Cowboy Steak, with grilled veg and “baked” potatoes
From Justin Quam, executive chef at Dal Mare
Per 1-2 people
Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs beef rib steak (or any steak)
1/2 tsp of black pepper, and
cayenne pepper
1 tsp of ground coffee, and brown sugar
1 tbsp butter (warm)
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic (smashed)
1-2 sprigs rosemary
1 head of broccoli/cauliflower
(cut in half)
1 medium-sized potato, wrapped
in foil
Directions
1. Preheat grill, and leave steak out to reach room temp (always good to let meats warm up, they will cook more tender, rapid change in temperature toughen the meat).
2. Mix coffee, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, and butter (split this into two batches, one for steak and one for veggies).
3. Season steak with salt/pepper and oil and sear on grill, roughly 2 minutes a side.
4. Place your potatoes on the top rack of grill; they’ll need the most time.
5. Once the steak is browned on both sides, brush with the butter-spice mixture on each side, and place your garlic cloves and rosemary on top of steak. Brush with a little more butter and cover with foil. Cook for as long as you like, roughly 5-7 minutes for medium. Depending on how thick your steak is you might need to cook longer.
6. Once the steak is roughly where you want it, take it off the grill and leave it covered on a plate for 5 minutes to rest.
7. This is a good time to put your broccoli on the grill: Just brush with the butter mix you saved from earlier until it’s cooked al dente and has a nice char.
8. Unwrap your potato and brush with butter as well and give the skin a nice crisp on the grill.
Orecchiette Pasta Salad
From Nick Yebba Jr., executive chef and partner for Teresa’s Hospitality Group
Dressing Ingredients
2/3 c olive oil
1/3 c balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic minced
1/3 c chopped fresh basil
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Pasta Salad Ingredients
2 c cherry tomatoes, halved
8 oz bocconcini fresh mozzarella balls (cut into ½-inch cubes)
12 oz dried imported orecchiette pasta (or any other short cut pasta)
Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl, add dressing ingredients and whisk until well combined. Reserve 2 tbsp of dressing and place in an airtight container and set aside.
2. Add cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella to mixing bowl with the dressing and toss to combine. Let sit and marinate approximately 30 minutes.
3. While the cheese and tomatoes are marinating, boil pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta and toss with a drizzle of olive oil. Let cool slightly.
4. Add pasta to mixing bowl and toss to combine. Transfer to serving dish, cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 days. Before serving, toss pasta salad with reserved dressing and serve.
Jason Babb’s Chimichurri
From Jay Murray, “head cooker guy” at Ellis Square Social
Ingredients
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley
2 tbsp chopped cilantro or oregano or combination 1 clove of garlic or ¼ bunch garlic chives
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp chile flakes or 1 Thai chili
½ tbsp red wine vinegar
½ tbsp of 1 lemon
½ cup extra virgin olive oil or more if desired
Directions
1. Trim and discard the mostly leafless stems of the parsley, and rough chop the remainder.
2. Combine all ingredients in a blender—liquids in first—and process until smooth, stopping to rearrange the contents as necessary.
A Useful Marinade for Virtually Everything
From Jay Murray, “head cooker guy” at Ellis Square Social
Ingredients
1 large onion, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch rosemary, minced
1/2 bunch parsley, minced
1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorn, ground
1 tsp coriander, ground
4 juniper berries, ground
1 pod star anise, ground
1 c neutral oil
Directions
1. Combine in food processor or blender.