Feel Like Flank Steak?

Flank steak is one of my very favorite cuts of beef, especially for grilling. It’s leaner than some others but has amazing flavor and a pleasing coarse texture that is hard to find in other steaks. Sometimes called London broil, it’s a flat-ish piece of meat that can be stuffed and rolled, although most of the time I grill it flat out (the best way, if you ask me).

If you can’t find flank steak or want to try something a little different, try skirt or hanger steak. These two cuts are close to flank in terms of flavor and texture. Skirt steak is a long, flat cut with more flavor than tenderness. The same goes for hanger steak, which has gotten a lot attention in recent years. The ungainly steak is also called butcher’s steak because, the story goes, the double-lobed cut connected by a particularly tough sinew was prized by butchers for its flavor even though its homely appearance made it tough to sell. While hangers are delicious when cooked right, I prefer skirt steak as a stand-in for flank steak.

All recipes for flank steak instruct you to “slice the meat across the grain.” If that directive baffles you, consider that the meat is made up of long, relatively tough fibers that must be intersected with a knife to shorten them and make the meat tender enough to chew easily. You can see these fibers in the meat. To cut a flank steak correctly all you must to do is slice it on the bias, the diagonal, across those long fibers.

Here’s one of my fave recipes. Happy grilling!

Yogurt and Spice Grilled Flank Steak

Vermillion, a restaurant near Grand Central Station in New York City, serves flank steak with a yogurt–sour cream marinade that is really delicious. I came up with my own version and am pleased as punch with the outcome. The spices mixed with the tartness of the sour cream and yogurt blend perfectly with rich flank or skirt steak. Whenever you grill steak, it’s important to watch it carefully so that it does not overcook. You can always put it back on the grill if it’s too rare but you can’t retrieve its juiciness if it’s overdone.

Serves 4 to 6

 

1 cup sour cream

3/4 cup plain yogurt

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground curry powder

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/2 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

2 pounds flank or skirt steak

 

Mix together the sour cream, yogurt, cumin, curry powder, garlic, and jalapeño.

Lay the steak in a glass, ceramic, or other nonreactive dish. Pour the marinade over the steak and turn the steak a few times to coat well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Turn the steak once or twice during marinating.

Spray the grilling grate of a gas or charcoal grill with vegetable oil spray. Preheat the grill to medium hot.

Lift the steak from the marinade and wipe the excess from the meat. Grill the meat for 4 to 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare, or until done to your liking.

Let the meat rest for about 10 minutes before slicing across the grain and serving.

Laura’s Dinner Party

Mary Goodbody helped me write Dinnertime Survival, and just this weekend her daughter Laura gave a small dinner party and made food from the book. Thanks, Laura!

She wanted something easy and with familiar flavors so that she would feel confident making the recipe for the first time. She chose Chicken Cacciatore on page 87 and the Kale Salad with Fennel and Almonds on page 36. The salad is dressed with the Lemon Vinaigrette on page 41.

And then she sent us photos of her creations!

The chicken was so easy, Laura said. She liked the kick from the red pepper flakes, which was subtle but still there. She made it with breasts rather than thighs.

Chicken Cacciatore

I learned to make this from my Italian husband, Greg, and have now decided it’s one of my family recipes. I make it with chicken thighs, which are an underutilized part of the bird and yet are so full of flavor and easy to find. If you prefer, you could use other chicken parts.

Serves 4

 

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

5 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium-size onion, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

1 (28-ounce) can crushed plum tomatoes

2 tablespoons drained capers

1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

8 ounces whole white mushrooms, sliced (about 12 mushrooms)

1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped (about 1/2 cup chopped parsley)

 

Lightly season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Slice two of the garlic cloves and leave the remaining three whole.

In a large, deep sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke. Sear the chicken thighs on one side for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn over and add the whole and sliced garlic with the onion, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Sauté the entire mixture for 2 to 3 minutes until the onions are light golden brown.

Add the crushed tomatoes and capers and bring to a simmer. Loosely cover the pan and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened.

Lay the peppers and mushrooms on top the chicken, partially cover the pan and cook for 10 to12 minutes, or until the peppers are tender. Do not stir.

Remove the cover, raise heat slightly and cook for an additional 5 to 6 minutes until the sauce’s flavors come together and the chicken is cooked through. Add the chopped parsley, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Laura loved the lemon dressing’s acidity with the sweetness of the cranberries and saltiness of the parm in the kale salad. The recipe says it serves 8 and she had only 5 people for dinner. Her bunch of kale weighed 12 ounces, which she said was plenty for her group. The amount of dressing was just right, she reported — although she added a few splashes of vinegar to it simply because she likes a little more acid in dressings than some people. (The bowl was a wedding present from an aunt and uncle, she says. It looked gorgeous with the salad.)

Kale Salad with Fennel and Almonds

Who would think raw kale could taste so good? Something this good for us couldn’t be so wonderful, right? But it is! My customers ask for it by name, and when we make it at Aux Delices, we add whatever dried fruit or toasted nuts we have on hand. I particularly like it with the almonds and cranberries. The lemony vinaigrette is the final brilliance; it perks up the salad as nothing else can.

Serves 8

 

1 pound kale

1 bulb fennel, cored and very thinly sliced

1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds

1/2 cup dried cranberries

3 ounces thinly shaved Parmesan cheese

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup Lemon Vinaigrette (page 00), more or less as needed

 

Stack as many of the kale leaves as you can easily handle at one time on top of each other on a cutting board. With a large sharp knife, slice them into thin strips, no more than 1/2-inch thick. Put the kale in a salad bowl.

Add the fennel, almonds, and cranberries and toss to mix. Scatter the shaved Parmesan over the salad and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the vinaigrette over the salad, toss gently but thoroughly and serve.

Crab Burgers: So Easy, So Good!

Crab burger? Crab cake? Not much diff, really. But let me tell you: These burgers are G-O-O-D! Best of all for a summertime meal, they do best mixed and formed early in the day when it’s cool, and then left in the ‘fridge until it’s time to cook them.

Here’s a picture of a crab boat from the Chesapeake Bay, where some of the best crabs in the country — the world! — come from. And, as I make my crab burgers with Cajun seasonings, we can ‘t forget the delicious crabs from the Gulf of Mexico that they are eaten all through Louisiana. Lucky people!

Cajun Crab Burgers

What’s the difference between a crab burger and a crab cake? I am not sure there is much, but these are a little more robust than the crab cakes on page 00, and I serve them in nice soft potato buns, which work best with seafood burgers. I especially like the crab with the South Louisiana spices found in the crab mixture and the mayo. When making crab burgers or crab cakes, always start with the best crabmeat you can find and afford. And if you mix and form these ahead of time, not only will life be easier when it’s time to cook them, they will hold together a little better in the hot oil. To save even more time at the last minute, cook these ahead of time and reheat them in the oven, arranged in a shallow baking pan. And, p.s., the mayo is so tasty you will want to use it for other sandwiches and burgers, etc.

Serves 6

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 cup minced onion (about 1/2 onion)

1/2 cup minced celery

1/2 cup minced green bell pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 large egg

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

11/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 pound lump crabmeat

11/2 to 13/4 cups fresh breadcrumbs (see note)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Canola oil, for frying

6 potato rolls or hamburger rolls

Creole Mayonnaise (recipe follows)

In a medium sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, pepper, and garlic and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the vegetables soften. Set aside to cool.

Whisk together the mayonnaise, egg, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, Cajun seasoning, hot pepper sauce, and paprika. Stir the cooled vegetables into the mixture and then gently toss in the crab to combine. Fold in 1 cup of the breadcrumbs and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Form the crab mixture into six patties, each about 1/2 inch thick. Coat with the remaining breadcrumbs and if not cooking right away, refrigerate for up 4 hours. (These are a little easier to cook when chilled, but it’s not necessary.)

In a large sauté pan, heat enough oil to come halfway up the sides of the crab patties. Heat the oil over medium-high heat or until a breadcrumb sizzles when dropped in the oil.

Gently lower the crab patties into the oil using a slotted spoon and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Serve on the rolls and top each burger with Creole Mayonnaise.

Note: To make fresh breadcrumbs, grind bread in a blender or food processor until it turns into crumbs. For more, see page 00.

Creole Mayonnaise

Makes a generous 1/2 cup

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

A few drops fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk the mayonnaise with the Worcestershire sauce, mustard, Cajun seasoning, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper and more lemon juice, if needed.

Use right away or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Perfect Meal for a Hot, Hot Summer’s Day

Nothing could be easier than this no-cook, all-in-a-blender soup. And it’s sooooooo refreshing on a hot day. And we’re getting some hot ones!

Enjoy this cucumber-and-grape cold soup.

Spanish Gazpacho

Some folks call this white gazpacho; I call it Spanish Gazpacho because of the sherry vinegar, which should be the best you can find. Whatever your preferred moniker, please give it a try; you’ll love it! Like most gazpachos, there is no cooking, no tending, no fussing. Mix everything together in a blender, season with salt and pepper, and go for it. Everyone is wowed by the unexpected flavors and refreshing coolness.

Serves 4 to 6

1 cup seedless green grapes

1/2 cup sour cream

1/3 cup sliced blanched almonds

3 slices white bread, crusts removed and cubed

2 cucumbers, peeled and diced

1 shallot, sliced

11/2 cups cold water

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

2 teaspoons salt

Freshly ground black pepper

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir gently to mix. Blend in batches until very smooth. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.

Process the soup in a blender in batches. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Scallops for Dinner. Easy Survival!

Sesame-Orange Scallops

 

I am partial to the quick sauce for this dish made with scallops or shrimp. The tangy citrus cuts the sweetness of the seafood and turns this into a pretty spectacular meal. Don’t skip toasting the sesame seeds. It takes only a minute and really adds a lot flavor.

Serves 4

 

2 teaspoons white sesame seeds

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 cups orange juice

20 large sea scallops (substitute large shrimp, peeled and cleaned)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons peeled, minced ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons grated orange zest (optional)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

 

In a small dry pan, spread the sesame seeds in a single layer and cook over medium heat for about 1 minute, or until they turn golden brown and are fragrant. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Whisk the cornstarch into the orange juice until smooth.

Season the scallops with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a medium sauté pan over high heat until smoking. Sear the scallops for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Don’t move them around too much, giving the scallops a chance to caramelize. (If cooking shrimp, let them cook until they turn pink.) Transfer the scallops to a serving platter and set aside.

Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium. Add the ginger and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds. Pour the orange juice mixture and orange zest, if using, into the pan and add the soy sauce and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the sauce is thickened and slightly reduced.

Gently stir the cilantro and reserved sesame seeds into the sauce and when nicely mixed, pour over the scallops or shrimp. Season with salt and pepper and serve right away.