Turkish Sirloin

Steak Nights are more than opportunities to cook steak; rather, they provide chances for me to be adventurous and creative. On this particular occasion, I decided to make a steak rub based upon spices that help define a particular cuisine.  I did this once before, but it was not a steak dish.  I made a Turkish-Spiced Rockfish.  I decided to take that idea and apply it to steak, making a Turkish Sirloin.

Making a steak rub based upon spices that define Turkish cuisine presented some problems for me.  I am neither Turkish nor an expert on Turkish cuisine.  My only qualification  is my love of Turkish food.  Given a lack of first-hand experience, I had to do some research into the spices that provide Turkish food with its unique character and flavors. This meant that I would have to rely upon the Internet, and, therefore, have to double-check everything for its veracity.

My research led me to select five spices from the wide array of ingredients used by Turkish chefs and home cooks.  The five spices are:

(1) Oregano: This herb or spice is found throughout the Aegean Sea, leaving its mark on both Greek and Turkish cuisine.  It provides a warm, slightly bitter taste and contributes to the aroma of the rub.  

(2) Paprika: This is the Turkish sweet red pepper powder that, by its name, provides a little sweetness to offset the bitterness from the other ingredients.  It also provides the rub with a bright red color.

(3) Cumin: The Turks call it kimyon, and this spice is often used in meat dishes.  Cumin provides a very strong earthiness and a small amount goes much further than other spices, such as oregano.

(4) Aleppo pepper: Turkish cuisine uses a lot of different peppers to spice the dishes.  Aleppo pepper is grown in both Turkey and Syria.  It is the principal source of heat for this rub.  

(5) Sumac: Ordinarily, sumac is used by Turkish chefs and home cooks as a garnish.  However, I wanted to use its burgundy hues to give the rub a darker color, and, I wanted its tangy, citrusy flavor to provide some depth and complexity to the rub.

I think that these spices make a wonderful rub for steaks.  The rub is not too spicy, but it is full of flavor.  I think that I can mark this as one of my more successful, creative endeavors!

TURKISH SPICED SIRLOIN

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

1 grass-fed sirloin, about 1 pound

1/2 teaspoon of paprika

1/2 teaspoon of sumac powder

1/2 teaspoon of Aleppo powder

1/4 teaspoon of cumin

1/4 teaspoon of oregano

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup of canola oil

Directions:

1.  Marinate the steak.  Combine all of the ingredients in a Ziploc bag.  Add the steak and work the marinade around the steak.  Seal the bag and allow the steak to marinate for at least one half hour to overnight.  

2.  Grill or broil the steak.  Grill the steak on medium high heat or under the broiler for about four minutes per side, rotating the steak ninety degrees after a couple of minutes and then flip and repeat. 

Now, if only I could get my hands on a red wine from one of the vineyards in the Marmara or Aegean regions of Turkey.  If you are like me and do not have access to any of those wines, I good Californian Syrah or Chilean Carmenere would probably pair well this dish.

ENJOY!

The Inferno Steak

This recipe is a story about how a Chef Bolek Original recipe is created.  In advance of an upcoming steak night, I decided to see if I could find an interesting steak recipe to make.  I start by looking at those chefs and cooks who I admire and trust, like Michael Symon, Bobby Flay and Steven Raichlen.  On this particular occasion, I was looking at Steve Raichlen's recipes when I came across two recipes, one for Hellfire Steaks and another for Steak from Hell.  I am someone who loves spicy food, so these recipes caught my attention.  Both recipes looked great, but, for me, they did not conjure the "fire" that I wanted.

I decided to create my own hellish steak recipe.  I immediately drew inspiration from outside of the culinary world: the first part of the 14th century poem, Divine Comedy.  Also known as Inferno, this part was written by Dante Alighieri to document the descent into hell.  That descent began at the gates of hell, which bore an inscription that ended with the words: "Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate", or "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."  That sounded like a fitting beginning for a hellish steak recipe.  After passing through the gates, Dante made his way through nine circles of suffering -- Limbo, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Anger, Heresy, Violence, Fraud and Treachery -- with each circle representing a gradual increase in wickedness.

The nine circles got me to thinking.  Many people think of eating chiles as a kind of suffering ... with the heat and piquancy causing sweating and discomfort.  I decided to use nine different chiles to represent the nine circles of suffering, with each subsequent chile being more "wicked" (or spicier) than the last.   After a lot of thought, I selected the following chiles or peppers:

1.  Limbo: Paprika.  In Dante's Inferno, the first circle was "Limbo," which had been populated by people who, although not sinful, had not accepted God. This got me to thinking, although paprika is made from ground bell peppers or chiles, it is not "hot" or "spicy."  Indeed, paprika -- a ground spice used in many cuisines around the world -- seems to be the best spice to represent limbo.  There are two versions of paprika: hot and sweet.  I decided to use the sweet version of paprika, because this would serve as one of the bases for the rub.

2.  Lust: Hatch Chile.  The second circle was "Lust," populated by those who had been overcome by lust.  Followers of this blog know that I have often been overcome by my love of the Hatch chile. For that reason, it seemed appropriate to select that chile to for the "Lust" circle.  Hatch chiles are grown in New Mexico and are a key component to Southwestern cuisine.  They are also relatively modest when it comes to heat or spice, with only 3,500 to 8,000 Scoville Heat Units.  (Scoville Heat Units measure the capsaicin, which is the chemical compound in chiles and peppers that provides the heat or spiciness.)   In addition to the heat, the Hatch chile also provides a little earthiness to the spice mix.

3.  Gluttony: Chipotle Chile. The third circle was "Gluttony," populated by individuals who overindulged in food and drink.  For me, the one chile that I would often overindulge in is the chipotle pepper.  Derived from the Nahuatl word, chilpoctli, which means smoked chili pepper, the chipotle is a smoke-dried jalapeno chile principally grown in the northern Mexican State of Chihuahua.  The chipotle chile is similar to the Hatch Chile in that it has anywhere from 3,500 to 8,000 Scoville Heat Units.  Also, like the Hatch Chile, the chipotle pepper serves two purposes in the rub:  to provide some heat and some smoke flavor. 

4.  Greed: Aleppo Pepper.  The fourth circle was "Greed," which is where people would find themselves if their greed for material things that deviated from the norm.  When it came to selecting the fourth pepper, I chose the Aleppo pepper.  The reason is simple: whenever I use Aleppo Pepper, in cooking, I always want more. Also known as the Halaby pepper, the Aleppo pepper is primarily cultivated in Turkey.  The pepper adds a little more smokiness, like an ancho or chipotle pepper, to the rub.  The Aleppo pepper also contributes a certain tartness, which adds a little complexity to the rub.  Finally, this pepper represents a slight increase in heat from the prior chiles, with about 10,000 Scoville Heat Units. 

5.  Anger: Sanaam Chile.  The fifth circle is "Anger."  This is where the rationale for choices become a little more pragmatic.  I chose the Sanaam chile, which is cultivated in India and used in Indian cuisine, for "Anger."  The reason is simple: its piquancy represents a four-fold increase in Scoville Heat Units over the Aleppo pepper.  The Sanaam chiles pack a weighty 40,000 Scoville Heat Units, as compared to the 10,000 units of the Aleppo Pepper.  This increase is also felt in the heat of the rub.

6.  Heresy: Aji Limo Rojo. The sixth circle is "Heresy."  This is one of the most difficult choices for chiles.  I selected the Aji Limo Rojo for this circle, although there is nothing heretical about the chile at all.  The Aji Limo is a chile grown throughout Central and South America, and it figures into cuisines from Panama to Peru.  These chiles come from the same family as the habanero, although they lack the intense heat of a habanero (or a scotch bonnet pepper).  The Aji Limo pepper can have anywhere from 50,000 to 60,000 Scoville Heat Units.

7.  Violence: Dundicut Pepper.  The seventh circle is "Violence."  Once again, I had some difficulty in selecting the pepper.  Many peppers do "violence" to the stomachs of some people.  I ultimately chose the Dundicut chile, which is grown in Pakistan and widely used in Pakistani dishes.  This chile is very similar to a scotch bonnet pepper, but with a little less heat.  Nevertheless, the Dundicut represents a slight increase in Scoville Heat Units over the Aji Limo Rojo chile.  A Dundicut can have anywhere between 55,000 to 65,000 Scoville Heat Units. However, at least for me, both the look and taste of the Dundicut seem hotter and spicier than the Aji Limo Rojo.

8.   Fraud: Chile Pequin.  The eighth circle is "Fraud," where people who engage in conscious treachery or deception are punished.  The selection of the pepper was a little easier this time.  I chose the Chile Pequin.  This chile is very small, which deceptively suggests that it is not very hot or spicy.  However, the Chile Pequin can be anywhere from thirteen to forty times hotter than a jalapeno, with 70,000 Scoville Heat Units.   At this level, the primary purpose of the Chile Pequin is to provide heat to the spice rub. 

9.  Treachery: Piri-Piri.  The ninth and final circle is "Treachery."  As with the sixth and seventh circles, it was hard to rationalize a choice for this chile.  I ultimately decided to use the chile that was the most potent of all the chiles and peppers in our kitchen ... the Piri-Piri pepper.  Also known as the African bird's eye pepper, the Piri Piri pepper is grown and cultivated in many areas of Sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa. The Piri-Piri pepper can have as much as 100,000 Scoville Heat Units, providing the highest amount of heat and spice of any of the peppers in the mix. 

While I am using nine different peppers and chiles, I still wanted to make a rub that is edible for many people.  For that reason, I steered clear of the extremely hot chiles, like Trinity Moruga Scorpion, Naga Viper and Bhut Jolokia peppers.  I also added some other spices to complement the heat of the peppers.  These spices include allspice, clove, coriander, garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, and kosher salt.  Finally, I added a teaspoon of sugar.  The sweetness of the sugar helps to tamper the spice of the chiles.

THE INFERNO STEAK

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2-4

The Inferno Rub

Ingredients:

2 marrow bones

2 bone-in ribeyes, cowboy style

1/2 tablespoon of garlic powder

1/2 tablespoon of onion powder

1/2 tablespoon of paprika powder

1/2 teaspoon of Hatch chile powder

1/2 teaspoon of chipotle powder

1/4 teaspoon of Aleppo powder

1 dried Sanaam chile, ground

1 dried Dundicut chile, ground

1 dried Aji Limo Rojo, ground

1 dried Chile Pequin, ground

1/4 teaspoon of Piri Piri powder

1/4 teaspoon of allspice

1/4 teaspoon of cloves

1/4 teaspoon of ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon of turmeric

1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt

1 teaspoon of sugar

Directions:

1.  Roast the marrow bones.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Cover one end of the marrow bones with foil and stand them up foil side down.  Roast the marrow bones for forty-five minutes.  Remove the marrow and the oils into a small bowl.

2.  Prepare the steaks.  Combine all of the chile and peppers in a bowl, along with the allspice, cloves, coriander, turmeric, salt and sugar.  Mix well. Using a brush, baste the steaks with the oil and marrow from the bones.  Season the steaks with the rub, applying the rub to all sides of the steaks.  Set aside for a few minutes.

3.  Grill the steaks.  Heat a grill on medium high heat.  Place the steaks on the grill.  Grill for five minutes and rotate ninety degrees.  Grill for five more minutes.  Flip the steaks and grill for five minutes.  Rotate the steak ninety degrees.  Grill for five minutes more and remove the steak.  Let the steak rest for a few minutes.  Slice the steak and serve immediately. 

ENJOY!

Turkish Spiced Rockfish

Recently, I bought a small container of ground sumac berries.  Sumac is a small bush that grows throughout the Middle East and in Sicily and other parts of the eastern Mediterranean.  The sumac berries are ground into a burgundy-colored powder that is used in the cooking of Turkey, Lebanon, Syria and Iran.  The ground berries are a little astringent, with a citrus flavor.  The taste is a little like lemon.

I wanted to make a rub with sumac, so I had to choose some other ingredients.  I immediately thought of Aleppo pepper, a Turkish chile that would provide some spice and a little kick for the rub. The combination of sumac and Aleppo pepper is the reason why I thought of this as a "Turkish spice."  To round out the rub or marinade, I selected a couple of good standbys, ground onion and ground pepper.  The last ingredients I selected were coriander, fenugreek and paprika. With all of these ingredients, plus a little ground black pepper and salt, I had my rub.  

The next decision to make was the protein.  Since I was cooking for my beautiful wife, the protein had to be fish.  I decided to go with a sustainable choice ... local rockfish.  I've previously blogged about rockfish from the Chesapeake Bay.  The populations are sustainable, which makes it a good choice for a dinner.

TURKISH SPICED ROCKFISH

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2-3

Ingredients (for the Rockfish):

1 pound of rockfish, sliced into even-sized pieces

1 teaspoon of ground sumac

1/2 teaspoon of Aleppo pepper

1/2 teaspoon of ground onion

1/2 teaspoon of ground fenugreek

1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon of ground garlic
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil, plus two tablespoons

Black pepper, to taste

Salt, to taste

Ingredients (for the Couscous):

2 tablespoons of green pepper, finely diced

2 tablespoons of yellow or sweet onion, finely diced

2 cloves of garlic finely diced

1/2 cup of Moroccan couscous

1 tablespoon of unsalted butter

Directions:
1.  Marinate the fish.  Place the fish in a plastic bag.  Add the Aleppo pepper, sumac, onion, fenugreek, coriander and garlic to a small bowl. Add the extra virgin olive oil and stir.  If it is too much like a paste, add some more oil so that it is like a thick liquid.  Pour the spice mixture into the plastic bag and work it so that it covers the fish.  Let the fish marinate for about fifteen to thirty minutes. 

2.  Prepare the couscous.  Prepare the couscous according to the directions.  In a separate pan, heat the butter on medium high heat.  Add the green pepper, onion and garlic. Saute until all are soft and translucent.  Stir in the green peppers, onion and garlic into the couscous.

3.  Saute the fish.  Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil over medium high heat.  Add the fish fillets and cook for about four minutes.  Flip the fillets and cook for four minutes more or until done (which depends upon the thickness of the fillets).

4.  Plate the dish.  Spoon some of the couscous on one side of the plate.  Plate the fish on the other side of the plate.  You could also spoon the couscous on the middle of the plate and place the fish on top of the couscous. 

PAIRING THIS RECIPE

This dish has a little kick thanks to the Aleppo pepper and, besides the dish featuring a fish, the spice calls for a white wine.  Really, any white wine could do (except, perhaps, an oaked chardonnay).  I would gravitate toward a lighter, fruitier white wine, perhaps a Viognier or a Sémillon.  A couple of wines, which I have previously reviewed, that may pair well with this dish are the following:

L'Ecole No. 41 -- Columbia Valley Sémillon

87% Sémillon and 13% Sauvignon Blanc

Columbia Valley, Washington, USA

Flavors of honeysuckle, lemon and lime

Lemelson Vineyards -- Tikka's Run Pinot Gris

100% Pinot Gris

Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Flavors of apricot, melon and fennel

ENJOY!

Mahi-Mahi "Mojo" with Aleppo Pepper

The word, mahimahi, means "very strong" in Hawaiian. On the eastern coast of the United States, Americans use mahimahi --or  Mahi-Mahi -- to refer to the common dolphinfish.  A slightly odd looking fish, with a big head and long dorsal fin that runs the length of its body.  The oddness of the fish is lost in the beauty of its colors.  The body is an iridescent blue green, with golden fins and a forked tail.  The fish is a favorite amongst sport fishermen, who often look for floating debris or fish buoys, because such locations are often good spots to find these fish.

The dolphinfish is a sustainable fish, especially if caught in the Atlantic ocean.  Fishermen use troll and pole and line to catch dolphinfish along the east coast.  In addition, according to Seafood Watch, there is strict regulation when it comes to dolphinfish, thereby helping to keep the catch within manageable limits.  Add the fact that dolphinfish are fast growing and fast maturing fish, they are able to maintain their populations better than other fish.  Mahi-Mahi is also a good alternative along the western coast of the United States, as well as in Hawaii, but the regulations are not as strict as in the east.

This recipe starts with my own version of a "mojo," a Cuban marinade.  Typically, a mojo is made with sour orange juice, but I like using a combination of citrus, such as oranges, lemons and limes.  I have used a mojo marinade in the past, when I made Atun Mojo (or Tuna Mojo).  The marinade time is important because, if you let it marinate for too long, you will have ceviche.  For this recipe, I just wanted a hint of citrus in the flesh of the dolphinfish.  I let it marinate for about fifteen minutes.  It could marinate for a little longer, but I would not marinate the fish for longer than thirty minutes total. 

MAHI-MAHI "MOJO" WITH ALEPPO PEPPER

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 pound of Mahi-Mahi, sliced into 2 fillets
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 orange, zested and juiced
1/2 avocado sliced
1/2 teaspoon of Aleppo pepper
7 tablespoons of canola oil
3 cloves of garlic, diced
Several springs of thyme
Salt, to taste
Ground pepper, to taste

Directions:
1.  Marinate the mahi-mahi.  Salt and pepper the Mahi-Mahi.  Add four tablespoons of canola oil, lemon juice, lime juice and orange juice to a Ziploc bag.  Add the fish and let it marinate for about fifteen minutes.  Preheat the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.  Saute the fish.  Pour the remaining oil into an oven-proof pan.  Heat on medium high heat.  Remove the fish from the marinade and pat dry.  Add the fish, skin side down.  Cook for about five minutes.  Cook each of the remaining sides for about a minute or two per side.  Return the fish to skin side down.

3.  Cook the fish.  Place the pan in the oven for at least five minutes.  Check the fish for firmness.  If the fish is firm to the touch, it is finished.  If it is not, cook it for a few minutes more. 

4.  Plate the dish.  Set the fish on top of the couscous.  Top the fish with slices of avocado and the zest from the lemon, lime and orange. Sprinkle the Aleppo pepper over the fish and couscous.

ENJOY!