pease porridge

Grilled Skirt Steak with Tomato, Caramelized Butter, and Cumin

Ana Sortun is one of my favorite chefs, and I'm not generally much of a chef-worshipper.  I first ran into her in the pages of a Food & Wine magazine; she had written an amazing menu of vegetarian meze which, when combined, form the Voltron of vegetarian eating experiences.  I've had her cookbook, Spice, for a while now, but I've been lame about cooking anything from it. 

It's true that some of the recipes have hard-to-find ingredients, and some take some planning ahead, and some are just a lot of work for family dinner, but there are also plenty that are easy enough for everyday, so I've been playing catch-up.

In the introduction to her book, Sortun promises "dishes absolutely alive with flavors that leave guests ready for a night of dancing - not weighted down and ready for bed", and she absolutely delivers.  In fact, this food is so amazing I find it hard not to jump up and start dancing after a meal.

Skirt steak is, as Sortun mentions in this recipe, both flavorful and affordable.  Give it a good rub with cumin, oregano and paprika (or Aleppo chilies), and it's pretty good.  Top it with a garlicky tomato sauce and brown butter and it's scrumptious.  Slide the whole thing onto a thick pita bread to soak up the juices, and crown it with a grilled pepper, and it's amazing, and I think the beet tzatziki topping sent it on to something in the realm of the divine.

Okay, the recipe only calls for plain yogurt, which I'm sure is also heavenly, but since I had the beet tzatziki (about which, more in a later post) around anyway, on it went.

There are several parts to the recipe, but they're all wicked easy, and it came together in about forty-five minutes - it would take even less time if you have one person manning the sauce and another outside grilling.  Got your dancing shoes on?

Bangkok Style Grilled Chicken

When you're faced with the usual array of grilled suspects - hot dogs, hamburgers, steak tips - the grilled chicken is usually the least appetizing alternative.  Dry, bland, uninspiring hunks of (usually) white meat painted with some kind of red sauce clinging to it in singed clumps.

This chicken is nothing like that one.  A coconut milk-based marinade keeps it moist, and cilantro and curry paste (or even powder, if paste isn't on hand) add flavor without overwhelming the flavor of the meat.  I know, you're thinking 'chicken has flavor?', but I promise you that if you get your hands a on naturally-raised bird you will be surprised and delighted by the taste.

The recipe calls for two butterflied chickens, which is a great party option, but if you're so inclined you can also pick out whatever pieces you like at your butcher (I recommend wings and drumsticks).  Finally, the Sweet-and-Spicy Dipping Sauce is a treasure all on its own.  It manages to be not only sweet and spicy, but also tangy, and a perfect accompaniment to the chicken.