Spicy beef in lettuce wraps

There's been way too much baking on this blog recently, so let's get back to some real food! This recipe is great if you have just emptied the dishwasher and have plenty of clean serving bowls. I think we ended up using at least 5 or 6 for all of the components. The lettuce wraps are a nice departure from the usual tortillas or taco shells and the spicy beef marinade/sauce is balanced by the addition of the mild sliced vegetables.

The meat is thinly sliced, then marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil and rice vinegar. The steak is then broiled while the marinade is allowed to boil for a few minutes and used as a sauce.

Many accoutrements would work well inside the lettuce wraps, including carrots and onions. We chose bean sprouts and thinly sliced red peppers and scallions. For some added spice I topped each wrap with some Sriracha.

Spicy Beef in Lettuce Rolls
From the Family Circle cookbook
Serves 6

1/2 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
4 cloves minced garlic
4 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp red-pepper flakes
1.5 lbs top round steak
1 bunch scallions
1.5 cups bean sprouts
2 red peppers, thinly sliced
1 head Boston lettuce

Whisk together soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, garlic, sesame oil and pepper flakes. Slice beef into 2-inch wide strips and add to marinade. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Cut scallions into 2-inch lengths, then cut each piece again lengthwise. Place scallions, bean sprouts and red peppers into separate serving bowls. Separate lettuce leaves and place in a separate serving bowl.

Heat oven to broil. Transfer beef to broiler pan rack and pour marinade into small saucepan. Broil beef for 5-6 minutes, turning over halfway though. Bring marinade to boil for 3 minutes, then pour into a small serving bowl. Assemble wraps and eat!

Steak with pomegranate glaze and roasted new potatoes

What could be better than steak and potatoes? Um, nothing! In this case, the potatoes are our main course and the steak and salad are merely there to balance out the meal. Seriously, these potatoes are awesome. They have a slightly crispy exterior and a creamy, almost mashed potato-like interior. And they're pretty easy to make - just coat with an herb/oil mixture and roast about 45 minutes. Now on to the side dishes . . .

First, coat the steak with ground peppercorn melange and sear in a skillet in some hot oil. Cook the steak to the desired doneness and transfer to a platter to rest.

Next, prepare the glaze in the same skillet. Add pomegranate juice, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar and reduce until slightly thickened.

Toss some arugula with oil and vinegar and plate with the steak. Cover the steak with the glaze and eat!

Steak with Mixed Peppercorns and Pomegranate Glaze
From Bon Appetite
Serves 4

1 1/4 lb top sirloin steak
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 1/2 tsp olive oil, divided
1 cup pomegranate juice
4 tsp brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar, divided
4 cups arugula

Sprinkle steak generously with coarsely ground peppercorn melange, salt and rosemary. Heat 1 1/2 tsp olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak and cook to desired doneness (about 5 minutes per side for medium rare). Transfer steak to platter. Add pomegranate juice, brown sugar, and 2 tsp balsamic vinegar to skillet. Boil until reduced to about 1/4 cup, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Toss arugula with 1 tsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar. Season to taste with salt. Serve salad with steak and drizzle on glaze.


Roasted New Potatoes with Herbs
From Williams-Sonoma Potato
Serves 4

1 shallot, chopped
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1 bay leaf, finely crumbled
1/2 cup olive oil
16 red new potatoes, scrubbed and patted dry

Preheat oven to 375 and spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray. In a food processor, combine shallot, thyme, sage, oregano, garlic, bay leaf, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Add the olive oil and blend just until the shallot is finely chopped. Transfer 1/3 cup of the herb mixture to a large bowl.

Peel a strip 1/2 wide around the center of each potato and add the potatoes to the bowl with the herb mixture. Toss the potatoes to coat. Transfer the potatoes to the baking sheet and cook, turning occasionally, about 45 minutes. Drizzle the potatoes with the remaining herb mixture and serve.

Asian five spice short ribs

How can 6 hours of sitting on the couch watching football be productive? When you're also using that time to braise beef short ribs, of course! In the end, the meat literally falls off the bone, and a knife is barely necessary. The perfect combination of tenderness and extreme meatiness.

The first step is to lightly coat the short ribs with a spiced flour mixture, then quickly brown them on all sides, making sure not to crowd the pan. When the ribs are done, a braising liquid is made in the same pan, consisting of caramelized vegetables, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and beef broth. The ribs are added back to the pan and braised for 3 hours. The meat will shrink and retract from the bone, resulting in tender chunks of beef that just barely hold together.

Next, a quick five spice-honey glaze is made in a small saucepan, simmering on low heat until syrupy.
The ribs are coated with the glaze and placed under the broiler for a few minutes on each side, creating a sweet crust. We paired the short ribs with garlic mashed potatoes.

Asian Five Spice Short Ribs
From The Nourish Network
Serves 6

2 tsp vegetable oil
3 Tbsp five spice powder, divided
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
6 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrot
3 cloves minced garlic
2 Tbsp chopped ginger
1/2 cup soy sauce, divided
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar, divided
1 cup beef broth
1/4 cup honey

Preheat oven to 300. Heat oil over medium-high heat in large pot (oven-proof, if possible). Mix together 2 Tbsp five spice powder, flour and salt. Dredge ribs in the flour mixture, tapping off excess, and brown on all sides, making sure not to crowd the pan. Remove to a plate when done.

Add onion, carrot, garlic and ginger to pot and brown for 8-10 minutes. Deglaze pan with 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar and beef broth and bring to a boil. If your pot is oven-proof, add the ribs, cover and transfer to the oven. If not, transfer the ribs and everything else into an oven-proof dish. Braise for 3 hours and remove from oven.

When the ribs are almost done cooking, mix together honey and remaining 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar and 1 Tbsp five spice powder in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and reduce glaze until syrupy, about 10 minutes.

When ribs are done, transfer to a cookie sheet and turn the oven to broil. Brush ribs with half the glaze and broil for 3 minutes. Turn over, brush with remaining glaze and broil another 3 minutes.