Recipes I've Got to Try (and some I have tried!)

Pacific Rim Glazed Flank Steak

SERVES 4 – 6

This grilled steak is the perfect main course for casual summer entertaining. It won Chris Freymuller the $25,000 grand prize in a National Beef Cook-Off.

1 cup prepared teriyaki marinade
1⁄2 cup chopped onion
1⁄3 cup honey
1⁄3 cup fresh orange juice
1 tbsp. dark sesame oil
1 large clove garlic, crushed and peeled
Pepper
1 2-lb. beef flank steak
Orange slices
Rosemary sprigs

1. In medium, shallow dish, combine teriyaki marinade, onion, honey, orange juice, oil, garlic, and pepper to taste; whisk until blended. Remove and reserve 3⁄4 cup of marinade for basting.

2. With sharp knife, lightly score both sides of flank steak in a crisscross pattern. Place steak in marinade in dish, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once.

3. Remove steak from marinade; discard marinade. Place steak on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, uncovered, 17–21 minutes for medium rare to medium, basting occasionally with reserved marinade and turning once.

4. Place remaining basting marinade in small saucepan; place on grid of grill and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, carve steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices; arrange on platter. Spoon hot marinade over beef, as desired. Garnish with orange slices and rosemary sprigs.

Flat Iron Steak with Herb Butter

4 8-oz. flat iron steaks
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper,
to taste
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
3 tbsp. roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 tbsp. roughly chopped chives
1 shallot, finely chopped
4 tbsp. canola oil

1. Rub steaks generously with salt and pepper and set aside to let rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. Combine the butter, parsley, chives, and shallots with a fork in a medium bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper; cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

2. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a 12" cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 steaks and cook, flipping once, until seared and medium rare, about 8 minutes. Transfer steaks to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining oil and steaks. To serve, smear each steak with 2 tbsp. of the herb butter.

Capellini with Shrimp and Creamy Tomato Sauce

Serves4

• Active time:10 min
• Start to finish:15 min

April 2008

The addition of the sweet vermouth here punctuates the natural sweetness of the canned tomatoes, making this quick sauce taste as if it’s been simmered for hours.

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lb peeled large shrimp
• 3 large garlic cloves, forced through a garlic press
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 cup sweet (red) vermouth
• 1 (14- to 15-oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 lb capellini (angel-hair pasta)

• Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then cook shrimp and garlic with oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, turning once, until golden, about 2 minutes total. Stir in vermouth and tomatoes, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of skillet. Add cream and briskly simmer until sauce has thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice.
• Meanwhile, cook capellini in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta-cooking water, then drain pasta.
• Serve immediately, topped with shrimp and sauce. Thin with some of reserved water if necessary.

Chipotle Pork Quichelettes

Makes 20 quichelettes

Tart Crust
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
11 tablespoons (5.5 ounces) butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, butter, egg, and salt together with a wooden spoon, or with a hand mixer on the lowest speed. Mix until the dough comes together into a cohesive mixture, rather than lots of individual lumps, and can be formed into a ball.

2. Grease the wells of a regular size muffin tin . You will need 20 separate muffin wells, so it will take multiple tins. On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a log about 15 inches long. Cut the log into 20 equally sized pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a ball and then flatten it slightly with your palms. Place the dough into a greased muffin tin and use your fingers to press the dough out and up the sides of the muffin well to shape the sides.

Filling
6 ounces lean ground pork
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chili
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon minced chives
2 eggs
1 cup half-and-half cream

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a skillet, cook the ground pork over medium heat until no longer pink. While it is cooking, season it with the ground chipotle chile and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt.

3. Sprinkle the sausage, cheddar cheese and chives into the tart shells. In a bowl, beat the eggs, cream, and remaining salt together until combined. Pour the mixture into the quichelette crusts until it reaches the top edge of the crusts.

3. Bake the quichelettes for 26-28 minutes or until slightly browned. Let them cool for about 10 minutes and then very gently lift them out with a butter knife and serve warm.