The Perfect Summer Steak

Summer is one of the greatest cooking seasons of the year. Not only do you have an array of fresh fruits and vegetables readily available (think beets, watermelon, tomatoes, corn, cherries, peppers, peaches, plums etc.), but you also have the opportunity to take full advantage of the grill and other outdoor cooking methods.  I envy those who live in warm climates and are able to grill out year round. Though I suppose being a northern girl who must give up outdoor cooking during torrential downpours and stick to the stove when the grill is lost under multiple feet of snow, I tend to appreciate it that much more in the summer time. This weekend the sun was shining and the grill was calling for an all American meal of steak, mashed red potatoes, salad and good wine.

When it comes to the grill, the men in my life have taught me all I know. Growing up in Kansas City, some of the best meals I have ever had were the result of my dad and his expertise in grilling and smoking. I remember many summer days starting with him preparing and soaking the wood chips for his smoker, slathering baby backs with his very own brown sugar and spice rubs, followed by hours of dedicated basting and temperature checking until the perfect slab of ribs was ready to be served. From barbecue ribs, to smoked chicken, pork chops, beef tenderloin and more, my siblings and I are spoiled when it comes to grilled or smoked food. There is no barbecue better than Kansas City barbecue and the best place to find and enjoy it is at my parent’s house. I may be biased, but I doubt I am wrong.

My husband is also a master griller. Although he does not have the many smokers, fancy grills and tools like my father (I am sure those will come in time), he still knows how to create a masterpiece. The flank steak from this past weekend is actually something he use to make for me when we were first dating. I have made some of my own changes - omitted some ingredients and added others - but he deserves all the credit for this perfect summer steak.

The Night Before:

With a fork, poke holes in the meat. Rub with ginger, black pepper, and brown sugar. Place steak in a Tupperware container and add enough soy sauce to cover entirely. Add in several drops of Worcestershire sauce. Slice up a Jalapeno or two and add on top of the steak (for some great heat!). Close container and refrigerate meat over night. Flip the meat at least one time while marinating. 

You can get away with marinating the meat for 2-3 hours, if you are unable to do it overnight. However, marinating over night results in extremely tender meat overflowing with flavor. It is definitely worth the night before preparation.

The Day of:

About 20 - 30 minutes before grilling, take the meat out of the refrigerator. If you go from the refrigerator straight to the grill, the drastic change in temperature will cause the meat to experience shock, which will result in a drier, less tender steak. Allow the meat to “warm up” a bit before throwing on the grill. 

While the grill is heating up, bring a large pot of slightly salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add in red potatoes (usually 2 per person depending on size). Allow to boil until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. 

After the potatoes have been boiling for a bit, it is time to start grilling your steak. Make sure the grill is very hot before putting the steak on. This will help create a nice sear and lock in all the juices. Grill meat until medium rare; about 5-8 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the steak. Cover with lid while cooking.

When the meat is done, transfer to a cutting board and allow to sit for 5 full minutes. Again, this will help lock in the juice.

While the meat is resting, drain your potatoes, and place in a large bowl (do not remove the skins! They add great flavor, nutrients, and texture). Add one tablespoon of butter and roughly 2 tablespoons of fat free milk. Beat until smooth or a until the potatoes reach the consistency you most prefer. If too dry, add a few more drops of milk. Mix in seasoned salt and black pepper to taste.

For the salad throw together a mix of chopped romaine lettuce, carrots, snapped peas, cabbage, tomatoes and your choice of dressing.

After the meat has had the chance to rest for a full 5 minutes, cut against the grain to ensure tenderness. If you like, you can quickly whip up a sauce very similar to that of the marinade. Combine soy sauce, pepper, ginger and a touch of brown sugar; warm on the stove and serve with the meat.  

Enjoy this meal with your favorite bottle of red wine and be sure to savor every moment of your grilled masterpiece. Before you know the snow will be back and you will be dreaming of grill lines on every dish you serve. 

When the Pantry is Bare: Orange, Ginger, Tomato Shrimp w/Orzo

Last night was one of those nights where the dinner hour was quickly approaching and I had yet to plan a menu. Adam got home from a long day of studying and looked at me with that ‘I am very hungry’ face and I knew I had to come up with something good and fast. I quickly rummaged through the refrigerator to asset what we had on hand. It had been a few days since our last trip to the grocery store, so I knew my options were going to be limited. After spotting an orange and a ginger root (both left over from dishes made earlier in the week), my mind raced back to a recipe that I had seen a few months prior which included orange, ginger and shrimp. Luckily shrimp was one of the few ingredients I knew I had in stock. Knowing I did not have the time or energy to find the exact recipe, I started to throw things together and relied on taste tests along the way to get me to a flavorful and healthy dish. So, here is my quick and easy ‘there is nothing left in the pantry, tomato, orange and ginger shrimp dish' for when you are in a bind and time is not on your side.

What you need:

Ginger Root

1 Orange - zest and juice

Red Pepper Flakes

1 can plum tomatoes

Salt

Onion Powder

Pepper

Shrimp

Orzo

Fresh Basil

Cherry Tomatoes

Step 1: Peel and devein the shrimp. In one bowl combine the cleaned shrimp, orange zest, red pepper flakes, a bit of freshly squeezed orange juice, and freshly grated ginger. Set aside.

Step 2: In a skillet bring to a simmer the canned tomatoes, remaining fresh orange juice, fresh ginger, salt, pepper and onion powder to taste. Allow to cook on low until the flavors come together and the sauce thickens - about 20 minutes.

Step 3: Boil a pot of salted water. Once boiled add in one cup of uncooked orzo. Cook for 8-10 minutes until done. Drain and set aside.

Step 4: Head out to your garden and pick a handful of fresh basil and cherry tomatoes. Rinse, dry and chop. Set aside.

Step 5: Into a saute pan, pour the shrimp mixture and cook through. 

Step 6: Add the cooked shrimp mixture to the tomato sauce and cook for a few minutes until all the flavors blend together.

Step 7: Layer the shrimp and tomato sauce on top of the orzo. Finish it off with fresh chopped basil and cherry tomatoes.

Step 8: Serve with salad and a great bottle of Sauvignon Blanc or Fume Blanc. 

Although I usually like to plan out my meals (from a full grocery list to a detailed step by step strategy for conquering multiple pans, grills and all the necessary chopping while keeping all my fingers intact and skin unburned), there is nothing like a time crunch to force me into using my imagination as well as the leftover ingredients the refrigerator. Experimenting with new or made up on the spot recipes is the best way to learn what works and what doesn’t; what flavors go together and what combinations equal disaster. This quick whip up dish surprised me. In my desire to instantly get it on the table, I was worried that I would end up with a bland, flavorless and overall boring dish, but its robust, spicy flavor was a pleasant surprise. The freshness and lightness of the ginger, basil and cherry tomatoes balanced out the spice and left us guessing with each bite and continually reaching for more. Not to mention it was a very healthy option and only took about 20 minutes to make!

Lesson learned from latest cooking adventure: Don’t let limited time or an empty pantry deter you from trying something new. The recipes you randomly throw together, just might end up being some of your favorites. 

Chicken and Shiitake Dumplings

Weekends are my time for trying new and adventurous ideas. With no time constraints, (or at least more time than the work week provides) I am able to take on labor intensive and complex recipes. This weekend I took on the challenge of making home-made Chinese dumplings. Seeing how I had never attempted this before, I was a little apprehensive, but with a reliable recipe from Fine Cooking and Thy Tran, a husband who will eat mostly anything, and faith in my own abilities, I was ready to test my limits and go outside my comfort zone.


The first task to accomplish was making my dough. I started off by pouring a cup and a half of all purpose flour on the counter top. After forming a deep well in the middle, I added ½ a cup of cold water. Slowly and carefully, I began to mix in the flour from the walls of my well until the mixture formed a ball of dough. At this point, it was time to begin kneading. I did this for several minutes until the dough was elastic. I cut the dough in half and into two logs, dusted with flour and covered for 30 minutes.

While the dough was resting, I made my dumpling filling. With endless options, I decided to go with a chicken and Shiitake filling. This recipe included roasted chicken, Shiitake mushrooms, spinach, scallions, fresh ginger, soy sauce and fresh black pepper. I started off with shredding the chicken into a medium size bowl. Next I cleaned the Shiitake mushrooms, removed the stems and finely chopped the mushroom caps, before adding to the chicken. I quickly wilted down 6 oz of spinach in a skillet with a little water and just a touch of sugar. After squeezing out the excess moisture, I chopped the spinach and added it to the bowl. Next was the fresh ginger – my favorite ingredient of the whole dish. Never use a substitute for fresh ginger. The quality and flavor cannot be replicated and in all honesty it is not too difficult to do yourself. After removing the skin from the ginger root, I grated about 2 tablespoons worth of ginger and added that to the bowl. Lastly, I mixed in a bit of soy sauce and freshly cracked black pepper before stirring all together. Voila – the filling was done!

With the filling complete, I was able to focus my attention entirely on the shaping of the dumplings. If you have not attempted this before, be aware that this is a long and tedious process for a first timer, but entirely worth the effort in the end. I started by cutting my dough into 36 even pieces. I covered the pieces I was not using with a bit of flour and under a clean kitchen cloth to avoid over drying. With a rolling pin, I began to gently roll each piece of dough into a 3 inch circle. It is important to be as delicate as possible with the dough to avoid a tear and to make your life easier when you begin the filling and folding. Once all the dough is rolled out, the fun begins! Start with scooping about a teaspoon or so of filling onto each individual piece. You want to be careful not to overfill the dumpling or else it will be very difficult to close and you could end up tearing the dough, complicating the cooking process. Once you have added the filling, you will want to seal it closed by pinching and folding one side of the dumpling against the other. This will created a pleated look along the top, with the bulk of the dumpling on the bottom. Continue with this process until all of the dumplings have been formed.

After all of those steps are complete, it is finally time to cook the dumplings. I chose to pan-fry my dumplings in order to create a little crunch. To do so, heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. Once the oil is hot, add the dumplings and cook for a few minutes, until the undersides are crisp and brown. Pour in ½ a cup of water, cover the pan and boil for a few more minutes. This allows the entire dumpling, filling and top, to cook through until silky and smooth. Once cooked, remove the lid but allow to cook for about 2 more minutes so that the dumplings can dry and crisp up. Finally, remove the dumplings from the pan and begin plating!

Before serving, I quickly whipped up one of Thy Tran’s soy dipping sauces. The recipe called for 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon of sugar, ½ teaspoon of sesame oil and 1 chopped scallion. I combined all ingredients and stirred together.

The dumplings were great! I was pleased with the overall texture and the flavor of the filling was exactly what I was hoping for. Although this was a time intensive process, the results were well worth it - my husband has already requested them as appetizers for football weekends! I am glad I took on this challenge and was able to learn a new and fun technique. I know that I will make these over and over again, but for now only on the weekends!