Spice Rubbed Flank Steak with Fresh Tomato Corn Salsa

July 11, 2016 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

It’s been a bit of an odd summer. We rang in Memorial Day with a non-traditional trip to Alaska where the weather was more like March than May. Then came the excitement of meeting the newest member of our family when my brother and sister-in-law welcomed their first baby, an adorable boy named James. He’s precious and already dearly loved by his aunties and uncle Mike.

In the meantime, I actually have been cooking a ton and making deep dives into the amazing produce that summer brings; I’ve just been incredibly neglectful of this space! I’ve become a bit obsessed with certain ingredients lately and I’m afraid to even begin sharing all the rhubarb related baked goods and tomato-laden salads that have come out of my kitchen in the last few weeks.

As a slow start I’ll share this one – spicy pan-seared flank steak thinly sliced and served with a bracingly fresh cilantro, lime, and jalapeno spiked salsa. It rocks that strange place where a cool temperature meets a heated flavor profile and it’s dead easy to throw together last minute and have dinner on the table in 30.

Spice Rubbed Flank Steak with Fresh Tomato Corn Salsa (serves 4)

Ingredients:

Salsa:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ears of corn, shucked
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2-3 teaspoons (1 small) finely minced jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed
1 1/2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper

Dry Rub & Steak:
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1/2 teaspoon English mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 pounds flank steak

Instructions:
Shuck the ears of corn and cut kernels from cobs. Heat 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat and sauté the corn for 4-5 minutes or until lightly caramelized. Place in a medium bowl and allow to cool. Add the onion, jalapeño, tomatoes, cilantro, and lime juice to corn and toss to combine; season with salt and pepper. Set salsa aside to allow the flavors to develop. Note: Salsa can be made 1 day ahead if covered and chilled.

Prepare the dry rub. Combine brown sugar and spices in a small bowl. Just before searing, coat both sides of the steak with all of dry rub mixture pressing lightly to help the rub adhere.

Heat a small drizzle of olive oil in large sauté pan over medium-high heat until the oil coats the pan and just starts to smoke. Sear the steak 3-4 minutes on each side. Don’t fuss with the steak while it’s cooking, set a timer if need be to resist the temptation to move it around in the pan.

When an instant read thermometer reads 130 degrees in the thickest part, remove to a cutting board and allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes. Slice against the grain and serve with the salsa.

Rewritten and adapted from Dry Rubbed Flank Steak with Grilled Corn Salsa by Brian Luscher of Luscher's Red Hots, Dallas, TX via Bon Appetit Magazine.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Absolutely. I used a 10” stainless steel sauté pan, medium cutting board, large mixing bowl, small mixing bowl, chef’s knife, spatula, tongs, and measuring spoons.

Bourbon & Brown Sugar Marinated Steak

July 24, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

Every once in a while I’ll be paging through a cooking magazine and a recipe will reach out; grabbing me by the lapels, just begging to be made (proverbially of course.) That was the case with this Bourbon and Brown Sugar Marinated Steak. I found it in a compilation issue of Fine Cooking’s best summer recipes and the name alone summoned mental images of spicy sweet steak consumed on a summer evening somewhere in Kentucky blue grass country.

Wheels were set in motion and a few days later we were channeling a back porch pace up here on the twelfth floor complete thanks to a little urban grilling and some fragrant, ripe peaches. Because what goes better with bourbon than stone fruit?

The humidity has loosened its grip on New York giving way to blessedly fresh mornings and warm afternoons when laying on your back in a lawn of clover while the bumblebees buzz seems like the best possible way to spend an hour or two. This recipe perfectly captures that vibe – gingery warmth, minimal effort.

Bourbon and Brown Sugar Marinated Steak (serves 4)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup bourbon or other whiskey
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar, preferably dark
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger root
1 1/2 to 2 pounds flank steak, or 1 1/2-inch-thick New York strip steaks

Instructions:
Use a paring knife to peel the ginger and then a microplane to finely grate into a medium liquid measuring cup. Add the soy sauce, bourbon, brown sugar, and Dijon mustard to the cup. Whisk together to combine the ingredients and dissolve the sugar.

Place the steak in a large zip top bag and pour the marinade over the meat. Seal the bag and massage to cover the steaks with marinade, and set aside for 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature, or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator. Flip the bag occasionally and if refrigerating bring the steaks back to room temperature before grilling.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high flame for 3-4 minutes. When the pan is hot, remove the steak from the marinade and shake off any excess, but don’t pat it dry. Reserve the marinade.

Grill the steak until good sear marks appear, 3 to 4 minutes. With tongs, rotate the steak 90 degrees (to get a crosshatch of grill marks) and continue grilling until grill marks form and the edges are a little crisp, another 3 to 4 minutes.

Flip the steak and grill the other side in the same way until the exterior is nicely seared and the steak is cooked to your liking, 10 to 12 minutes total cooking time for medium rare. Let the steaks rest for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan and boil over medium-high heat until syrupy, about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally and watch carefully to prevent burning.

When the sauce is thickened and the meat has rested, slice the flank steak thinly across the grain. For strip steaks, slice thickly or serve in chunks. Serve with a drizzle of the sauce

Re-written and slightly adapted from Molly Steven’s Bourbon and Brown Sugar Marinated Steak in Fine Cooking magazine.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, indeed! I used a two-burner cast iron grill pan, tongs, microplane grater, paring knife, and medium cutting board. I also needed a large liquid measuring cup, dry measuring cups/spoons, and a dinner fork, a large zip top bag (1 gallon size) and aluminum foil.

The Verdict:
We loved the Bourbon and Brown Sugar Marinated Steak preparation – savory soy sauce, the alcoholic sharpness of the bourbon, all balanced against smoky sticky caramelized sugar. I served the flank steak along with a fresh salad of baby spinach topped with blueberries and a few slivered almonds – special shout out from Mike for the accompanying grilled peaches as a way to bridge the gap. This recipe is incredibly easy and the results are excellent.

Memorial Day Steak Salad

May 18, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

I had a revelation a few weeks ago. I was sitting on my friend Lucy’s back deck having lunch when it came to me: steak salad is flipping amazing. In between bites of excellently cooked beef (thanks Shane!) I tried to remember the last time I had it and drew a blank. Was it really that long?

It’s clear to me that this American classic has been shockingly neglected in my kitchen. Thankfully, I realized my mistake just in time for summer, a season made for steak salad if there ever was one.

You’ll notice that there aren’t a ton of frills here – no crumbles of blue cheese, no sprinkle of crisp bacon or chopped egg - and that’s intentional. I wanted this to still actually be a salad, a dish that highlights the deliciousness of grilled sirloin for sure, but one that also gives the great summer produce space to shine.

It requires very little cooking, all of which is done ahead of time and can be done outside. It’s substantial but light enough for the hot months and steak always feels special, so it’s perfect for guests. I see only upside to this dish and that it will be making a more regular appearance on our dinner table in the weeks to come, maybe even this weekend…

Memorial Day Steak Salad (serves 6)

Ingredients:
2 1/2 - 3 pound tri-tip sirloin steak
8 cups baby spinach or arugula, washed and dried
3 medium carrots, shaved
1 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
Brianna’s buttermilk ranch or creamy blue cheese

Instructions:
About 30 minutes before cooking, remove the steak from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Pat both sides dry with paper towels and sprinkle generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Heat a cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until quite hot.

Sear the steak for 5-6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove from the heat and cover with foil. Rest 10-15 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute in the steak. Place the entire steak in the refrigerator and chill for 2-3 hours, or until ready to serve.

Thinly slice the chilled tri-tip and place on top of the salad greens, shaved carrots, cucumber slices and tomato halves among the plates. Drizzle with dressing to taste, I prefer Brianna’s Classic Buttermilk Ranch.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
100%. I used a grill pan, large platter, medium cutting board, tongs, a chef’s knife, and a vegetable peeler, and foil, paper towels. That’s it!

The Verdict:
As you can imagine this went over well. Both Mike and I love a beautifully cooked steak (medium/medium-rare) and serving it cold is a refreshing change. Normally I go for vinaigrettes, but in this case an awesome buttermilk ranch is the perfect compliment. The crisp vegetables and the bitterness of the arugula, are all balanced by the creamy dressing. We will definitely be looking for as many excuses as we can find to make this recipe. I hope you do too!

Steak with Béarnaise Sauce

January 23, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Steak with Béarnaise | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Steak with Béarnaise** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Each week I follow along with Ina Garten (aka the Barefoot Contessa) and attempt to recreate one of her dishes in my tiny New York City kitchen. The catch? This is my version of cooking school and I’m making these recipes for the first time. I’ll share both my successes and um, challenges, along the way and we’ll see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Happy Anniversary”

The Set-up: Ina and Jeffrey are celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary with a special dinner.

The Menu: Rosemary Roasted Potatoes, Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce, Steak with Béarnaise, String Beans with Shallots

0:39 – Ina starts this episode by making two statements – first that Jeffrey is a “creature of habit” and second that Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce is a “fairly 70s” dish. I can’t speak to the veracity of these claims, so I’m just going to roll with it.

1:03 – Pro Tip #1: if you’re poaching your own shrimp, leave the shells on and cook them for three minutes in boiling water. It‘s all the time they need.

2:18 – Cut to Mr. Garten driving along and expounding on the importance of anniversaries and admitting that he forgot their 20th. I hope Ina made him sleep on the porch.

3:20 – Back to Ina peeling and deveining the shrimp (tails on.) She says that even though shrimp cocktail is “really old-fashioned” it’s the first thing to go at a party. Guilty as charged. I make a beeline for it.

4:33 – On to the cocktail sauce part of the recipe. I thought I had made this before, but as I review the ingredients list I’m realizing I’m totally unfamiliar with chili sauce.

5:11 – Back to Mr. Garten who is on a mission to bring Ina a box of brownies just like she used to send him in college. So sweet!

6:07 –Ina is hating on the old martini glass, crushed ice presentation. Guess what first Google image search result for shrimp cocktail is… I guess they were taking the name literally?

7:25 – She plates her dish using a silver bowl on a white platter, but isn’t above cutting a lemon into a retro-chic garnish. I suppose we all have to have fun somehow.

10:29 – On to the Rosemary Roasted Potatoes which if you’ve been following along for the past year involve the standard olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, and in this case, minced rosemary. I seriously cook 90% of the vegetables we eat this way now.

11:36 – Over to Jeffrey who’s hitting up Michael the Florist TM for some ribbon to jazz up the box of brownies with. Good call, J, always enlist help!

12:45 – Ina has moved on to the Steak with Béarnaise starting with the sauce – white wine, champagne vinegar, tarragon – sounds good to me!

13:38 – Ina separates her eggs same the way I do by using the shells as little cups. Twinsies!

14:40 – Raw egg yolks + hot vinegar/white wine/tarragon/shallots + hot butter = béarnaise. Hmm. Usually adding hot things to eggs is a no-no, but the blender must prevent them from scrambling?

15:51 - It strikes me that this kind of recipe where the steps themselves aren’t that tricky, but the order is essential.

18:27 – Pro Tip #2: Remove the steaks from the refrigerator a few minutes before you intend to cook them to take the chill off the meat.

19:12 – Steak grillin’ time! Jeffrey’s grill-lighting activities are accompanied by the “getting things done” music. Charcoal chimney: check.

20:36 – Ina brushes the steaks with olive oil and then goes out to the patio to manage the grilling (read: tease Jeffrey) and then immediately abandons him to cook the main course. Ahahahaha.

21:44 – Ostensibly it’s so she can go inside to show us how to make String Beans with Shallots, so I’ll let it slide. This time.

22:18 – For a simple haricot vert this recipe requires a lot of equipment – a pot of boiling water, a bowl of ice water, a large skillet. Remind me to save this one for when we have a bigger kitchen!

23:33 – Jeffrey seems to be muddling along with the rib eyes pretty well and Ina does have some good-looking green beans. Dinner is coming together!

26:21 – Out on the terrace again to deliver the Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce – sustenance for Jeffrey as he grills, seems pretty fair now I guess.

27:10 – Actual “secret sauce” time as Ina reveals that the trick to make-ahead béarnaise is a few tablespoons of very hot water blended in at the last minute. Very tricky…

28:49 – Rosemary Roasted Potatoes are out of the oven, looking perfectly golden brown, steaks are off the grill and rested. It’s time to eat!

29:55 – As Ina teases Jeffrey about the time he forgot their anniversary over dinner he reveals the surprise: a walk on the beach and the box of brownies! So charming!

Final Thoughts:
It’s amazing how some of the simplest dishes (I’m looking at you string beans) can have so many steps!

Ina has such a great way of de-mystifying seemingly fancy recipes.

I’m thinking this might be a great Valentines Day meal – just add a glass of red wine?

Lessons Learned:
Talk to the Butcher – I’m always looking for excuses to practice cooking steak, but it’s also intimidating. After spending $$$ on a cut I worry that I’ll mess it up! I figured, who knows steak better than the butcher? So, I had a long conversation with Ritchie at Schatzie's about my plan to make Steak with Béarnaise and he recommended buying two different pieces: a 1 inch thick ribeye and a 1 1/2 inch thick NY Strip. This solved three problems - portion size, cooking time, and "doneness" - it allowed me to cook both pieces of meat for the same length of time and get one medium for me, and one medium-rare for Mike.

Pan Temperature – The steak is the star of this dish, so cooking it properly is essential and also honestly the trickiest part. I used an 8 inch cast iron skillet heated over high flame for 4-5 minutes before the steak even hit the surface. You want to hear that ssssssss sizzle sound. The length of time depends on the thickness of the steak and your desired internal temperature. A 1 inch steak cooked for three minutes on each side yields a medium (hot red) center.

Sauce Reduction – To get the right texture of the béarnaise sauce the vinegar/white wine/tarragon/shallot mixture should be reduced to about 2 tablespoons. It serves two purposes – concentrating the flavor and making sure the béarnaise sauce isn’t too thin.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, assuming you have a small food processor or blender. I also used an 8 inch cast iron skillet, a chef’s knife, medium cutting board, small sauce pan, liquid measuring cup, and measuring spoon.

The Verdict:
I made Steak with Béarnaise for Mike and I – thanks to the excellent advice from Ritchie both steaks turned out just the way we like them. The béarnaise sauce is just slightly fussy, but thanks to Ina’s make-ahead hot water trick I made some earlier in the day refrigerated it and it still turned out beautifully. Steak with Bearnaise might not sound like a week-night meal, but it honestly takes less than 30 minutes start to finish and, btw it’s delicious.