Dinner » The Saucy Coq

SEAR-ROASTED RIB STEAK w CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

Have you seen The Great Outdoors? The Ol’ 96′er? If not, I’ve just wasted a really good reference and you won’t get how this post relates to that movie. Thanks a lot. I would highly recommend putting it on the movie list. It’s a great classic comedy.

As you can tell by the photo above, I am not a vegetarian. I have never partaken in such trickery and do not plan to. Strangely enough, as much as I do like meat, I really don’t cook good steaks or roasts that often. I use ground beef and pork a lot, and I’m an avid seafood cook of all sorts. There’s something so incredibly satisfying about a plain ol’ steak. The primal feeling it gives me always reminds me of why I’m not a vegetarian; of why my body neeeeeeds meat. I can feel my blood getting warmer with each bite, my muscles growing. When I brought these home, I got a bit of a sideways look from my girlfriend. Yes, a nearly two pound steak is too much food. But on the other hand, shhhhhhh.

This method of cooking meat is a great way to produce a LOT of flavor with very little mess. It is also the way to go when you don’t have a grill at your disposal (my personal favorite). Searing the steaks first locks in the flavors and juices and gives you a really nice crust on the steak that will provide essential texture and taste.

Sear-Roasted Rib Steak

2 1.5 lb bone-in rib steaks
Unsalted butter
Grey sea salt (or regular if that’s what you got)
Fresh cracked pepper
1 tbsp oil

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a heavy-bottom ovenproof saute pan (I use a cast iron pan), heat the oil over high heat until very hot. Season the steaks with a little salt and pepper. Add the steaks to the pan and brown them well on one side, about 5 minutes. Turn the steaks and put the pan in to the oven to finish cooking, about another 5 minutes. This, of course, will depend on a variety of factors: how well you like your steak cooked, how thick they are, etc. If you’re new to cooking, use a meat thermometer. Otherwise, the best way to tell is just by touch. Feel the steaks and keep in mind that they will cook a bit more once they’re out of the oven.

Once done, LET THE STEAKS REST for 5 minutes. There are some rules that cannot be broken in cooking. This is one of them. It is essential to the quality of the meat (any meat) that it rests once it has finished cooking. Don’t cut in to it to test for done-ness. Resist slicing in to the meat as soon as it’s cooked. Letting the steak rest will allow the juices to re-absorb in to the meat and the protein to relax. I promise the meat will be exponentially better. I will repost this paragraph every time I talk about meat.

Chimichurri can be a sauce, a marinade or a rub. It’s an Argentinian concoction that, by some accounts, was named for an Irishman called Jimmy McCurry who first prepared it. Jimmy McCurry, being difficult for native Argentinians to pronounce, became Chimichurri. To be perfectly honest, I would much rather have my steak with Jimmy McCurry sauce. If it’s possible to make 28 oz steak more manly, it would most certainly be by adding Jimmy McCurry sauce. Whatever you want to call it, it’s an herb, citrus & oil mixture that is open to much interpretation. Classically, it is parsley, lemon, chili, garlic and oil. I’ve added in a few other herbs here and once in a while I’ll use some grated orange rind.

Chimichurri Sauce

parsley (1 bunch)
oregano (3 sprigs)
cilantro (handful)
4 garlic cloves
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 serrano chile
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

Put all ingredients, except the oil in a blender/food processor and slowly add the olive oil until combined. I like mine to have a bit of texture rather than being a paste, so I just pulse it a few times in the food processor until the oil is combined.

You can really make this any time you want as it will (probably) keep in the fridge for a while. I’ve never tested the lifespan of Chimichurri since I typically use it all in a few days, but it should last a few weeks. Marinate chicken, fish, beef, pork, even veggies in this before you cook them. Or, just use as a sauce like I did here. I bet this would even be delicious with French (excuse me…Freedom) fries.

I served this with some nice roasted fingerling potatoes and Cippolini onions with herbs.

Fingerling Potatoes

15 fingerling potatoes (1/2 pound)
4 sprigs of thyme
2 big springs of rosemary
5 cloves of garlic (unpeeled)
2 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper

Mix all in a bowl to coat the potatoes and onions. Spread the potatoes and onions out on a baking sheet and roast at 450 degrees for 25 minutes.

Enjoy the meat sweats!

ANYDAY POACHED EGGS ON TOAST AND VEG (CHEDDAR DOESN’T HURT)

When I was the much younger, much pickier kid I’ve already told you about, one thing I did happen to like was eggs. I loved when I’d get ‘treated’ to poached eggs. For some reason, I remember having them only for special occasions, but it was most likely just a weekend. Special enough of an occasion. It’s probably because, even now, I think of poached eggs as a rather ‘decadent’ way of eating eggs.

We used to have one of those egg poaching pans. This shallow, light-weight aluminum pan with three round plastic eggs cups inside. Boil an inch of water, drop the eggs in, put the lid on, and wait five minutes. The lid would come off the pan and undoubtedly burn me.

Now, I don’t have one of those crafty pans. And, I don’t want one. The eggs come out resembling something like an Egg McMuffin. More importantly, there’s no room in the kitchen for another piece of niche cookware.

Poaching eggs is very easy and you can have them for breakfast, brunch, lunch, high tea, supper, dinner and midnight snack. So, learn to make them properly.

Poached Eggs on French Bread and Sauteed Veg

Serves One

2 large eggs
3 cups water
1 tbsp white vinegar
Pinch of salt
Ice
French Baguette

Add a couple inches of water, enough to cover the eggs, and a pinch of salt to a sauce pan and bring to a boil. While the water heats up, crack your eggs in to separate, small bowls to avoid breaking the yolks when you add the eggs to the water.

Once the water is boiling, add the vinegar and turn the element down until you have a slow simmer going in the water. If the water is too hot and boiling too fast, your eggs will break. Next, add the vinegar to the water. Vinegar helps the egg to hold its shape by causing the outer layer of the egg white to congeal faster. Otherwise you’ll get a web of white egg in your water. Personally, I actually like the taste of a bit of vinegar on my poached eggs, and have even added tarragon vinegar before for a bit of a twist. Recommended.

I like to give the water a spin with a spoon before I drop the eggs in. Literally. Just start moving the water around in a circle until there’s a little eddy in the middle. Then, drop your eggs in one at a time. The spinning water helps to further bring the egg whites together giving you nice, firm balls (ahem).

Most people like hard egg whites and a soft yolk, which takes about 6 minutes with this method. But, I generally just judge by feeling the egg. Lift one out with a slotted spoon at about 5 minutes and give it a little squeeze. It’ll be easy to tell how cooked the egg is. BUT, the most important part of this process to remember is that the eggs will continue to cook once you take them out. So, remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and place in to an ice bath when they’re to your liking to stop the cooking.

I happened to have some veggies (zucchini, asparagus, onion) that I BBQ’d with herb oil left over from the night before. I brushed some baguette slices with a bit of olive oil, toasted them in the oven, and topped the toast with the veggies and put the eggs on top. A few shavings of sharp cheddar, some cracked black pepper and some Hawaiian black salt, and, goodnight sweetheart.

SAUCY CODFISH TACOS

I don’t have a story behind these fish tacos, I just love the flavors in them. And who’s not in to deconstructed meals that you have to piece together yourself? Seriously, who? Give me their name. I won’t say I got it from you. It’s a great family-style meal to serve, and if you have kids for some reason, this will get them in to eating some fish!

It’s always so much more rewarding when you have to work to eat your food. Work up a bit of a sweat; kick your salivary glands in to overdrive as you agonize about how much of each ingredient to pile in to that taco shell. How much can you pile in to that shell?? Oh, wait! Do I even want to fill it as much as I can? Maybe I want to have four smaller tacos instead of two huge tacos.

When I made this, I actually wanted to use Mahi Mahi, but there was none left at the fish counter. On top of that, the cod was super cheap. Really, any flaky white fish will do, but Cod is generally the easiest on the wallet.

I served this with a Peach Radish Salsa.

Cod Fish Tacos

1 lb flaky white fish (mahi mahi, cod)
¼ cup vegetable oil
Juice of 1 lime
1 bunch of cilantro, divided
1 tbsp chili powder
1 Serrano chili
Flour tortillas
Shredded white cabbage
Thinly sliced red onion

Saucy’s Mayonnaise (adapted from Tyler Florence)

1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 chipotles in adobo, plus 1 tablespoon of adobo sauce
1 tbsp lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Place fish in a medium size dish. Whisk together the oil, lime juice, cilantro, chili powder and Serrano and pour over the fish. Let marinate for 15 to 20 minutes.

I used a cast iron pan to cook this fish cause I didn’t feel like going up to the roof to use the BBQ. Both would work great, but you might lose some of the flaky fish in the BBQ unless you have a fine grill. And skills. Heat the cast iron pan on medium-high until just barely smoking. Remove the fish from the marinade and get it in the pan. Sear the fish for 4 minutes on the first side and then flip for 30 seconds and remove. Let rest for 5 minutes then flake the fish with a fork.

Prepare the Mayo:

Put the chipotles in a blender and puree until smooth. Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, adobo sauce and lemon juice and continue to process until the mixture is creamy & saucy. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to use.

Warm the tortillas in the pan for 20 seconds, or better yet, over an open flame (I use my gas stove).

I like setting up the tacos “family-style”. Assemble the fish in a pile on a plate, hanging out with the pink chile mayonnaise and peach-radish salsa. Arrange a pile of shredded cabbage, cilantro leaves, chopped red onion and lime wedges next to the fish.

Go to town!

‘CHAMPAGNE’ RISOTTO w SEARED SEA SCALLOPS

Although a rice dish, risotto is soooo much more than a side. It’s creamy, comforting texture and it’s ability to hold flavors and ingredients grant risotto admission to my party.

Having missed about 25 good years of risotto eating, I’ve been trying to make up for lost time. In the grand scheme of things, risotto takes a bit more effort than you might be willing to invest for a home cooked meal. But, give it a few goes and you’ll quickly have it down to a science…promise! Once you’ve got the basic technique down, you’ll have a whole new arsenal of dishes to impress your guests (or yourself) with. The possibilities are about as varied as a sandwich.

It’s worth mentioning that risotto IS actually the technique of cooking the rice itself. The rice used is generally Arborio rice. I say that there is a “technique” to making risotto, because there are a couple of broad strokes that have to be followed each time. In short: sautee your basics (onion, celery, garlic, herbs, etc), stir in the rice, add alcohol (white wine, vermouth, bubbly) and add stock a ladle-full at a time until cooked. The rest is up to you.

I saw a recipe for a Champagne risotto. C’mon. I don’t buy Champagne to drink, let alone to pour in to a pan. I’m in the Prosecco league, at best. If you have the luxury of using Champagne instead, please be my guest, and, let’s hang out. But, add some asparagus, prosciutto and sea scallops and Robin Leach will have your number.

‘Champagne’ Risotto with Seared Sea Scallops

4 thin slices prosciutto
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock
12 asparagus spears, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
3/4 cup Arborio rice
3/4 cup Prosecco (vermouth or dry white wine will work as well)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

4 large sea scallops
1 tsp unsalted butter
1 tsp olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Place the slices of prosciutto on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake about 6 minutes at 350 degrees until the prosciutto is almost completely crisp. Reserve for garnish.

In a saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Blanch the asparagus in the chicken stock for 2 minutes. Remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon and set aside. Keep the chicken stock at a low simmer.

In another medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallot and celery and sweat over moderate heat until tender, about 6 minutes. You’re not looking to color the veg here, just soften it. Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat. Continue toasting the rice, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes more.

Add the Champagne, turn up the heat and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add a ladle-full of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth a ladle at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes total. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in the asparagus, remaining butter, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Put a lid on the pan and leave the risotto to rest for a minute.

Meanwhile, heat a cast iron pan (or any heavy bottom pan) to high heat and add the butter and oil. Salt and pepper the scallops. Once the pan just begins to smoke, add the scallops and sear on each side for 1 1/2 minutes, until you have a golden crust on each side, but the center is transleuscent.

Spoon the risotto into serving dishes and drizzle with olive oil and lemon zest. Break up the crisp prosciutto into smaller pieces and scatter over the top of the risotto. Top with seared scallops.

Goodnight sweetheart.

CRISPY BAKED SHRIMP

Two crispy panko breaded shrimp on a bed of arugula, strawberry, almond salad

I. Love. Seafood. That’s really all I need to write for this post. That’s how much I love it. There’s nothing more to say. In fact, if you loved it as much as I do, you would’ve stopped reading by now…just threw your hands up and went out somewhere.

This crispy, lemony shrimp is delicious and pretty healthy. I’m not exactly a sucker for healthy food, but when I do make things that are relatively good for you, it’s certainly a bonus worth pointing out. The only part of this recipe that takes much effort is the breading of the shrimp, and it’s not difficult. The recipe below serves two people as a main course.

Crispy Baked Shrimp:

olive oil

a few handfuls of breadcrumbs

handful of parsley, finely chopped

zest and juice of a lemon, plus extra for serving

handful of freshly grated Parmesan

12 medium (or 8 large king) shrimp, cleaned and peeled

flour for coating

2 eggs, whisked

sea salt and pepper

Simple Salad:

3 handfuls of arugula

8 strawberries, sliced

slivered almonds, toasted

balsamic vinegar

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Heat your oven to 425 F. Now, make the breading. I love using Panko breadcrumbs whenever possible. They’re made without the crust of the bread, so they’re crispier and fluffier. Mix the breadcrumbs, parsley, lemon zest and a shot of olive oil in a bowl. Spread this out on a baking pan to dry.

Now, set up your breading station: bowl of flour, bowl of beaten eggs, breadcrumbs. Toss the shrimp in the flour and shake off the excess; dip them in the egg and coat them with the breadcrumbs. Make sure they are completely coated. Use your hands and get dirty. Remove the shrimp so you can clean off the baking sheet and rub it with olive oil. Finally, bake your shrimp in that sweet, hot oven for about 10 minutes. Flip them after 5 if you want them evenly browned. Don’t worry if you forget.

While the shrimp is baking, toss together the arugula, strawberries and almonds with a bit of lemon juice, olive oil and a splash of balsamic.

Once the shrimp is done, sprinkle it with a bit of salt and serve it on top of that salad you just tossed. Pun intended.

Serve it with a chunk of lemon.