)
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
8-10 hot dog buns, top sliced
1 large ripe avocado
1 large handful fresh arugula, washed and dried

In a large sauce pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, pepper and jalapeno and mix well - saute till soft, about 5-7 minutes. Next add in the tomatoes and saute again - another 5 minutes, stirring often. Add in the cilantro and the meats. Cook the meat till browned, break up large pieces with the back of a wooden spoon - about 6-7 minutes.  Add in the sauce and raise the heat to high - bring the mixture to a boil, stir often, and allow it to thicken so it is no longer soupy - about 20-25 minutes. Take off the heat.

Line the rolls with arugula, top with meat mixture and then sprinkle with avocado.


Ming Tsai's Hoisin-Lime Sauce
makes about 2 cups

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
2 cups hoisin sauce
1/2 cup fresh lime juice

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium saucepan until hot; add in the ginger and the garlic and saute over medium-high heat for about one-two minutes. Add the hoisin sauce and stir about one minute.  Add in the mine juice, mix well, and allow to come together for about one more minute.

Transfer the mixture to a food processor and blend, drizzling in the 1/2 cup of oil. Cool well before refrigerating (can be stored for up to two weeks).

Tuscan Steak: Recipe

Tonight was one of those nights - you know the one where you start to panic at 4:45 p.m. at work because you need to finish a meeting within the next few minutes so you can race home to cook dinner before the family gets divided up? My husband and son go off to baseball at 6:00 p.m. and I walked in at 5:30, raced around trying to get dinner together before the little guy left. Well as he ate left-overs from the night before, (which was not tonight's dinner), I realized that I can't keep this up. Going forward: the rules are changing in this house with regard to meals and sports - we'll eat together as a family after they return. Thanks to my local moms for the wake-up call.

Unrelated to the craziness that is our life during week nights, I decided to change course on the International Theme for this evening.  Recently I made an Argentinian steak (Argentinian Steak) and it was awesome so this time I thought I'd try my hand at a Tuscan-Style steak. Most often it's called Florentine Steak and it's made slightly differently than this - but not by much, really.  I used simple ingredients and finally when we ate the steak, grilled vegetables and the tomato and mozzarella salad, everyone was pleased.  The key to the simplicity of this meal was the barbecue. A charcoal grill makes a real impact on the flavor of your meat - naturally, you can achieve great results from gas...but I prefer charcoal. Over the past five years, we have stopped using any lighter fluid to ignite our coals - instead we use a metal chimney to ignite the coals. It's amazing and I never have to smell or taste lighter fluid on my food!

To round out our meal, I added grilled eggplant (which my husband informed me I overcooked by a lot) and peppers along with a basil, tomato and mozzarella salad. If the weather had been about 20 degrees warmer, we would have eaten al fresco!

Tuscan-Style Steak
serves 5/6

2 1/4 lb. Bone-in Rib Eyes (2 one+ pounders)
2 tsp. olive oil
2 Tablespoons Kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
1 lemon, sliced into halves and then into quarters

Prepare a grill (or use your broiler pan indoors) so it is very hot (your hand shouldn't be able to stay put for more than 5 seconds about 2 inches from the grate).

Slather the olive oil on both sides of the steaks and sprinkle the salt and pepper all over on both sides. Grill the steaks about 7 minutes per side. When you remove the steaks, squeeze two quarters of lemon over each steak. Allow the meat to rest about 3-5 minutes before serving.

It's Tuesday Night - Bring on the Tacos!: Food Musings

It's spring and it's Tuesday which means that it's softball night in our house - which really means: look out between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. because there is craziness and food flying all around! Tonight is night two of our International Flavors week and we're on to Taco Tuesday!  I didn't invent anything here - except for the salsa, which I didn't realize I was out of until about 5 minutes before I wanted to use it so I was forced to make a new batch (can't have tacos without salsa!). Thank goodness I stock the makings of my fresh salsa on a weekly basis and can usually create what I need pretty quickly.

The kids - all three of them - love Taco night.  What's not to like? There's meat, cheese, black beans and crunchy tacos and it's okay with Mom when all the food comes crumbling out.

We're making food fun in our house - hope you are, too.  Enjoy.  And here's the recipe for my best salsa ever...Best-Ever Salsa

The Best Tasting Beef I 'Ever Heard': Recipe

No, seriously. This dinner was amazing - really! For those of you who know my cooking by now, you know that I am a huge fan of the marinade. I use it all the time to save my meats from my own stupidity (i.e., I'm too tired tonight to cook, let's order in...) so that I'm not wasting countless dollars by throwing away food that has past its prime.  But this?  Well, really, I've discovered a new way to make beef for those days when I'd forgotten to marinate it and want to eat it right then and there!

I've been fiddling around with new ideas for foods as I'm trying - like everyone else - to shed a few "L" "Bees" before the shorts come out. So I didn't want to add too much extra to this and have it wind up being a costly night's dinner with regard to calories and/or fat.

The flavor on this was so spot on that each bite my husband took garnered that, "mmmm" sound - I don't even think he was aware of it until the kids told him it was annoying. But the kids were doing it, too - and, to be fair, so was I. The key? Salt, garlic and the barbecue. Then add in the extras - homemade guacamole, salsa, and Chimichurri sauce - the three sauces were a "take your pick" kind of atmosphere in our house - as well as black beans and rice. At the end of the meal, everyone's plate was clean and I was a very happy mom.

This couldn't have been simpler.  If you don't have the time or inclination for homemade salsa (which I have a recipe for and I happen to think is awesome) or for DIY guacamole, then stick with the rice and beans - but I urge you to go ahead and make the Chimichurri sauce.  It was fresh, refreshing, and really simple.

Argentinian Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
1 1/4 lb. flank steak
3 tablespoons Kosher salt
1 large garlic clove, lightly smashed

1 cup cilantro
1 cup flat parsley
1/2 tablespoon capers
juice of 1 large lemon
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tablespoon water
1 small garlic clove

Preheat barbecue or broiler pan.  Sprinkle both sides of the steak with 2 tablespoons of salt and then rub the cut garlic clove all over both sides of the steak. Leave at room temp until heat source is ready.  If barbecuing, cook over direct heat for about 6-7 minutes per side. When the steak is placed on a platter, sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of salt, or less, for taste.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the remaining ingredients until a thick, but smooth, puree is made. Use more lemon, if desired.

Bathing Beauty: Recipe

Thank goodness for marinades. I love them - I love the way meat soaks up the flavors of whatever it's bathing in and how several items can be mixed together to create a completely unique flavor-set. And when you can leave meat in its marinade for an extra long time, the result is out of this world. And thank goodness you can leave meat in a liquid bath for an extended time because otherwise I would have been serving pancakes for dinner tonight.  You know - it's Thursday and I shop for food on the weekends. I don't like to freeze meats because they develop a funny taste and then defrosting them can cause the meat to become too watery and too mushy.  So, I plan a meat for Sunday that I cook that day, a meat for Monday, a pasta and sauce of some kind for Tuesday but by Wednesday and Thursday, the week gets crazier and dinner can become a bit of a wild-card. I usually create a marinade on Tuesday night, place the meat in a zip bag and pour the liquid in.  I seal up the bag, place it in another bag, give it a good shake and place it in the fridge.  If I can make it (and "it" can be: chicken, pork, veal, beef or lamb in our house) on Wednesday great. If not, I don't stress because I know it will be cooked on Thursday and taste even better than it would have on Wednesday.

So all that to say: Dude! You Gotta Try this!! It was great! Delicious! Had everyone back for 3rds! And all finished within 15 minutes. I love dinner in a hurry - as long as I've thought it through. Otherwise, I'm staring into a near empty fridge wondering what on earth to do with five hungry people and no time.  But this - try it. You'll be convinced that marinading meat is a must-have in your dinner repertoire!

This should be cooked outside on the grill but we made it indoors tonight, instead.  Still a great choice for dinner.

Drunken Grilled Skirt Steak
1 1/4 lb. skirt steak
1/2 cup red wine (use whatever is open - this was made with a Merlot)
4 medium garlic cloves, peeled
Leaves from 2 medium sprigs of fresh Rosemary
Leaves from 4 medium sprigs of fresh Thyme
1 heaping tablespoon Dijon Mustard
2 tablespoons Kosher Salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor, except for the beef. Puree well - unless garlic is completely minced. Place the steaks into a ziplock bag and pour the marinade into the bag. Seal, squeezing out the air.  Place bag into another zip bag and shake well. Place in the fridge, at least overnight and up to 48 hours.

Preheat the broiler and prepare the broiler pan (line bottom with foil and spray the grill grate with non-stick spray). Place the steaks on top of the pan and place in the broiler close to the heat - about 6 minutes per side for beef that is about 1" thick.  After 6 minutes, flip the meat and cook another 6 minutes.  Remove from the heat and allow beef to stand for 3-4 minutes before slicing.

Serve with anything you like - couscous, sauteed mushrooms, creamed spinach and sliced pink grapefruit with Kalamata Olives (sprinkled lightly with white sugar) were our choices for sides tonight.

Enjoy!

A Rib (Eye) Rub: Recipe

I came across a recipe for a pan-fried rib-eye steak flavored with Latin-style seasonings and served with Salsa Verde. It sounded terrific so when I got to the butcher, I picked up a couple of steaks and continued on my way. At the grocery store I purchased some chili peppers and a big bunch of cilantro for my Salsa Verde. However, when I got home I looked at the recipe and realized I had forgotten the tomatillos! So I changed course slightly - I happen to think this came out much better than the recipe I was supposed to have been making!

The steak was perfectly cooked - the flavors and the temerpature were both spot-on.  The secret to making great steaks is to salt them well and leave them at room temperature.  Provided your grill is piping hot, you'll  hear the juices sear in the moment you put the steak on the racks. Please be sure that your grill is super hot.

Grilled Cumin Rubbed Rib-Eyes with Orange-Lime Salad
4 rib-eyes - a total of about 2.25 lbs, room temperature
1 tablespoon each of: chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander and Kosher salt

Orange-Lime Salad
1 large ripe orange, sliced into 1/2" thick slices and then halved
Juice of 2 limes
2/3 cucumber, peeled and diced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 Tablespoon cilantro, minced

For the Steaks -
Mix together the spices in a small bowl and rub each steak - front and back - with a generous portion of the spices. Allow the steaks to sit at room temperature with the spice rub for 1/2 hour. Grill over direct heat for about 6-7 minutes per side.

For the Salad -
Combine all ingredients in a serving bowl - cover and leave at room temperature for an hour before serving.

Learning to Juggle: Food Musings

As my three month maternity leave comes to an end, I want to tip my hat off to all the stay-at-home moms (and dads!). It is not easy to juggle the lives of several children, a household and all the chores that go along with it, and such insignificant things as, well...proper eating and bathroom breaks! Really, for anyone that doesn't have children, you must understand how challenging it is to deal with things like homework, dinner, a crying baby, and of course one's own sense of self which needs attention. So again...kudos to all those who stay home regularly.

I am heading back to work soon and I know that while my life will become a blur of daily activities, I still have it just a bit easier (in my opinion, of course) as I'll be able to eat when I want, take a walk when I want, go to the bathroom when it's needed, and make a phone call without the concern that the moment the person picks up my little sleeping angel will wake with wailing so loud that I'd be forced to simply hang up.

However, going back to work will require a new commitment to order, routine, and stated expectations...and dinners that are far less messy! There just isn't enough time in the evening before bed to clean up crusty pots and pans.  So I have just a few more weeks left to wreak havoc on my kitchen...and I've been having fun doing it!

Here's what I've been up to lately -

Honey-Dijon Roasted Salmon with Corn and Pepper Salsa

Herb Roast Beef with Rosemary-Beet Barley

Lamb Stew with White Beans, Cranberries and Sweet Potato

Chili Rubbed Steaks with Pineapple-Peach Slushi

A Home Run Slider: Recipe

There is something about a mini burger on a mini bun that seems to delight even the most cranky. Who doesn't love tiny burgers? Of course, there is a whole subculture of people that love the White Castle burger (I'm not one of them...) so it only makes sense that these are a hit at a party.

These were a hit that our party - and I was very glad about that.  They were simple to make and nearly all of the burgers were gone in a blink!  I'm certain that if I had served these before the chips and dip, they would have been devoured.

Three-Meat Sliders with Asiago and Basil Dijonaise
makes about 35

1.75 lb. mixture of ground pork, beef and veal
2 medium shallots, minced
2 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 egg
2/3 cup Hikory-Brown Sugar BBQ sauce

6 oz. Asiago cheese, sliced very thin and into about 1/2" squares

2 Tbsp. mayonaise
1/2 cup Dijon Mustard
1/3 cup fresh basil

35 mini "party rolls" (from Martins) or other mini slider rolls

* These were made the day before and stored in the refridgerator until ready to cook.

Combine meats, shallots, salt, oregano, and egg in a large bowl and mix very well - by hand, is best. Form very small balls, using a tablespoon to scoop out mixture. Gently flatten the ball with plam of your hand - do not make too flat. Place each onto a cooking sheet. Once all patties are made, brush each one with BBQ sauce - both sides. Cover well and refrigerate overnight.

In a food processor, combine mustart, mayonaise and basil until thick and all basil has been very finely chopped.  Place in a bowl and refrigerate overnight.

Prepare barbecue and cook each patty about 4 minutes per side (with a very hot fire). Add the cheese and melt. While burgers are being cooked, spread the dijonaise onto the inside of each bun (one side only). Place burgers into the buns and serve!

Low-Fat but Big-Taste Meat Sauce: Diet Friendly

We happen to like bison meat - it's much lower in fat than its cousin, the cow. But prepared the same way, it can be big on taste. Tonight I came home to a thundery, rainy, day and decided that barbecuing bison burgers would be out of the question and frying mini bison meatballs wouldn't work, either - too hot and sticky for that.

So quickly I was able to put up a pot of sauce and get the heck out of the kitchen while it cooked. It feels like you're eating beef and that you're eating something that's high in calories. In fact, when I went to the Weight Watchers site and "built" my recipe, I realized that it was a perfect dinner dish - just 4 points for one cup of sauce.

Bison Meat Sauce
serving size 1 cup

1 lb. bison meat
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 shallot, minced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup white wine
5 oz. baby carrots, finely chopped
2 large celery stalks, finely chopped
1/2 Tbsp. dried oregano
5 medium fresh basil leaves
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
a few grindings of black pepper

In a large pot heat oil and saute the onion, shallot, carrots and celery till soft - about 8 minutes over medium heat. Add in the meat and raise heat to high - saute until brown and no longer pink.  Next add in the garlic, parsley, oregano and red pepper - saute another 2 minutes. Add in the wine and mix two or three times.  Add in the tomatoes and black pepper. Mix well, lower the heat to simmer and leave uncovered for about an hour, mixing a few times. Add in the basil leaves and mix.

Corned Beef - Jewish Style

Sorry there's no photo for this one - it was all gone before I realized I should have photographed it! But I promise you that this was perfect - simply perfect. The meat slid off the knife and the flavors were spot on. I researched the difference between Jewish and Irish Corned Beef - which I made once and it's on the blog: http://meredithsfoodforlife.blogspot.com/2009/03/corned-beef-from-not-so-irish-recipe.html. I couldn't quite tell why they were different other than the cabbage - at least from the recipes I was able to find. If you have some additional thoughts, I urge you to share them.

The term “Corned” comes from putting meat in a large crock and covering it with large rock-salt kernels of salt that were refered to as “corns of salt” This preserved the meat. The term Corned has beenin the Oxford English Dictionary as early as 888 AD. is beef that is first pickled in brine and then cooked by boiling. Usually, cuts of meat are used that feature long muscle grain, such as the brisket.

According to the History Channel, while cabbage has long been a traditional food item for the Irish, corned beef serving as a substitute for Irish bacon, first became traditional in the late 1800s. Irish immigrants living in New York City's Lower East Side learned about this cheaper alternative to bacon from their Jewish neighbors.

So you can see that there can't be a tremendous difference...it's all about the same! Regardless, I've tried to create the flavors that I know best from the many Jewish deli counters I've been to over the years.

I can honestly say there wasn't a morsel left over - and it really did taste great on a slice of rye with mustard and sauerkraut! Really! All I needed was a Dr. Brown's Cream Soda and a plate of greasy fries...

Jewish Corned Beef
2 Lbs. Corned Beef, Thin Cut
1/8 tsp. whole cloves
1/8 tsp. whole peppercorns
1/8 tsp. mustard seed
1 Tbsp. Kosher salt
2 onions, halved
4 carrots, peeled and chopped into 2 1/2" pieces
3 celery stalks, chopped into 2 1/2" pieces
2 bay leaves

In a large pot, place the vegetables and the meat and cover generously with cold water. Add the spices and bring to a boil. Skim off the foamy white fat on top and reduce heat to a heavy simmer. Do not allow this to boil. Cover 90% with the lid and let it cook about 5 hours. Turn once about half-way through.

Bring the pot to room temperature and refrigerate overnight. Skim off any fat that has accumulated on top and reheat, gently, covered, for about 35 - 40 minutes. Slice thinly and serve.

Short on Time? Don't make Short Ribs! Recipe

If you have a lazy day ahead of you where you have no plans - or if you want a great no-bother dinner party dish: look no further! Short ribs are awesome. Big on flavor, long on time - and if you can swing it...make them the day before you actually want to eat them. Your stomach will thank you.

Again, with the blizzard of 2009 upon us, there was no better day to deliver this meal to my family. The smell wafting through the air is unmistakable - beef in wine. And the longer you cook it, the better it tastes. If you can do it, again, make it the day before. By doing this, you allow the beef to come to a cool, room-temp, before placing it into the fridge. This will allow all the fat to congeal and will allow you to skim if off the following day before bringing it to a nice hot simmer on the stove. This locks in flavor in the juice and soaks it into the meat. By cooking this as long as you do, you bring the meat to the point of literally slipping off the bone. Adding the extra step of cooling and then skimming off the fat just adds tons of extra flavor.

Simple Braised Beef Short Ribs
4 1/4 lbs. beef short ribs
1/3 cup flour
1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 1/2 cup medium Sherry - such as "Amentillado"
1 bottle red wine - such as Meritage
1 parsnip, peeled and chopped
3 celery hearts, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 leeks, sliced
3 medium shallots, minced
2 bay leaves

Preheat oven to 375. In a large Dutch Oven pot with a snugly fit lid, melt butter and oil together over medium high heat. Place the flour in a small bowl and when the butter/oil is foamy slip a rib into the flour, shake off excess and put into the pot - meat side down. Repeat with as many as you can fit into the pot without overcrowding. Allow the ribs to brown about 4-5 minutes before turning them. Brown all sides well and remove the completed ones to a bowl. Repeat with remaining.

Once all ribs have been browned and removed from the pot, add in the sherry and allow it to bubble and boil and with a wooden spoon scrape up the bits stuck to the bottom. Add in the wine and the vegetables. Mix well. Next add in the ribs, meat side down into the liquid, and cover with as much of the liquid and vegetables as possible.

Turn off the heat, cover, and place into the oven for 1 hour. Turn the ribs, keeping the meat submerged in the liquid. Recover and cook another 1 1/2 hours. If you're serving it at this time, bring the pot to the stove and remove the meat carefully to a bowl. Spoon off as much of the fat off the top as possible and boil liquid about 10minutes.

If you're serving the following day, allow the meat to come to a complete cool-down before placing into the refrigerator. The following day, spoon off the thick white fat layer that has formed and bring the pot to the stove and reheat, slowly.

Rib Eyes - Easy as Pie: Recipe

How quickly can you fire up your grill? Exactly. So this dinner could not have been any easier - really. It couldn't have been.

Perfectly salted meat tastes incredible when fired up on the barbecue. So all I did here was generously (very generously) salt four rib eye steaks with Kosher salt. I let them sit out at room temperature about 15 minutes before putting them on the grill (about the time it took to get the grill ready). And while the meat was resting, I sliced up some vidalia onion and sauteed it in about one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat until the onion was browned and soft.

Grill the steaks about 4-6 minutes per side, depending on your temperature preference and then sprinkle them with Stilton Blue Cheese.

AMAZING!

Pancetta, Smoked Gouda, and Caramelized Onion Burgers: Recipe

What is the key to an awesome hamburger? Many chefs try to figure that out but in my humble opinion, I happen to think that the best burgers start with one key ingredient: fat.

The "fat is flavor" concept works for things like mashed potatoes - using butter and heavy cream - or say a breakfast sandwich with bacon, eggs and cheese. So using that concept I wanted to make the most flavorful burger I could create. Since there is nothing like bacon atop one's burger, why not put it inside the burger? Pancetta - Italian-style bacon - seemed the perfect addition to bring my burger to the next level.

Once you put the onions together with the melted cheese and the avocado - that smooth and creamy texture - it was simply perfect. I served this with the simplest of salads to balance out the Burger: 1 lb. Heirloom baby tomatoes from Trader Joes with 1 Tbsp of fresh basil chiffonade drizzled with the best Olive oil and a few sprinkles of sea salt from France. YUMMY!

Pancetta, Smoked Gouda, and Caramelized Onion Burgers
1 1/4 lb. ground round
4 oz. uncooked pancetta, cubed into 1/4" dice
1 egg
3 shakes red hot sauce
1/3 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
1 ripe avocado
5 slices smoked Gouda
1/2 cup white wine
2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 large Vidallia Onion, sliced thin
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

Prepare grill.

In a small frying pan set over high heat, saute the pancetta until crispy (use a dry pan). Drain and cool pancetta on paper bags or paper towels to absorb the oil it cooked off.

In a large bowl, mix the beef, pancetta, hot sauce, egg and cheese until well mixed. Form patties (about 4 or 5). Cook burgers about 6 minutes per side, for medium-rare. Add Gouda to burgers at last 2 minutes and melt cheese.

Meanwhile, in a separate frying pan, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium high heat until hot and add the onions. Saute about 10 minutes, stirring often, until they begin to brown. With heat still on high, add the wine and boil about 5 minutes or until the liquid begins to evaporate. Add the sugar and continue to cook another 2 minutes - stirring often. Set aside.

Combine burgers on toasted buns with onions and a slice of avocado.

Margarita Steak Salad: Recipe

As the warm weather promises to arrive, the idea of a cold margarita gets more and more alluring. I enjoy those flavors and imagined them shaken, stirred (wrong drink, I know) and poured over a nice cut of grilled beef. But then what, right? One of the best things in the world is the combination of a cold margarita and guacamole made with fresh ripe avocado. That's when the idea hits me: a steak salad.

Fresh flavors of lime, lemon, white peach, mango and perfectly ripe avocado work so well together with the texture of the steak. In all honesty, I didn't really create much of a recipe - just sort of "threw" things together in a giant bowl. The steak can sit in the marinade for up to 5 hours. Be sure to shake and turn the meat several times to ensure even flavor. And watch the grill carefully - alcohol can cause flare-ups very easily!

Margarita Steak Salad
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup tequila
juice of 2 limes
juice of 1 lemon
1/8 cup fresh cilantro, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh mint, minced
1 lb. skirt steak, lightly scored

1 ripe avocado, chopped
1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped
1 ripe white peach, sliced
1 Tbsp. fresh mint, minced
2 carrots, shredded
1 Tbsp. pignoli nuts
3 cups mixed greens
1 lemon, sliced in half
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

In a medium bowl combine the first 6 ingredients and whisk well. Pour marinade into a resealable plastic bag and shake well. Double bag and refrigerate for 5 hours. Grill the steaks over direct heat for about 5-7 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the steak. When the steaks are complete, allow them to rest about 3 minutes and then cut into 2-3 inch chunks.

Meanwhile, combine the next seven ingredients in a large bowl. Squeeze one half of lemon onto the salad and mix gently. Next drizzle the oil over the salad and again toss gently. Add the steak and serve.

Corned Beef from the Not-So-Irish: Recipe

Really, I don't know much about the Irish culture or its food (my particular interest, of course) but when there is another culture's holiday fast approaching and a good cut of beef is on sale marking the occasion, I buy it and investigate later.

I'm Jewish so naturally I've had corned beef before under the "Jewish" hat the beef wears - my mother's slowest-ever cooked holiday brisket could win awards, it's so amazingly delicious and of course I've had many a corned beef sandwich on rye at a Kosher deli with a half-sour pickle, coleslaw, mustard and fries! Clearly I'm familiar with this but to be honest, I've never actually made it in the "Irish" way of slowly simmered in liquid. And I was really eager and curious to try my hand. I poured through recipes to understand the method(s) used and then I added what I thought would work well. My husband said it was terrific (except that the cabbage was slightly bitter - maybe it needed to be cooked a bit longer? Not sure. I'll investigate!).

I admit that even I think this came out rather good. The butcher was kind enough to choose the cut for me so that I indeed got a good piece. Don't be shy in the grocery store - the men and women who work in the produce, butcher, and fish departments are there to help and genuinely appreciate you asking for their expertise. He found a piece for me that was very firm all the way through. So feel the meat (that sounds a bit wrong) carefully to ensure you're getting a good one and look to be sure it has fat on the outside. Remember...Fat is FLAVOR!

Old Fashioned Corned Beef and Cabbage
2 1/2 lb. corned beef of brisket
5 oz. water
11.2 oz. bottle of Guinness
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. mustard seeds
1/4 tsp. caraway seeds
1/4 tsp. whole black peppercorns
5 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
1 small head of cabbage, washed and quartered

Rinse the piece of beef and pat dry. Place the beef in a very large pot and cover with all the liquid. Add the cloves, seeds, and peppercorns and bring to a boil. With a spoon, skim off some of the "fatty bubbles" that rise to the surface (my mother calls that schmutz) and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 4 hours. You should turn the meat once an hour and spoon the liquid over the piece as well. After 4 hours, add the carrots, recover and continue to simmer for 1 more hour. With about 40 minutes left, add the cabbage.

Turn off heat after about 5 hours and let the meat sit in the liquid for about 15 minutes before slicing.

NOTE: I did not serve the meat the day this was made. Instead, I left the pot on the stove for about an hour or so to cool and then I covered it and placed it in the refrigerator. I served it two days later by simply warming it on the stove over low heat for about an hour. It was so much better than it was the first night it was made.

Chocolate Food - Braised Short Ribs: Recipe

If you were awake at all today then you know that the whole Northeast was blanketed by more than 6" of snow. Having arrived home yesterday from a trip - thanking goodness that I made it home before the storm - I grabbed my daughter and ran to the grocery store. A predicted snow-day would mean a need for tons of yummy food in the house.

On these days where the weather is cold and we're trapped in-doors (except for the hour + we spent in the snow), I hunger for slow, low, cooked foods. Sometimes it's a meat sauce or a pork roast, but yesterday at the store the short ribs caught my eye.

The flavor of meat combined with spice, cocoa, and chocolate was nearly sublime but I combined it, still, with a bottle of blueberry port wine. Now we're talking! If you don't have loads of time to cook this, don't even try it. I cooked these ribs for 5 hours. And to be honest, I could have easily cooked them another hour or longer - the meat was very tender but was not falling off the bone as I had longed for. Cook low and slow...

Chocolate and Blueberry Port Short Ribs
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. cocoa-chili spice
1 Tsp. paprika
4 lbs. beef short ribs
2 Turkish bay leaves
35 oz. can peeled tomatoes, chopped in a food processor (just the tomatoes, not the juice)
1 Tsp. olive oil
2 oz. prosciutto
1 large onion, slices thin
2 large shallots, sliced thin
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/4 parsley, chopped
1 tsp. oregano
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cup blueberry port wine
1 1/2 Tbsp. grated bittersweet chocolate
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. fresh chopped rosemary

In a medium bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients and mix very well. Rub each rib fully with the mixture and secure in a plastic zip bag. Pour any remaining mixture into the bag. Seal it and shake well. Place in the fridge for an hour.

Heat oil over a large heavy pot. Add the prosciutto and saute for about 4 minutes over medium-high heat until the meat is crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.

With the pot still over medium-high heat, raise it to high and sear the ribs, in batches, if necessary so as to not crowd the pot. Place each rib, meat side down, and brown each side for about 3-4 minutes per side. Once all ribs have been browned, remove them from the pot and add in the onions and the shallots. (There is likely to be a great deal of the brown sugar stuck to the bottom of your pot at this point - don't panic. The moisture from the onions and the remaining veggies will help you as you scape the bottom of the pot). Saute, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Next add in the celery and the carrots. Stir. Cover the pot and cook, over medium-high heat, about 10 minutes.

Next add in the wine, tomatoes, broth, garlic, parsley, and the oregano and bring liquid to a boil for about 5 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the pot. Add the prosciutto back into the pot and stir. Add the ribs back into the pot, meat side submerged, and cover nearly all the way. Cook over very low heat for about 2 hours. Remove the lid and stir the meat - always ensuring that the meat is submerged. Cook, uncovered, another 2-3 3 hours. Stir the ribs now and again during this time.

Remove the ribs and set aside. Remove the bay leaves and raise the temperature of the sauce to medium-high and add in the remaining ingredients. Stir well and allow it the boil about 4-5 minutes. Serve over the meat.

Hmmm, Steak: Recipe

Saturday and Sunday tend to be food-experiment nights in this house - why not, right? I have plenty of time to clean up (and since I don't have a dishwasher, I can take my time cleaning when no one has to be "ready" in the morning with lunch, etc.).

Porterhouse was on sale this week at the market and I like steak, if you couldn't tell. I am always interested in trying a steak and creating various toppings or rubs or experimenting with various cooking methods.

I loved the topping that went with this - it was sweet yet pungent at the same time. The flavors were just a tad bit salty while still being smooth and the sweetness of the tomatoes made it feel a bit like summer! And ohhh, how I long for summer! The steak was cooked just right - the pan was the trick, I think. Be sure the steak is very dry - use a paper towel to get all the moisture off.

Pan-Seared Porterhouse with Tomato Saute
1 1/2 lb. porterhouse
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp. salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tsp. capers
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced
1 Tbsp. pancetta, cubed into 1/2" cubes
1 Tbsp. white wine

Preheat oven to 375. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the steak and sear on high about 10 minutes, turning at least once. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. Place into an oven-proof dish and bake, 6 minutes; Turn once. remove and tent with foil.

Once the steak is out of the skillet, add 2 Tbsp. garlic with the rosemary and saute in the hot oil for 1 minute. Add the wine and allow it to bubble and thicken, stirring quickly (about 30 seconds). Next add the pancetta and saute another minute before adding the tomatoes, capers, and olives. Saute on medium heat for about 8 minutes.

Pour topping over the steak and serve.