Thai-Style Steak Dinner Salad

This is a wonderful dinner salad, perfect when you have some leftover cooked steak. Add some crusty bread and you have a great dinner. It would also work with leftover roasted chicken.

















Leftovers from whatever cooked steak you have on hand, sliced in ½-inch strips
Greens (a large handful or two for each person eating): romaine, red leaf or whatever mix of greens you have on hand
½ cup fresh mint, sliced
2 green onions, sliced on the diagonal
½ cup toasted salted peanuts, chopped coarsely, optional

Thai vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or hot pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix together all the ingredients in the vinaigrette. Taste for seasoning and adjust as you desire.
2. Mix enough of the vinaigrette with the cooked steak to moisten it nicely.
3. Combine the greens, fresh mint, and green onions in a salad bowl.
4. Add the remaining vinaigrette to the greens. Toss well.
5. Pile the greens on dinner plates. Top the salads with the steak, pouring the vinaigrette from the steak bowl over all.
6. If you wish, sprinkle the toasted peanuts over the salads.

The number of servings depends on the amount of cooked steak you have. If you have a lot, you may need to increase the amount of the vinaigrette. The amount given would serve 4 for dinner with some crusty bread.
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living’s Great Food Fast

Menu 13: A Simple Steak Dinner

Bistro-style Steak with Sauce Marchand
This is a good-sized piece of meat on a small plate. I was only able to eat about half of it. The rest will go into a dinner salad. I'll give you the recipe later this week.

2 rib steaks, ½ to ¾ inch thick or up to 1 inch
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup minced shallots
½ cup dry red wine or a bit more
Salt and pepper to taste for the sauce

1. Trim the steaks of external fat. Pat them dry; sprinkle with salt, pepper and thyme, pressing the seasonings into both sides.
2. Heat a heavy nonstick skillet or cast iron frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the butter. When it has melted and is near sizzling, put the steaks in the pan, searing them for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, depending upon the thickness of the steaks and how you like them cooked. (Four minutes per side works for a 1-inch room temperature steak, if you like medium rare.) Keep the heat high, but don’t let the butter burn. (I hate testing for doneness by cutting into the steak, but sometimes you just have to do it.) When the steaks are done to your liking, remove to a warm platter and loosely cover with foil while you prepare the sauce.
3. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the pan juices. Return the skillet to the heat and add the shallots; sauté until they are translucent. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits clinging to it.
4. Reduce the wine by half (it will thicken), then stir in the remaining butter. Taste for salt and pepper; add more as desired. Pour the hot sauce over the steaks.

2 servings with plenty left over 
Adapted from editors Michael Bauer and Fran Irwin’s The San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook

French Potato Salad

2 pounds small potatoes
2 tablespoons salt for the boiling water (if using the boiling method)
¼ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoon chopped green onions or chives
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

1. Scrub the potatoes.
2. Place the potatoes in a steamer basket in a pot with water filled to the bottom of the basket. Turn on the heat and steam the potatoes for 20-30 minutes depending on their size. Test regularly with a sharp knife. They are done when the knife goes through the potato with no resistance. Check the water under the basket to make sure it doesn’t boil dry.
OR
Place the potatoes in a saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Add 2 tablespoons salt. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10-13 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a small knife.
3. Whichever method you choose, when the potatoes are done, drain and cool slightly. Peel if you’d like.
4. Cut the potatoes into quarters or sixths, depending on the size, and place them in a large shallow serving dish.
5. Pour the wine over the warm pieces and toss very gently. Set aside until the potatoes have absorbed the wine.
6. Beat together the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl until the salt has dissolved. Gradually add the oil and whisk until thickened. Stir in the green onions or chives.
7. If any of the wine is lingering in the bottom of the dish, pour it out. Then pour the dressing over the potatoes and toss gently. Recheck seasonings and adjust if necessary. Remember that potatoes often need for plenty of salt. Sprinkle with parsley.

6 servings
Adapted from The New York Times Sunday Magazine, July 8, 2001

Oven-Roasted Asparagus
This is the first asparagus of the season and I just couldn't resist passing along a recipe which many of you probably already know. It is a great easy way to prepare this harbinger of spring.

















1½-2 pounds asparagus, avoid pencil-thin if you can
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse or regular salt

1. Prepare the asparagus by snapping off the bottom of the stalks at the place where they break.
2. Preheat the oven to 475ºF.
3. Toss the asparagus with the olive oil. Spread out on a low-sided cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper or silpat.
4. Place the asparagus in the oven for 10 minutes. Shake to turn. Test for doneness. If the stalks are soft, remove from the oven. If not, return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes. If you use pencil-thin asparagus, decrease the time.
5. Remove from the oven, salt lightly, and serve.

Note: If something else is in the oven at a lower temperature, you can put the asparagus in there and watch it until it’s done. Of course, it will take a bit longer than the above times, but it’s just fine. When it’s done, remove it from the oven. You can return it briefly to reheat if you wish.

4 servings
Adapted from Crescent Dragonwagon’s Passionate Vegetarian

Katherine's Birthday Dinner

Braised Short Ribs

6 beef short ribs (about 3½-5 pounds) cut in half (best to have your butcher do it)
3 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
4 shallots or ½ red onion, peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick
5 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons flour
¼ cup ruby port
3½ cups full-bodied red wine
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
6 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
1 bay leaf
4 cups chicken stock
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
2 ribbons of orange or tangerine peel, optional
Parsley, coarsely chopped

1. Season the short ribs with 2 teaspoons of salt and the 2 teaspoons pepper. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan, over high heat until it is close to smoking. Brown the short ribs well on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the ribs and set aside. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat.
2. Lower the heat to medium, and add the carrots, onion, shallots, and garlic to the pan. Sauté for 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and light brown. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the flour and stir well to combine. Add the port, red wine, celery, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Raise the heat to high and cook until the liquid is reduced by a third, about 20 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 325ºF while the wine is reducing.
4. Return the ribs to the pan, along with any accumulated juices. Add the stock and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. The stock should barely cover the ribs. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 to 3 hours. (My 5 pounds took about 2½ hours.) Visit the pot occasionally to stir the ribs. They’re done when the meat is fork tender and falling off the bone.
5. Remove the bones and gelatinous material (scissors work well) from the ribs and transfer the meat to a bowl or plate. Skim any fat from the surface of the sauce. Strain the sauce through a sieve into a second bowl. Press on the vegetables to release as much liquid as you can. Discard or compost the solids. Return the sauce to the pan.
6. Over medium heat, bring the sauce to a strong simmer. Add the cinnamon and orange peel, if desired. Check the consistency of the sauce. If it is like thick cream, you don’t need to do anything except warm it for a few minutes. If it is thin like skim milk, cook it over high heat until it thickens up a bit. If it is too thick, add a little more stock or wine and simmer gently to heat.
7. Return the ribs to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes to reheat. Remove the orange peel. Transfer to a warm serving platter or shallow bowl. Garnish with parsley and serve.

6 servings
Adapted from Keith McNally, Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson’s The Balthazar Cookbook

Wasabi Mashed Potatoes

3 pounds white potatoes
2 tablespoons butter, cubed
3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1½ cups half-and-half
1 tablespoon wasabi paste (more if you want)
½ cup chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste (remember that potatoes take a lot of salt)

1. Scrub, peel and cut the potatoes into large chunks. As you cut them up, put them in a bowl of water to keep them from changing color.
2. Drain the cut-up potatoes, place them in a 4-quart pan, and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Check their doneness by sticking a knife into the fattest chunk. If it goes right through without reaching a hard place, the potatoes are done. Try not to overcook.
3. Drain well and squeeze through a potato ricer into a bowl if you wish or just put them in a bowl.
4. Warm the butter and half-and-half in the microwave. Add the garlic and begin to mash; add the warmed butter and milk, continuing to mash until the mixture is as smooth as you like it. If you need more half-and-half, warm it first. Add the wasabi, salt, and chopped parsley. Serve warm in a warmed bowl.

You can make this slightly ahead of time. Reheat gently in a pan on the top of the stove or in the microwave. Sometimes you need to add a bit more warm half-and-half if the potatoes stiffen up while waiting.

6 or more servings
Adapted from The Junior League of Honolulu, Inc.’s Aloha Days Hula Nights

Caramelized Carrot Salad

½ cup pine nuts
3 pounds carrots, peeled
1 teaspoon sugar, optional
¾ cup olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced preserved lemon peel or zest from 1 lemon
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves

1. Heat the oven to 400ºF.
2. Spread the pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Watch them carefully; they burn so easily. Transfer the nuts to a plate and set aside to cool.
3. Slice the carrots into thin ovals or rounds by hand or using a food processor.
4. Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add about half of the carrots to the pan and allow them to caramelize and brown, stirring only occasionally. This should take 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Transfer the carrots to a medium bowl and season with salt and half the sugar, if desired. Repeat the process with the remaining carrots.
6. Mix together the shallot and the lemon juice and set aside to macerate for 10 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and slowly pour in 6 tablespoons olive oil, whisking constantly until the dressing is well combined.
7. Add the pine nuts, preserved lemon peel or zest, parsley, and mint to the carrot bowl. Add the dressing and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

4-6 servings
Adapted from Jim Denevan’s Outstanding in the Field

Everyday Green Salad with Papaya Seed Dressing
The salad from my September 8, 2009 blog.
Just add avocado.
The dressing on my January 30, 2010 blog.

Apple Almond Crisp
From my October 30, 2009 blog.