MONDAY

Grilled, Korean-Style Steaks with Spicy Cilantro Sauce  |  Roasted Fingerling Potatoes  |  Absurdly Addictive Asparagus

 

We are back!!!  The girls and I left Southern California on Easter Sunday at 2:30pm following Madison’s stadium jumping round and Mallory’s cross country run at Galway Downs in Temecula.  After many hours, many miles, lightening, thunder, torrential rains, detours, and, oh…the TRAFFIC!!!!  We are home!  We arrived at, approximately, 2:30am yesterday morning {coincidently, the exact same time that we walked out our kitchen door last Wednesday morning to begin this adventure}.

Five days…”horse-show” days…each beginning before sunrise and ending roughly sixteen hours later.   Busy days…filled with cleaning stalls, filling water buckets, feeding {horses,humans & dogs} riding, lots of walking {horses, humans & dogs}, studying dressage tests and jumping courses, braiding {horses’ manes & tails as well as girls’ hair}, cleaning and polishing horses’ tack and tall riding boots, icing horses’ legs, brushing and bathing horses.  Fun days…spent with friends…enjoying a cup of hot coffee walking the horses and watching the sunrise, grazing the horses at sunset.

Both girls took home fourth place ribbons in their respective divisions this outing and as I drove home in the dark, pouring rain…girls and one little terrier fast asleep in the truck, horses quiet in the trailer behind me…I found myself filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude.  Thankful for their safety {both girls and horses} and the opportunity to share these days with two such wonderful young women.  Thankful to be going home…

Our Easter dinner “on the road” consisted of turkey sandwiches, apples and bottled water.  When I made this week’s dinner menu, last week before I left, I knew I wanted something easy for Monday dinner and the Spring Sandwich ~ Boiled Eggs, Seared Asparagus & Pickled Onions on Baguettes sounded wonderful at the time.  But, last week, I could not have predicted our current desire for something more substantial.  Our dinners over the past five days have rotated among sandwiches, sushi & Indian fare so, when Michael phoned me on the journey home suggesting steaks for our “welcome home” dinner I could not have been happier.  The Grilled, Korean-Style Steaks with Spicy Cilantro Sauce are a family favorite, often enjoyed on special occasions.  Michael placed the steaks in the marinade Sunday evening…the rest of the dinner was a cinch!

Korean-Style Steaks {adapted from Gourmet, June 2001 via Epicurious}

• ¾ cup soy sauce
  
• ¼ cup medium-dry Sherry
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
• 5 boneless beef strip steaks

1. Prepare grill for cooking.
2. Stir together all ingredients in a  13x9x2-inch baking dish until sugar is dissolved, then add steaks, turning to coat.  Marinate steaks, turning once, 1 hour or overnight {covered} in refrigerator.  Bring to room temperature before grilling.

When fire is medium-hot {you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3-4 seconds}, grill steaks on a lightly-oiled rack 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare.  Let steaks stand on a cutting board 5 minutes, then top with some Spicy Cilantro Sauce {recipe follows} and cut crosswise into ¾-inch slices.  Serve remaining sauce on the side.

Spicy Cilantro Sauce {adapted from Gourmet, June 2001 via Epicurious}

•  ¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro {including roots & stems}
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir until blended.  Set aside.  Can be made 1 day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.  Bring to room temperature before serving.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

• 2 pounds organic fingerling potatoes, washed & quartered
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and toss well to coat potatoes.  Pour potato mixture into a baking dish and roast in a pre-heated 400°F oven for 30-40 minutes or until potatoes are tender & golden brown.

Absurdly Addictive Asparagus {adapted from Food52}

• 4 slices cooked, applewood-smoked bacon coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon reserved bacon drippings {can substitute olive oil}
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 pound asparagus, washed & ends trimmed and sliced into 2-inch pieces on the bias
• 1½ cups leek, thinly-sliced crosswise {white and pale green parts only}
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• zest of one lemon
• zest of one orange
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste

1. In a large, {cast-iron} skillet heat reserved drippings {or oil if using} and the butter until shimmering.  Add bacon, asparagus pieces & leek and sauté until asparagus is tender-crisp, about 3-4 minutes.
2. Add garlic, lemon and orange zest, pine nuts and parsley and sauté until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.  Season to taste with salt & pepper and serve immediately.

Our Welcome-Home Dinner…

I am now off to tackle the mountains of laundry awaiting my attention.  See you later for dinner!