Steak and Frites Our Way

Born to midwestern parents, I LOVE potatoes. But recently, something has taken their place in my heart. I'm not sure exactly when/how it happened, but I'm a very late comer to the cauliflower lover's group. Luke and I cannot get ENOUGH of these little white florets, most often seasoned with salt and pepper, tossed with olive oil and then an extra herb or spice to make them compliment the meal we're having that evening.

This meal is our twist on steak and frites and was a bit indulgent, but SOOOO good. Enjoy!

Steak and Frites Our Way

1 head of cauliflower, florets removed and cut into about 1-inch pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ounce Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 pound New York Strip steak, about 1 1/2 inches thick
2 large shallots, thiny sliced
2 tablespoons balsmic vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the cauliflower florest on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Season liberally with salt and pepper, add rosemary and drizzle olive oil, then toss until thoroughly coated. Bake 30-40 minutes, turning cauliflower once, until it starts to get browned and a little crispy. Remove from oven and top with Parmigiano Reggiano and serve immediately.

For the steak, preheat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Place one tablepoon butter in the pan and melt. Season steak heavily with salt and pepper, then place in skillet, careful not to move it, and sear about 3 minutes on each side. Then place in oven and let cook about 8 minutes, or until desired doneness is reached.

Remove skillet from the oven and set steak aside on a cutting board to rest. Return the cast iron to the stove top and heat to medium. Add the reserved tablespoon of butter and melt. Then add shallots and saute about 5 minutes, until caramelized. Add balsamic vinegar and cook until reduced, about 3-4 minutes. Serve balsamic shallot mixture over steak and enjoy!


Truffled Side Salad

4 ounces spring mix
1/2 teaspoon truffle oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Parmigiano Reggiano, fresh grated

Top spring mix with truffle oil, salt and pepper and Parmigiano Reggiano. Serve next to the steak and the delightful truffle hints will get picked up in every bite :)

Spicy Mediterranean Steak Salad

Well, I managed to survive vegan week, but it confirmed my joy for meat and dairy, so while I may enjoy a vegan meal every now and then, there won't be any big changes on Apron Adventures.

BUT, speaking of changes, this Apron will become a Mrs! My photographer, taste-tester and fellow contributor Luke proposed last week. Stay tuned for wedding details! In the meantime, be on the lookout for more health-conscious meals as this apron works to fit into the ultimate - a wedding dress! But, I do need to satisfy my palette, so no frou-frou here!

Spicy Mediterranean Steak Salad

1 pound skirt steak
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
3 small golden potatoes
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 jalapeno, seeded and sliced
6 ounces mixed greens
1/4 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup pitted olives, sliced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinaigrette

Marinade the skirt steak in 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt and pepper for about an hour. In the meantime, slice potatoes into 1/2 inch pieces, spread on a baking sheet and coat with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees for about 35 minutes, finishing on a broil if needed.

While potatoes roast, preheat a cast iron skillet on medium high heat, add remaining olive oil and cook steak 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove and set to rest about 5 minutes, then slice.

While the steak rests, saute onions, bell pepper and jalapeno for about 3 minutes. To assemble salad, toss greens, feta, olives, and vinaigrette with roasted potatoes and cooked vegetables, then top with steak. Enjoy!

5 Reasons...

...to get the March issue of Cooking Light. I tore through it last weekend, flagging about 15 recipes. Needless to say, every meal I made last week came straight from its pages. With that in mind, I wanted to share what I made last week since I didn't really create any of my own recipes!

1. Spicy Shrimp and Grits - this really was spicy and filling, and surprisingly good leftover. I think I went a little heavy on the parmesan, but it was worth it :)
2. Lamb and Chickpea Tagine - These were some unique flavors for me to use, and I even went a little heavier on the spice. Enjoyed with a zinfandel like they recommended, which was wonderful.
3. Pasta with Asparagus, Pancetta and Pine Nuts - Simple, delicious, and we ate too much. I crisped the pancetta in a skillet instead of the oven and then cooked the garlic in the drippings for extra flavor - yum :)
4. Maple and Soy-Glazed Flank Steak - this was great since I already had all the sauce ingredients in my pantry. Word of warning though, when you add the glaze, make sure not to get it on the pan or it will burn when you broil it! I'd recommend adding the glaze after the steak is done cooking.
5. Austin, TX! That's right, my sassy city has been featured in this month's Cooking Light. I haven't tried any of the recipes included on the featured restaurants yet, but I'll definitely be giving Hoover's Eggs Blindfolded over Garlic Cheddar Grits a try soon :)

Steak and Portobello Risotto

In case you haven't noticed, I don't prepare steak very often. Don't get me wrong, I like it, I just don't crave it as often as others. Luke was heading out of town, and it was a Saturday night, so it seemed like the perfect night to prepare a special, slow cooked meal. This takes a little time, but it's well worth it.

Steak and Portobello Risotto

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large portobello mushroom cap, cut into 1 inch pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound sirloin steak
2 cups arborito rice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup diced shallot
1/2 cup dry white wine, warmed
6 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup shredded parmesan

Heat a skillet on medium heat and warm 1 tablespoon oil. Add zucchini and mushroom to skillet and saute about 5 minutes, then season with salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.

Heat a cast iron skillet and spray with cooking spray. Rub down steak with salt and pepper, and cook in skillet about 5 minutes on each side, or until desired doneness is reached. Let rest 5 minutes, then slice. Set aside and keep warm.

Heat a large, heavy saucepan on medium low heat and warm 2 tablespoons oil. Add rice, garlic and shallot and cook, stirring constantly, 2-3 minutes. Stir in wine and cook until until absorbed by rice, then start adding the broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Once 1/2 cup has been absorbed, add another, until risotto is creamy. This should take about 20-30 minutes, and note that you may not use all of the broth. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper and stir in parmesan. Stir in vegetables, then top with steak. Enjoy!

Steak Tacos and Black Beans

My coworker Eric always has delicious homemade tacos everyday for lunch, so I decided to make my own steak tacos Friday night. I went a little crazy with sides and toppings (with the roommates' help!), so we had quite a feast. I also used a delicious spice combo that my friend Ivette gave me for Christmas which was Chili, oregano and salt to season the steak- the flavors really complimented one another.

Steak Tacos

2 pounds flank steak
1 tablespoon chili, oregano and salt mixture
1/4 cup Worchestershire sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil 2 avocados, sliced and divided
1 poblano pepper, roasted
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Corn tortillas
Optional:
2 mangos, peeled, pitted and sliced
1 cup shredded jicama
1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons cheddar cheese

Top steak with first 3 ingredients and marinade for 30 minutes to an hour. Heat a grill pan to medium high heat. Cook steak about 5 to 6 minutes on each side (for medium to medium rare). Remove from heat, let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice and serve.

Combine 1/2 avocado, pepper, sour cream and salt and pepper in a food processor and serve as sauce for tacos in corn tortillas. Top tacos with remaining avocado and mangos, jicama, cilantro and cheese as desired.

Black Beans

4 cloves garlic
1 cup chopped red onion
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
1 green bell pepper, halved, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup corn kernels
1 teaspoon chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add garlic and red onion and saute 2 to 3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and cook about 10 minutes. Serve with rice and cheddar cheese.

The boys also prepared fried yucca and plantains which were SO good. If I ask nicely, I'm sure I could get them to blog about it :)

The final product!

As an added bonus, I had some beans left. The next morning I made a southwestern scramble simply by scrambling 8 eggs then mixing in the beans for the last minute of cooking (I warmed them first) and topped with some cheese. Delicious!

Steak Salad with Roasted Red Pepper Dressing

As my grilling/red meat fetish continues, I realized on Saturday that I had a great coupon to Central Market for $10 off steak that expired the next day. Naturally I went straight there and bought a fabulous sirloin steak and started plotting. While scanning a burger section on the Gourmet site, I came across this recipe for a buffalo burger with roasted red pepper dressing that sounded delicious, so I prepared the dressing and formed a salad around it. The result was a delicious medley of flavors that everyone enjoyed!

Steak Salad with Roasted Red Pepper Dressing

Dressing

1 red bell pepper

1 clove garlic

1/2 cup buttermilk dressing

1/4 teaspoon hot Spanish smoked paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

Salad

1 1/2 pounds sirloin steak

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons steak seasoning

1 pound yukon gold potatoes

Olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

1 bag spring mix greens

2 whole carrots, sliced on diagonal

4 ounces onion and basil goat cheese

To make dressing, first roast red bell pepper in a broiler about 20 minutes, rotating occasionally. Place in a covered bowl or plastic bag abotu 10-20 minutes. Once cool enough, remove stem and seeds and place in food processor and pulse until smooth. Add remaining dressing ingredients and pulse until smooth.

Fire up the grill. Season steak with salt and pepper and steak seasoning, rubbing in on both sides. Grill until desired pinkness is reached (at my house we do half medium rare and half medium well to please everyone). Let steak rest a few minutes to let juices settle, then slice into strips.

In the meantime, preheat oven to 375 degrees and slice potatoes into bite-sized wedges. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake about 20 minutes. Once removed, add fresh chopped rosemary.

While potatoes are roasting, add spring mix, carrots and goat cheese to a bowl. Add in potatoes once done and toss. Divide onto 4 plates and top with steak strips. Then drizzle with salad dressing and enjoy!

I served this with sliced ciabatta bread drizzled with olive oil and a bit of fresh rosemary.

Asian Ginger Steak

**Update, I was a runner up in the contest and featured on the Whole Foods Market blog "What We're Reading" section-- http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2008/09/what-were-reading-5/

My friend and coworker (and fellow food blogger!) Jodi informed me about Whole Foods Market's Budget Recipe Challenge to create a meal that costs under $4 per person. I was intrigued and challenged by this. I usually start my meal creation with good intentions, then I always want to add more ingredients for additional flavors, nutrients or colors. This is a challenge in discipline, so I'm pretty excited with what I've come up with. And hey, the first 100 entrants get $25 to Whole Foods, which I'm not going to pass up!

Asian Ginger Steak with Stir-Fried Vegetables and Ginger-Infused Rice

2 inches ginger, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 limes
1/3 cup tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 pounds sirloin tip steak
Cooking Spray
1 1/2 cups 365 white enriched rice
1 16-ounce bag 365 frozen stir fry vegetables, thawed

Peel one inch fresh ginger and grate. Add ginger and minced garlic to a large zip lock bag. Next zest both limes. Add lime zest and juice to bag, along with 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce. Add salt and pepper and steak, and marinade for 30 minutes. Heat a grill pan on medium high heat and spray with cooking spray.

In the meantime, prepare rice according to instructions. Half way through cooking, add other inch of ginger, peeled. Once rice is done, remove ginger.

Once steak is done marinating, place on grill pan and cook about 5 minutes on each side for a medium steak. Remove from heat and let rest before slicing.

While rice and steak is cooking, heat a large skillet or wok on medium high heat. Add vegetables and remaining soy sauce and stir fry until cooked, about 3 minutes.

This recipe serves about .3 pound of meat per person, about 1/2 cup cooked rice and 1 cup vegetables.

Since the deadline is quickly approaching, I'm posting this recipe without testing it first. I plan on making this on Labor Day, at which time I'll add more pictures.

**Pictures now posted! :)

Wish me luck in my first food blog competition!

Budget Breakdown Per Person:
Ginger- $.12
Garlic- $.06
Lime- $.08
Soy Sauce- $.10
Salt and Pepper- $.05
Steak- $2.38
Cooking Spray- $.01
Rice- $.18
Vegetables- $.50

Total- $3.48