cayenne

Earthworms, Salamanders and Flank Steak. Let's Eat!

31 Aug 2011
open-faced flank steak sandwiches with figs

Today I have a recipe and a wine pairing Open-Faced Flank Steak and Arugula Sandwiches with Fig & Red Onion Jam which my brother paired with  Buehler Zinfandel Napa Valley 2009. But I also have a confession and a conundrum I'd like to present.

Here's the confession: I like steak. Especially rib-eye. But I wasn't an immediate convert to flank steak, or so I thought. Partly because I perceived it as tough. And I don't mean chewy. I like a chewy steak (a chewy, bloody steak). But most of the flank steak presented to me as an adult was overdone and improperly carved. Making it way more than chewy.

Here's the conundrum: Why did it take me so long to “discover” flank steak? My mother had a recipe for flank steak (marinated in Worcestershire and garlic) that I had been eating almost since birth. And I loved it. It was something my dad called earthworms and salamanders.

You can easily see how a sophisticated grown up gourmande (such as myself) might eschew a dish with a name like that. So somewhere between the earthworms of my childhood and the rib-eyes of my adulthood I lost track of flank steak. Surely it wasn’t my fault, I am an adventurous eater. So how to explain it?

Sippity Sup Continues »
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Open-Faced Flank Steak and Arugula Sandwiches with Fig & Red Onion Jam

Open-Faced Flank Steak and Arugula Sandwiches with Fig & Red Onion Jam
By jgreghenry Published August 30, 2011
Prep time: 5
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 2 T granulated sugar
  • 1 pn cayenne pepper, or to taste
  • 1 t salt, plus more as needed
  • 1 large red onion, chopped
  • 1 lb fresh figs (any type), halved lengthwise
  • 2 oz walnuts, toasted (1/3 cup)
  • 1 pn black pepper, pluse more as needed
  • 0.5 c balsamic vinegar
  • 0.75 c olive oil
  • 1 pn red pepper flakes, or to taste
  • 1 (1 ½- to 1 ¾-pound) beef flank steak
  • 1 bn arugula, washed and dried
  • 0 parmesan cheese, thinly sliced or grated to taste

Directions

Make the jam: Combine sugar, cayenne, and teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly colored, about 12 minutes. Add 1/3 of the figs, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon sugar mixture, and cook, stirring often, until sugar caramelizes, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly, then pulse onion-fig mixture and walnuts in a food processor, adding a drizzle of water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. (Jam can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

Marinate the steak: Whisk together a pinch of black pepper, vinegar, oil, and red pepper flakes in a large shallow dish. Add the steak and turn to coat. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours, turning every 2 hours.

Grill the steak: Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat until quite hot. Remove the steak from the marinade, letting most of it drip off. Season with salt and pepper. Grill, uncovered until lightly charred and crusty, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn steak over, moving to a cooler part of the grill, or reduce the heat to medium if using a grill pan. Cook until medium-rare, 3 to 4 minutes more. Do not go much past medium-rare as flank steak gets tough when overcooked. Remove the steak to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into 1/2-inch thick slices against the grain of the meat.

Roast the figs: Preheat oven to 400. Place remaining figs, cut sides up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture. Roast until tender and caramelized on cut sides, about 10 minutes. Spread 3 tablespoons onion-fig mixture on each slice of bread. Top each with arugula, cheese, steak slices and several warm fig halves, and cut into 3 or 4 pieces. Serve immediately.

Source: Inspired by Martha Stewart and Bobby Flay

Fried Anchovies- Simply The Best

02 Mar 2011
fried anchovies from sippity sup

It's this simple. Life can be simple. Food can be simple.

You might not believe me, but one of life’s simple pleasures is a plate of deep fried anchovies. I served mine with crusty bread, cherry tomatoes, and a simple glass of wine. This is eating at its most elemental. First there is bread and wine. I think they are classic elements, like earth, water and air. But anchovies belong on that list too. Because there is no escaping the simple truth– when you eat anchovies, you are eating a fish. Man has been eating like this since biblical times. I am sure you know the story of fish, bread and wine.

But today anchovies are grossly misunderstood. I think it is because in the last few generations we modern folk have gotten too far away from understanding what our food is and where it comes from. Sure we get it on an intellectual level. A fish is a creature that comes from the sea. But even those of us who love fish often won’t touch a fish that actually looks like a fish. No bones, no skin, no scales, no heads, no eyes. Certainly no eyes! So the idea of popping a whole fish in our mouths, bones and all, sends a little modern day shiver down our spines.

Sippity Sup Continues »
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Fried Anchovies

fried anchovies
By jgreghenry Published February 28, 2011
Prep time: 15
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb whole fresh, or cleaned and marinated anchovies (not the salted or tinned variety)
  • 2 c olive oil
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1.5 c flour
  • 0.25 t cayenne pepper
  • 0 salt and black pepper to taste
  • 0 cherry tomatoes, as needed
  • 0 crusty bread
  • 0 extra virgin olive oil, for dipping bread, optional

Directions

If you are using whole, fresh anchovies you must clean them first. Pull off the heads and pull out the insides. Then rinse with clean water. Pour the olive oil into a small deep saucepan set over heat. Use a deep fry thermometer to monitor the heat. Meanwhile, add the eggs to a small bowl and beat until well mixed. Add the flour, cayenne, salt and black pepper to a shallow bowl, use a fork to mix the ingredients together. Dip the fish one at a time into the beaten eggs and then roll it in flour. When the oil reaches 365 degrees F. fry the fish a few at a time, rolling them around in the oil to assure even cooking until they are golden brown (about 5-8 minutes). Serve with crusty bread, extra-virgin olive oil for dipping the bread (optional) and tomatoes.

Notes:

serves 4 as a tapas or appetizer

Can I Make Butternut Squash Tart with Anchovies? Just Try and Stop Me!

10 Feb 2011
Butternut Squash Tart

Butternut Squash Tart with Romaine Lettuce and Anchovy Vinaigrette. Hmmm, you say?

That's some unholy mashup of taste and texture. Maybe you should boil some water. Maybe I am pregnant. Because squash and anchovy cravings may seem a bit odd to quite a few folks.

But what can I say? I had an itch to make a butternut squash tart, and a craving for anchovies. So I made a recipe up that satisfied both the itch and the craving. It's loosely based on a custard-style pumpkin pie. Only my version is fully savory. I knew it would be good before I even started making it. Still I figured it needed a little yin for its yang.

Butternut squash, especially when roasted as it is in this recipe, gets a certain sort of savory sweetness that really satisfies. So I figured the yin of those complex caramelized sugars would balance nicely with the yang of something salty. I also knew it needed something fresh and crisp. A salad would be perfect. But it neeeded to be a simple salad, really more of a crunchy garnish– so that the creamy texture of the squash tart could still rule the plate.

I decided on chiffonades of crunchy baby romaine leaves. Well once romaine was decided, it wasn't too far a reach to start considering anchovies. The Caesar salad has assured that these 2 ingredients will always be considered partners.

Sippity Sup Continues »
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