What's for Dinner?
Smoked Paprika Marinated Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce (Serves 4- 6)
Note: Look for smoked paprika at Penzey's Stores or online at www.penzeys.com; Whole Foods Markets and at Surfas in Culver City or their online site www.culinarydistrict.com. This recipe is also delicious using Skirt Steak.
Marinade 1/4 cup sherry or red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons smoked paprika
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 Flank steak (1 1/2 -2 pounds)
Whisk ingredients together and place in a resealable plastic bag with the flank steak. Marinate in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight before grilling.
Chimichurri Sauce
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 medium shallots, peeled and quartered
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
3 cups packed stemmed Italian parsley
2 cups packed stemmed cilantro
1 cup packed mint
Combine the first 8 ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth. Add ½ of the parsley, cilantro and mint. Blend until smooth. Add remaining herbs and blend to a coarse paste. Can be made up to 6 hours ahead, cover and chill.
Remove steak from refrigerator 1 hour before grilling. Drain from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Oil barbecue grill racks and set heat to medium-high. Grill steak turning once to desired doneness. An internal temperature thermometer will read 135-140 for rare to medium rare. Remove steak from grill; rest for 10 minutes. Slice steak into very thin diagonal pieces. Place on serving platter and spoon Chimichurri Sauce over the top and serve. |
 Peaches are at their peak of the season so why not use them for dessert? Choose peaches that feel heavy and yield slighlty to gentle pressure.
Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone Cheese and Amaretti Cookies
(Serves 10)
canola oil
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
1/3 cup toasted and coarsely chopped almonds
6 Amaretti Di Saronno cookies, crumbled
1 tablespoon brown sugar
5 firm ripe yellow peaches
Vanilla bean ice cream
Heat the barbecue grill to medium and oil the grill racks. Combine the cheese, almonds, cookies and brown sugar in a bowl. Cut peaches in half and remove the pits. Lightly coat cut side with canola oil. Place peaches cut side down on hot barbecue rack. Grill until a knife can easily be inserted into peach and you see light grill marks, 5-7 minutes depending on the grill. Turn over with a spatula and spoon a large tablespoon of the cheese mixture into the center. Continue grilling until mixture softens and starts to melt, about 2-4 minutes. Place in bowls and serve with a scoop of ice cream.
|
Testimonials
Our friend organized a cooking "class" with four couples and Mary Ellen last month, and we haven't stopped talking about the night since! We didn't know what to expect, especially since we had all levels of "cooks" in the room. She allows everyone to be 100% hands-on and every single one of us took something away from the night- all while having such a great time. We have cooked several of the courses again, and hope to get another group together soon with Mary Ellen. She was absolutely fantastic and a perfect teacher for all of us.
Chad W.
Manhattan Beach, CA
|
