Steak with Green Tomato, Black Plum, and Red Cherry Salsa

664-1Tomatoes are in the peak of the Summer Season……and every one who thinks of green tomatoes, think that the only way to enjoy them is to fry them…..not so.The acidity of green tomatoes lend themselves to be a perfect addition to a fruit salsa that is not too sweet for the flavors of beef. I had an abundance of green tomatoes in my back yard garden, along with fresh herbs and green onions. I really enjoy this time of year, when you can go to your backyard for really FRESH produce.

Looking through my pantry ,  I had the following items on hand:
DSC03885a black plum, cherries, green Spanish olives, a green tomato, cilantro, balsamic vinegar, green onions, basil, flat leaf parsley,curly parsley , soy sauce, garlic, and Ethiopian pepper sauce. The only thing I had to pick up at the local grocery store was the steak. Some people like flank steak, but I decided on a top round steak with just enough lean. I am pretty sure that you can add red wine vinegar or a good burgundy to the  salsa mix, if you do not have any balsamic vinegar on hand.

So, I had enough ingredients…..now on with the show………….In a large glass bowl,  I add the balsamic vinegar, the garlic and the Ethiopian pepper sauce and mix and I set aside, for the moment.DSC03889

Next, the green tomato was roughly chopped up. The herbs were finely minced and the green onions were thinly sliced.  The fruit was prepared, in wDSC03891hich the cherries were  stemmed, pitted and   quartered. The black plum was chopped into small chunks.

The green tomato, the herbs, the onion, the fruit, and the olives were added to the bowl with the vinegar and EthiopianDSC03894 pepper sauce.  I added salt and pepper to taste and allowed to stand at room temperature.

In preparing the steak, I heated a cast  iron skillet on high. It is important to have a hot skillet in order to get a perfect sear on the meat. Removing the steak from the packaging , I  patted it  dry with paper towels. I like my steak simply seasoned, so I sprinkled both sides of the meDSC03896at with salt and pepper. Adding the steak to the skillet, you can hear the sizzling sound at first contact. I cooked each side for 3 minutes each to achieve  medium rare status.  So  I removed the steak from the skillet and allowed the meat to rest for 5 minutes. It is really important to allow cooked meat to rest, even if it is chicken, turkey, veal, etc. It allows the natural juices to be retained and prevents the meat from drying out.

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Slicing the steak on the bias , I  fanned it  out on the plate. I topped the steak with the green tomato fruit salsa and I  enjoyed a perfect summer meal, prepared in less than 20 minutes.

  DSC03900And there you  have it…….The finished plate……………….

Pork Belly Baos

Did you know that Pork belly is the source of the much-loved bacon most people love to eat in Western countries, but it has been a staple in Asian countries for centuries?

This is my version of the most delicious Pork Belly Baos you will ever experience. It is sweet, savory, and spicy and is a fusion of cultures: starting with the pork belly, a Vietnamese caramel braising sauce, Chinese steamed buns,  Korean pickled bamboo shoots, and Japanese pickles. This common street food is elevated by the combination of flavors or textures.Exceptional food takes time to prepare, especially certain cuts of eat and this recipe is no exception. There are no short cuts in producing slow-cooked pork belly, which is sliced and simmered in a sweet-savory caramel sauce and sandwiched between soft, pillowy steamed buns. But it doesn’t stop there – a hit of spice comes from fresh chilies, green onions, pickled bamboo shoots and Japanese pickles, that tops off this amazing sandwich.A perfect pick me up snack that reminds me of sliders, and they will definitely please a crowd every time you serve them.

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Makes 20 Baos

FOR THE PORK BELLY
1 slab pork belly (about 2 pounds)
1 tablespoon cooking oil
2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 fresh serrano chili pepper, minced
1 green onion, chopped
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup water

1. Preheat oven to 275F. Wrap the pork belly in heavy tin foil. Place on baking sheet and roast for 2 hours. Remove from oven and let cool before refrigerating at least 2 hour or up to 2 days.

2. Unwrap the pork belly, and slice into 1/2″ pieces.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, rice vinegar, fish sauce, soy sauce and water.

4. Heat a wok or large saute pan over high heat. When hot, swirl in cooking oil and add several slices to the wok, but do not overlap. Fry each side until browned. Remove to plate. Repeat with remaining pork belly slices.

5. Turn the heat to medium-low. Add in the garlic, ginger, chiles and green onion. Saute for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the remaining caramel sauce into the pan.Return the pork belly slices back into the wok and let simmer for 10 minutes.

 FOR THE CHILI SAUCE
1 stalk green onion, minced
1 fresh serrano chili, minced or sliced very thinly
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cooking oil
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 jar Pickled bamboo shoots
1 jarJapanese  pickles (Kyuri asazuke)
hoisin sauce

Place the green onion, chili, vinegar and salt in a small heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the cooking oil until smoking, remove from heat and immediately pour on top of the green onion mixture. Cook with caution: the oil will bubble and crackle while adding the chili sauce mixture.

FOR THE BUNS:
Makes 20 Buns

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour for dusting work surface
2 cans Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuit dough
1/4 cup canola oil
20 parchment squares (about 4×4-inch)

1. Dust work surface with the flour. Open the can of dough. There are 10 biscuits in each can. Separate out the biscuits. Keep the dough covered loosely with plastic wrap or towel. Roll each biscuit into an oval and fold in half.Lightly brush some cooking oil on the bottom of the buns Place on parchment square. Keep covered until ready to steam. Repeat the process with the second can of dough.

2. Prepare steamer. Place five to six buns on a heat proof plate.You will need to steam the buns in batches, to avoid overcrowding the plate while steaming and preventing the buns from sticking to each other.Steam the buns for 12 minutes.

To serve, carefully open each bun, spread a bit of hoisin sauce in the bun. Add a slice of pork belly and top with the chili sauce,a bit of the bamboo shoots and three Japanese pickles.

Poulet Grillé au Gingembre (Grilled Chicken with Ginger)

Thyme, bay leaf, and garlic add aromatic flourish to this simple yet elegant grilled chicken recipe, which was adapted from Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey, from “The Essential New York Times Grilling Cookbook” (Sterling Epicure, 2014).

What makes this chicken special is an abundance of lemon juice as it mingles with the bristling taste of ginger to tenderize the chicken, while a final drizzle of butter adds golden richness.

DSC03209 PREP TIME: 10 minutes, plus 2-4 hours marinating (or Overnight)
COOKING TIME: 1 Hour and 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME:   1 Hour and 45 Minutes, plus marinating
SERVES 2-4

Ingredients:
1 (2½–3-lbs.) chicken, halved, backbone removed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf, crumbled
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (1″) piece ginger, peeled and minced
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preparation:
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Stir lemon juice, oil, thyme, bay leaf, garlic, and ginger in a bowl; add chicken and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and chill 2 to 4 hours, or overnight for the best flavor.

 
2. Heat a charcoal grill or set a gas grill to high. (Alternatively, heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high.)Grill chicken, turning as needed, until slightly charred and cooked through, about 35 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of a thigh reads 165°F.

 
3. If grilling is not an option, the chicken can be roasted in the oven.  Pre-heat the oven to 425°F. Place the chicken in a cast iron skillet bone side down. Cover with aluminum foil. Roast the chicken for 30 minutes, baste with melted butter, periodically. Reduce the heat to 325°F, remove the foil and baste with melted butter. Continue to roast the chicken for another 25 minutes, until skin is golden brown and crisp.

 
4. To serve,transfer the chicken to a serving platter and drizzle with melted butter.