@CommonsCooks: Steak Your Claim To Great Summer Taste

For many Americans, summer time grilling season can be the best time to eat steak. Combined with the easy availability of farm fresh summer veggies like eggplant, zucchini, summer squash and bell pepper, steak lovers can elevate their meaty meal with this simple, easy to prepare ‘salad’ dish.

           

Any cut of steak goes well with this recipe but we recommend hangar steak, a.k.a. the “butcher’s steak” (the meat cutters of yore would keep this cut for personal use because of its rich flavor and tender texture.)

Regardless of your favorite, when it comes choosing steak, be sure to remember the following:

• Ask your local butcher what’s best. It’s important to have a cut in mind and how much steak you want to buy, but a good butcher can steer you to the freshest cuts and best values.

• Understand the ‘grades.’ The U.S. government assigns four different grades to meat found in supermarkets and three are sold as steak. Ratings are based on tenderness, juiciness and flavor. “USDA Prime” is the most expensive and hardest to fine steak (less than 2% of American meat falls into this category) identified by significant ‘marbling’ (fat interspersed with lean meat.) “USDA Choice” offers very high quality with less marbling and is available in most supermarkets. “USDA Select” is widely available and features uniform, lean cuts.

• Fresh meat is red meat. Fresh steak will have a very bright red color. Meat slowly turns less red and changes to dark red with the passage of time. For darker cuts of steak, avoid meat with a distinctive sour smell or the hint of ammonia. Steaks that feel sticky at home should be returned for a refund.

As always, check out “Grocery Guru” below for the best places to get fresh, local ingredients. And, of course, do share pictures of your dinner creation with us and other residents on our Facebook page!

Grilled Summer Steak ‘Salad’

Prep and cook time: 40 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Veggie prep tip:  Cook veggies in batches, allowing more time for peppers and eggplant. This will prevent burning and/or uneven cooking.

Ingredients

·         1 pound hangar steak (or your favorite cut)

·         Salt (to taste)

·         Pepper (to taste)

·         1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grill

·         ¼ cup fresh rosemary (stems removed)

·         ¼ cup fresh thyme (stems removed)

·         3 garlic cloves, minced

·         1 eggplant, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

·         1 zucchini, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

·         1 summer (yellow) squash, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

·         2 tomatoes, halved

·         1 bunch scallions

·         1 sweet bell pepper (any color), sliced  (remove seeds and stem)

·         ¼ cup favorite steak marinade/flavoring  such as:

·         Worcestershire Sauce

·         Teriyaki Sauce

·         Balsamic vinegar

·         Allegro

·         1 loaf, fresh bread (wheat, French or Italian)

·         (If cooking indoors, cast iron pan)

INSTRUCTIONS

1.       Heat a grill to medium-high or 400 degrees

2.      Clean grill, then apply small amount of oil to hot grill rack by pouring onto paper towels

3.       Wash, dry  and coarsely chop rosemary and thyme, and mince garlic

4.      Combine oil, rosemary, thyme and garlic in small bowl and set aside

5.      Slice all vegetables except for scallions

6.      Place herbed oil into small saucepan and heat on stove over low heat until first sign of ‘smoke’

7.       Remove herb oil from heat and set aside to cool

8.      Brush steak with herb oil, applying generously, then season with salt and pepper

9.      Grill steak for 18 minutes (for medium rare), turning once halfway through cooking time then remove from grill, cover with aluminum foil and set aside for 10 minutes

10.   Brush veggies with remaining oil, applying generously, then season with salt and pepper. Grill in small batches starting with pepper and eggplant. Wait 5 minutes, then add tomato, zucchini and squash later. Tomatoes will be ready when the skin splits open ((3 to 5 minutes.) Other veggies are done when they produce ‘juice.’ Place cooked veggies onto serving platter

11.   Lightly brush oil into slices of bread and toast on both sides, then arrange slices of grilled bread around edges of platter

12.   Uncover steak, slice thinly against the grain, and place atop grilled veggie ‘salad’  

13.   Add marinade/flavoring to 2 tablespoons of remaining herb oil, whisk together, season to taste with salt and pepper, then drizzle dressing over steak and vegetables

Grocery Guru Advice

Faxon Commons

Meat market:                                  Bistecca Meat Market, 51 Franklin Street, Quincy (5 minute drive from The Commons.) Fresh meat, meat to order.