Diana’s Savory Flank Steak

This is a relatively easy dish to make, and will satisfy even the most particular person. It’s not called “savory” for no reason.

Flank steak used to be a very inexpensive cut of beef, but since more people have been utilizing it (guess they learned how to cook it and how delicious it is), the price has risen over the years.

Ingredients (Steak + Marinade)

·         FLANK STEAK, 1

·         RED WINE, Gallo burgundy, 1 cup

·         SOY SAUCE, 2 teaspoons

·         WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE, 1 teaspoon

·         SEASONED SALT, 2 teaspoons

·         GARLIC POWDER, ¼ teaspoon

Ingredients (Sauce)

·         MUSHROOMS, ½ pound sliced

·         CORNSTARCH, 2 teaspoons

·         WATER, ½ cup

·         WINE VINEGAR, 1 tablespoon

·         BUTTER (or margarine), 3 tablespoons

Directions

1.       Combine all the steak marinade ingredients for the steak into a marinade.

2.       Marinate the steak, covered, overnight.

3.       Bring to room temperature and broil for 4 minutes or until medium rare.

4.       Let stand for at least 10 minutes, reserving the pan juices.

5.       Sauté the mushrooms.

6.       Combine the cornstarch, water, and wine vinegar into a slurry.

7.       Bring the pan juices to a boil and reduce by half.

8.       Add in the mushrooms and the wine slurry.

9.       Thicken the sauce with the butter.

10.   Slice the steak into thin strips on an angle, against the grain, arrange on a serving plate and dress with the sauce.

White Bean Soup

Sometimes you’re just in the mood for a hearty bean soup, and this version – inspired by the Senate’s Navy Bean Soup – will hit the spot.

It’s basically just chop and boil, although it does take a few hours plus a preliminary overnight soaking. But, that soaking is important as it removes the oligosaccharides that can cause … er, bean gas. So whatever you do, once you soak the beans, don’t save the soaking water. Don’t drink it or cook with it or you’ll be sorryyyyyyy.

This soup is great with garlic toast.

Ingredients

·         NORTHERN WHITE BEANS, 1 pound dried

·         HAM HOCKS, 4 small, smoked

·         (Alternate) HAM BONE, 1 meaty bone

·         CARROT, 1 large

·         CELERY, 2 stalks

·         MASHED POTATOES, 1 cup

·         ONION, 1 large or 2 small, chopped

·         BUTTER. 2 tablespoons

·         GARLIC SALT to taste

·         BLACK PEPPER, freshly ground, to taste

Directions

1.       Soak the dried beans in a large pot of water overnight.

2.       Drain and rinse the beans, add to 3 quarts of boiling water in a large pot.

3.       Add the ham hocks.

4.       Cut the carrot and celery into 3-inch lengths and toss into the pot.

5.       Bring back to boil, cut back heat to low and simmer for 3 hours.

6.       Take out the ham hocks and set aside to cool.

7.       Take out the vegetables, reserving the carrots and tossing the celery.

8.       Chop the carrots into a small dice and return to the pot.

9.       Remove the meat from the ham hock bones, chop into small bits and return to the pot.

10.   Add the mashed potatoes to the pot, blending well.

11.   Sauté the chopped onions in the butter and add to the pot.

12.   Simmer for another 15-20 minutes.

Breakfast Dog

I often have this when I’m feeling lazy.

Just boil a hot dog and put it in a hot dog bun. Scramble some eggs and pile it on top. Then dress with salsa, or as pictured, with some creamy salsa verde dip (my recipe elsewhere in this blog).

Or, top it with anything else you want. Just make sure you get nice, plump hotdogs for this one.

Okay now. If you mess this one up, you’re beyond saving.

Tomato-ey Baked Chicken

It looks like a hunk and a glob of something the cat brought in, but deep within that pile of gooey stuff are a couple of the softest and moistest darned chicken thighs you’ve ever eaten in your life.

“Tomato-ey Chicken” was one of those dishes born when I was in college, scrounging around the freezer and cupboard, then throwing together whatever I found. I’ve since formalized the recipe into what it is today – yummy, cheesy, tomato-ey baked chicken.

Ingredients

·         CHICKEN THIGHS, 6

·         FLOUR, about ½ cup

·         OLIVE OIL, about ¼ cup

·         STEWED TOMATOES, 1 large can, drained

·         MAUI ONIONS, 2 medium, cut into wedges

·         MUSHROOMS, sliced, 1 small can, or 8 ounces fresh

·         GARLIC SALT, to taste

·         ITALIAN HERB MIX, commercial, 1 tablespoon

·         MOZZARELLA CHEESE, grated, 4 ounces

Directions

1.       Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2.       Trim off excess fat and skin from the chicken pieces.

3.       Dredge the chicken in flour.

4.       Brown the chicken in hot olive oil, remove and arrange in a glass baking pan, skin side up.

5.       Arrange the stewed tomatoes on top of the chicken.

6.       Distribute the wedged onions on and around the chicken.

7.       Add the mushrooms.

8.       Sprinkle lightly with garlic salt and the Italian herb mix.

9.       Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.

10.   Remove the foil, sprinkle with the Mozzarella cheese, turn the oven to “broil,” and broil for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is toasty brown and bubbling.

Feel free to substitute ingredients.

Creamy Salsa Verde Dip

This is a quick and easy chip dip. You can also use it for raw veggies, or perhaps as a marinade or dressing as well. It has only three ingredients, all of which are readily available. I love it on scrambled eggs in the morning.

In fact, you probably already have sour cream and mayonnaise, and will just have to get some green salsa (salsa verde) to complete the ingredient list. I use Herdez Salsa Verde (reviewed earlier in this blog).

Ingredients

• HERDEZ SALSA VERDE, 1½ cups (or 3 measures)
• SOUR CREAM, 1 cup (or 2 measures)
• MAYONNAISE, ½ cup (or 1 measure)

A “measure” can be any amount; just add the ingredients in the right proportions (just remember 3-2-1), mix until nicely blended, and refrigerate. If you like salsa verde, you’ll love this dip.

NOTE: You can use Herdez salsa verde right out of the jar, but your dip may be too liquidy. What I usually do is strain half of the salsa, saving the liquid for use at another time (it’s like a mild green Tabasco sauce).

Pico de Gallo

Also known as “Salsa Fresca,” this uncooked form of salsa adds freshness to whatever it’s eaten with. If you’re familiar with Hawaiian “lomi salmon,” it’s pretty much like that, except without the salmon.

My pico de gallo is made with a minimum of ingredients. Many versions use cilantro, but I absolutely dislike the stuff (to me, it tastes like soap). You can add it if you want to.

Pico de gallo is great on scrambled eggs in the morning, as a dip for taco chips, as an accompaniment to chili con carne, or just to munch on if you want something refreshing in the afternoon.

Ingredients

• TOMATOES, 6 ripe, semi-seeded, chopped
• ONIONS, 1 medium, finely chopped
• JALAPENO PEPPER, 2 medium, finely chopped
• LIME, 2 juiced
• GARLIC SALT, to taste

Directions

1. Cut the tomatoes in half horizontally, squeeze out the seeds and some of the juice.
2. Chop the tomatoes into 1/8-inch dice.
3. Chop the onions finely and add to the tomatoes.
4. Devein and deseed the jalapenos and chop finely. (If you want more heat, leave the veins in; if you want even more heat, leave the seeds in as well.) Add to the tomatoes and onions.
5. Squeeze in the juice of two limes.
6. Flavor with garlic salt to taste.
7. Mix well.
8. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors blend. Serve cold.

Surprise Fried Rice

Fried rice is one of those dishes that can be a side dish, but when I make it, fried rice becomes a whole meal in itself. I’ve had it Chinese style and American style. Either way is good with me.

All you need is left-over rice, preferably rice that’s sat overnight in the refrigerator. There’s something about refrigerated rice that creates better fried rice.

If you’ve got some leftover meat or vegetables from the night before, that’s even better. In fact, the name Surprise Fried Rice comes from the wife’s “recipe,” as she throws in anything she can find that’s in little leftover bowls. I’m sure you’ve all had some of those in your fridge.

Feel free to substitute anything you have. This recipe calls for two cups of rice, but you can use as much or as little as you want, depending on how much leftover rice you have, or how many people you have to feed.

Ingredients

• MIXED VEGETABLES, frozen, or leftover, 1 cup
• RICE, 2 cups cold precooked
• OYSTER SAUCE, 2 tablespoons
• SOY SAUCE, 3 tablespoons, plus 1 teaspoon for the eggs
• SUGAR, 1 teaspoon
• GARLIC SALT, to taste
• BLACK PEPPER, freshly ground to taste
• BACON, 4 slices
• MEAT OR SAUSAGE (Spam, Chinese lup cheon, Portuguese sausage, linguica, chorizo, smoked sausage, leftover steak, whatever), 1 cup, chopped into a small dice
• ONION, 1 small or ½ large, chopped
• GREEN ONION, two spears, chopped
• EGGS, 2, beaten

Directions

1. Put frozen mixed vegetables in boiling water or the microwave oven until hot. Drain and set aside.
2. If you’re using leftover vegetables, chop them into a small dice.
3. Mix the oyster sauce and soy sauce, and pour over the rice in a bowl. Mix the rice with your hands and put aside.
4. Chop the bacon into lardons and sauté until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy or near-crispy. Set aside.
5. Sauté the chopped meat and set aside, leaving any oil remaining in the pan.
6. Sauté the onions until soft but not browned, and set aside.
7. Add a teaspoon of soy sauce and the sugar to the eggs. Scramble and cook, breaking it up into little pieces. Set aside.
8. Fry the marinated rice in the pan, seasoning with garlic salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
9. Add in the all ingredients you set aside earlier and continue frying while mixing everything together. Make sure you stir continuously so the rice fries and browns but does not overcook and burn.
10. Stir in the chopped green onions, reserving some of the greener pieces to sprinkle on top for garnish.

Serve in a bowl or plate. If desired (for breakfast), fry an egg or two and slide them on top of the rice. To make fried rice with a Korean flavor, chop up some kim chee and add it to the rice in its final stages of heating.