Easy Steak Sauce for Hanger or Skirt Steak

This recipe is from the January 2014 issue of Bon Appetit.  I am always looking for an easy sauce for most everything.  This one adds body to the basic au jus or heavy gravy steak sauce.   Please give it a try.

Ingredients

• 2-TB vegetable oil
• 1 medium Onion or 2 small Shallots, chopped
• 4 Garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 Fresno Chile, seeded and chopped
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 TB Tomato Paste
• ½ cup Worcestershire Sauce
• ½ cup Red Wine Vinegar
• ¼ cup packed Brown Sugar
• 2 TB Whole Grain Mustard
• ⅓ cup water

Procedure

• Heat 2 TB vegetable oil over medium-high heat
• Add Onion, Garlic and Chile, season with salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes
• Add Tomato Paste, stirring until sauce begins to darken, about 1 minute
• Stir in Worcestershire Sauce, Vinegar, Brown Sugar and Mustad and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer mixure to blender and purée with ½ cup water until smooth
• Stain through a fine-mesh sieve unto a small bowl, if desired.
• Set aside to use with steak
• Steak sauce can be made 1 week ahead, cover and chill to store

Fried Potatoes with Spicy Aioli

Michael Symon always comes up with great recipes.  Here is one for a great potato side dish.  Enjoy.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pounds 1 to 2 inch Yukon gold potatoes (about 16).
• 1 Cup Mayonnaise
• 2 TB Sriracha chili sauce
• 1 Teas. Smoked Paprika
• 1 Clove Garlic, minced
• 1 Lime, zested and  juiced
• Kosher Salt
• 1 Scallions, thinly sliced on a bias to garnish

Procedure

• For the potatoes: To a small saucepan, add the potatoes and cool water to cover. Salt the water generously and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-high, and simmer until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a fork, 10 to15 minutes. Remove from the water and let cool. While the potatoes are cooling, make the spicy aioli. 
• For the spicy aioli: In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Sriracha, paprika, garlic lime zest and juice and a pinch salt. Stir to combine and set aside. 
• To finish the potatoes: Heat a large cast-iron skillet with your favorite fat (Michael recommends Bacon fat, which everyone should save when you cook your breakfast or other bacon) until it reaches 350 degrees F. The fat should come 1 to 2 inches up the side of the pan. 
• With the heel of your hand, smash the potatoes so they are relatively flat but still holding together. Add the potatoes to the fat and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from the fat with a slotted spoon and place immediately in the bowl with the aioli. Add a spoonful of the hot fat, stir to coat and transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with the scallions and serve immediately. I guarantee you will never look at a French fry the same way again.

Bobby Flay - Caribbean Dishes

While I am not a big fan of Pork, Mary Ann and I were viewing Bobby Flay's Caribbean show and think these receipes are worthwhile to try.   I might even give them a try too.   The show includes: Smoked Rack of Pork, Caribbean Style Sweet Potatoes, Slaw and a great drink called a Dark Stormy.  Enjoy.

GRILLED JERK RACK OF PORK

Ingredients

Brine and Pork:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 12 sprigs fresh thyme
• 10 allspice berries
• 10 black peppercorns
• 8 whole cloves
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 4 inches fresh ginger, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 head garlic, sliced in half
• 1 Spanish onion, quartered
• One 3-pound center-cut rack of pork, chine bone removed

Spice Mixture:

• 2 tablespoons ground coriander
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon habanero powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• Canola oil, for brushing

Procedure

• For the brine and pork: Bring 12 cups water, the salt, brown sugar, thyme, allspice, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon sticks, ginger, bay leaves, garlic and onions to a simmer in a large stockpot and cook until the sugar and salt is dissolved. Let cool completely.
• Submerge the pork in the brine by placing a plate on top, cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Remove the pork from the brine, rinse well with cold water and pat dry. Place on a rack set over a baking sheet in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.
• For the spice mixture: Combine the coriander, ginger, brown sugar, garlic powder, habanero powder, onion powder, black pepper, thyme, allspice, cinnamon and cloves in a small bowl. Brush the pork rack with the canola oil and rub with the spice mixture.
• Prepare the ceramic cooker: Add the hot charcoal to the cooker, and put on the grill rack. When the grill rack is hot, put on the pork fat-side down and cook until slightly charred. Now remove the pork and the grill rack, scatter the soaked wood chips over the hot charcoal, put on the ceramic plate and the grill rack and return the pork to the grill rack seared-side up. Close the cooker and adjust it to maintain a temperature of 325 degrees F. Cook the pork until a meat thermometer registers 140 degrees F, 75 to 90 minutes. Rest 10 minutes before carving into chops.

GRILLED HASSLEBACK SWEET POTATOES WITH MOLASSES-NUTMEG BUTTER

Ingredients

• 4 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed
• Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 heaping tablespoons molasses
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Canola oil, for brushing
• 1/2 cup dark rum

Directions

• Put the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, add 1 tablespoon kosher salt, bring to a boil and cook until a paring knife inserted into the center of the potatoes meets with some resistance. (Do not cook through.) Drain and let cool slightly.
• Mix together the butter, molasses, cilantro, orange zest and nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use
• Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium high for indirect grilling.
• Cut off a thin slice of each potato lengthwise to create an even base for the potato to rest on. Slice off the ends of each potato. Rest each potato between two chopsticks or wooden spoons placed lengthwise along the potato (to act as a stop for the knife) and carefully cut vertical slits about every 1/8 inch.
• Brush the potatoes with the canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the potatoes on the cooler side of the grill, cover and cook until lightly golden and cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Place the potatoes on a platter and immediately smear the tops with the butter mixture, making sure it melts into the cuts. Heat the rum in a small saucepan, flambe and pour over the potatoes. Serve immediately.

RADICCHIO-GREEN MANGO SLAW

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 3 green onions, green and pale green parts, thinly sliced
• 1 large green mango, peeled, pitted and julienned
• 1 medium head radicchio, finely shredded
• 1/2 head Napa cabbage, finely shredded

Directions

• Whisk together the vinegar, ginger, sugar and soy sauce in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the canola oil until emulsified.
• Combine the green onions, mango, radicchio and cabbage in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss until completely combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

DARK AND STORMY

Ingredients

• 8 cups (64 ounces) very cold ginger beer
• 2 cups dark rum
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup simple syrup
• 2 limes, thinly sliced

Directions

• Take 2 cups of the ginger beer and fill an ice cube tray with it. Place in the freezer until firm.
• Combine the remaining 6 cups ginger beer, the rum, lime juice, simple syrup and sliced limes in a pitcher; cover and refrigerate until cold. Add the ice cubes just before serving in tall glasses.

Sesame Ginger Chicken

Kelsey Nixon has a great show entitled "Kelsy's Essentials".  She did a take-out show.  Here is her recipe for Sesame Ginger Chicken, one of my new favorite Chinese dishes.  Enjoy.

Ingredients
Chicken Marinade

• 2-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken thights, cut into 1-inch cubes.
• 6 TB Sesame Oil
• 2-1/2 TB Sugar
• 2 TB Soy Sauce
• 1  Teas. Cracked Black Pepper

Stir-Fry

1 Cub plus 2 TB Cornstarch
Vegetable Oil (for dutch oven)
2 TB minced Garlic
1 TB mined Ginger
4 TB Chinese Shoaxing Rice Wine
2 TB Hoisin Sauce
2 TB Oyster Sauce
2 TB Soy sauce
1-1/2 TB Honey
1 TB Sambal Chili Sauce
1 TB Thai Chili Sauce
1 Lemon, zest and juice
Scallions, thinkly sliced on an angle for garnish
Rice, for serving

Procedures

For the chicken marinade: In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken with the Sesame oil, sugar, soy sauce and pepper.  Toss to coat, cover, place in the refrigerator and let sit 1 hour.
For the stir-fry: Remove the chicken from the fridge.  Add 1 cup cornstarch to a shallow baking dish and dredge each piece of chicken, shaking off any excess.
Fill a dutch oven or high-sided saute pan with enough vegetable oil to completely submerge the chicken pieces.  Heat over high heat until glossy and the temperature eaches 375 degrees F.  Deep fry the chicken until golden brown, about 3 minutes, adding your chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding and to keep your oil from dropping in temperature too much.  Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. 
In a large sauce pan, heat 1 TB vegetable oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and Ginger and cook until golden brown and fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Next, add the rice wine, Hoisin, Oyster sauce, Soy sauce, Honey and the Chili sauces; bring to a simmer.
In a glass measuring cup, mix the remaining 2 TB cornstarch with 1/4 cup of very cold water (make sure your water is very cold to avoid lumps), whisking until combined.  Add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce and simmer for an additional minute until the sauce thickens.  Adjust seasoning to taste. 
Add in the fried chicken and toss to coat with the sauce.  Add the Lemon zest and juice.  Garnish with toasted Sesame seeds and Scallions.  
Serve over warm rice. 

Barbecue Shrimp and Skirt Steak

From time to time, we need to change our basic BBQ fare.  I found these combinations, which work great.  I have two recipes for Skirt Steak.  Each handles the steak differently, but both are great.  The Barbecue Shrimp is from Tyler Florence while the Skirt Steak is from Michael Symon and Joseph Realmuto of Townline BBQ (All rights Reserved).   Enjoy

BBQ Shrimp - Tyler Florence
Ingredients

• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 20 wooden skewers, soaked in water 30 minutes
• 1/2 cup soy sauce, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1/4 cup sake
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 shallots, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28 oz) can whole, peeled tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Shrirachi Hot Chili Sauce
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 scallions, sliced thin, for garnish
• Lime wedges, for garnish

Procedure

• Thread shrimp onto skewers and place in a shallow dish.  Pour 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup sake and 2 tablespoons oil over the shrimp and season them with salt and pepper.  Set aside and let them marinade while you make the barbecue sauce.
• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat.  Add shallots and garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Stir in tomatoes and sesson with salt and pepper.  Add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and chili powder.  Cook until  the mixture has thickened, about 10-15 minutes.  Use an immersion blender to break the tomatoes up into a chunky sauce. 
• Heat a grill or a grill pan and cook the shrimp about 3 minutes per side.  To serve, spread some barbecue sauce onto a large platter and place the grilled skewers on top of that.  Garnish with scallions and lime wedges.  Serve extra barbecue sauce on the side.  

Grilled Steak - Michael Symon

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 to 2 pound Skirt Steak
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup Balsamic vinegar (make sure this vinegar is not too sweet)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 sprigs of Rosemary, chopped
• 1 tablespoon red chili flake
• Olive Oil

Procedure

• Season the steak liberally with salt and pepper.  
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, rosemary and chili flakes.  Add about 1/3 of a cup of olive oil.  Place the steak in a resealable plastic bag and pour the marinade into it.  Marinade for a minimum of 2 hours and preferably overnight in the fridge.
• Remove the steak from the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking. 
• Wipe off the bits of marinade from the steak and drizzle it with a little olive oil.
• Please the steak on the grill and cook 2-1/2 to 4 minutes per side (rare to medium), or until the meat has grill marks.  Let the steak rest for 10 minutes, then slice across the grain, garnish and serve.

Townline BBQ Sauce (All Rights Reserved)

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 to 2 pound Skirt Steak
• 1/4 pound butter
• 3/4 cup minced onion
• 1/2 cup minced garlic
• 2 lemons, zested
• 5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 4-1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons molasses
• 1/2 cup Worchestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup chili powder
• 4 tablespoons while wine vinegar
• 1-1/2 tablespoons chipotle puree
• 3 cups water
• Pinch kosher salt

Procedure

• Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
• Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, ketchup, tomato juice, brown sugar, molasses, Worchestershire sauce, chili powder, vinegar, chipotle puree, salt and 3 cups of water and bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Grill the Steak for 2-1/2 to 4 minues per side (rare to medium).  Apply Barbecue sauce during cooking.  Be careful not to burn the steak during cooking.
• Let the steak rest for 10 minutes and slice across the grain and serve with extra sauce on the side. 

BBQ Chinese Chicken Wings - The Great Wings Book

This recipe is from a great wings cookbook.  There are many more recipes if you are interested, just give me a call.  With all asian dishes, it is recommended that only the best sauces and other ingredients be used.   I have recommended specific manufacturers for most of the sauces found below.

Ingredients

• 24 chicken wings
• 1 cup hoisin sauce - Koon Chun
• 1/2 cup plum sauce - Koon Chun
• 1/3 cup oyster sauce - Sa Cheng, Hop Sing Lung, or Lee Kum Kee Premium
• 1/4 cup wine vinegar
• 2 TB Chinese Rice wine - Pagoda's Shaoxing or Heing Hua Tiao Chiew
• 2 TB toasted Sesame oil
• 1 TBAsian Chili Sauce - Rooster brand
• 1 TB grated orange zest
• 1 teas. five-spice powder - Penzey's (Santa Rosa or online)
• 6 gloves garlic, minced
• 1 green onion, ends trimmed, minced

Procedure

• In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients 
• Add wings and mix, marinate wings for 4 to 24 hours.  The longer the better.
• On a gas grill, set temperature at 350 degrees.  If using charcoal, created fire and let burn until coals are grey.  
• Regulate heat as best as possible to maintain a low or 350 degree heat source
• Cook for abour 30 minutes, turning every 5 minutes.  Watch not to burn wings. 
• Remove from heat and serve

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

So, here is a new recipe for a really great vegetable dish.  I put this together for Easter dinner and everyone seemed to like it.  So, give it a try yourself.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of Brussel Sprouts
• Olive oil
• Salt and Petter
• 1 diced large or 2 small Shallots
• 4 Tablespoons of Capers drained
• 6 strips of cooked, chopped bacon

Procedure

• Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees
• Cook bacon and set aside to drain and cool.  Once cool, chop into 1/4 inch pieces
• Trim ends off of brussel sprouts - cut brussel sprouts in half along the length of the sprouts (not crossiwise)
• Spread brussel sprouts out on a cooking sheet
• Drizzle with oil olive
• Salt and Pepper
• Dice shallots finely and sprinkle over brussel sprouts
• Sprinkle bacon bits on brussel sprouts
• Bake for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until browned
• Serve immediately or cover with foil or keep in warming oven

Michael Symon's Coleslaw

I've come to really appreciate the genius of Michael Symon.  His approach to food is simple and elegant at the same time.  The following recipe came from his "Burger and Fries" show.  I really love Coleslaw with a passion.  This is one of the best receipes you will find.  Use it for anything requiring a side or main course topping.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon spicy mustard
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 clove garlic, sliced
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3/4 head Napa cabbage, shredded
• 1/2 small red onion, sliced thin

Procedures

• Mix together the vinegar, mayonnaise, mustards, sugar, Worcestershire, salt, garlic, red pepper flakes, cabbage and onions. Set aside or refrigerate to let the flavors meld, preferably for 1 hour.