Chef Bolek's Picanha with Chancho en Piedra

My love for churrasco -- that is, beef grilled over an open fire -- often leads me to places like Fogo de Chao or Texas de Brazil. It also leads me to seek out smaller, family owned churrascarias or other Brazilian and Argentinian restaurants. Those dining experiences, especially the ones at the large chain restaurants, often involve one server after another carrying a skewer of grilled meat.  There is the server with costela (or beef ribs), followed by the server with beef ancho (or ribeye), the server with fraldinha (bottom sirloin), the server with alcantra (top sirloin), and then the server with filet mignon. However, there is always one server that I try to find in the restaurant ... the person with the picanha or what is also referred to as the sirloin cap or cullote. 

However, my efforts to find picanha outside of a national chain restaurant, or even a smaller family-run restaurant, had encountered some difficulty. This particular cut is not one that is typically stocked on the shelves of a supermarket. One has to dig a little deeper and work a little harder to find it. This work necessarily involves identifying a trusted butcher. Fortunately, for me, there is one -- Chop Shop Butchery -- which I highly recommend. A simple question - do you have picanha - led to the purchase of a very nice cut of meat. 

That cut is identifiable by the strip of fat along the top, which, when grilled properly, helps to baste and  flavor the meat. The story of picanha can be traced back to the Bixziga neighborhood of Sao Paulo, Brazil during the 1950s. The cut did not make its way onto a menu until Dinhos offered a roasted picanha. The cut took off in Brazil and eventually made its way (along with Brazilian immigrants) to Portugal and then to the United States. 

The preparation of picanha is rather simple: flaky sea salt is really all that is needed before cooking the meat. The meat is roasted on a spit in Brazil or grilled in Argentina, and, either way, it can be cut into smaller pieces or the whole cut could simply be roasted. Given it was my first time, and recognizing that I probably did not have the right skewers to spit roast the meat, I decided to roast the whole cut. I seasoned the cut with sea salt, but I also used some merken especial, a chile rub used by the Mapuche, to provide a smoky kick to the meat. I grilled it to 135 degrees, well short of the 145 degrees for medium rare, given the shape of the cut. This approach ensured that the narrower edge of the cut would not be overcooked. 

My version of Chancho en Piedra

Finally, when one serves picanha or any grilled meat as part of a churrasco, it is accompanied by a chimichurri sauce.  I have made many a chimichurri sauce in my time. There are a few recipes on this blog, like this one and these two. So, I can say that a chimichurri is my own go-to sauce for grilled or roasted meats. However, for this occasion, I wanted to do something different. 

My search led me to pebre, which is a Chilean condiment made with cilantro, olive oil, onion, garlic and chiles. If one adds freshly chopped tomatoes to their pebre, it becomes chancho en piedra (which translates to "pig on a rock"). This salsa-like side is traditionally prepared using a molcajete or a mortar and pestle to create a consistency that looks more like a sauce. However, I have seen versions where the chancho en piedra has more texture, akin to a chunky-like salsa. I generally prefer the latter when it comes to salsa, so I opted with that approach. I also substituted one of the green chiles for 1/2 tablespoon of merken especial to tie the side with the grilled meat. These modifications resulted in a side that seemed, in my humble opinion, was a better accompaniment for slices of grilled picanha. 

CHEF BOLEK'S PICANHA WITH CHANCHO EN PIEDRA

Picanha recipe adapted from Barbecue Bible

Chancho en Piedra receipt from Food Comas

Serves several

Ingredients (for the picanha):

• 2 pound slab of picanha (top sirloin) with 1/2 inch of fat on top
• Merken especial
• Coarse salt (sea or kosher)

Ingredients (for the Chancho en Piedra)

• 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 green chiles, seeded and finely diced or 1 tablespoon Merken
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 tomato, peeled and finely diced
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Directions:

1. Prepare the Chancho en Piedra. In a bowl, add the oil, garlic, onion, coriander, tomatoes, chiles (or merken) and veingar. Add the salt and pepper to taste. If necessary, add a tablespoon of olive oil. Set aside.

2. Prepare the picanha and the grill. Cut the picanha crosswise (across the grain) into slices that are 1.5 inches thick. Dust the picanha with merken on all sides. Set aside while you set up the grill for direct grilling. Heat the grill to high. Brush and oil the grill grate.

3. Grill the picanha. Arrange the meat pices fat side down on the grill. Direct grill until fat is partially rendered, crisp, and brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Turn each piece of meat on its side and grill until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Grill the bottom the same way. You are looking for medium rare. An instant read thermometer inserted into the narrow end to the center of the meat should read about 125 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. Finish the dish. Transfer the picanha to a cutting board, fat side up and let rest for a couple of minutes. Carve it into thin slices across the grain, including a bit of fat and a bit of meat in each slice. Serve with the Chancho en Piedra.

*     *     *

Postscript: While writing this post, I discovered that there is also Chancho en Piedra, the Chilean experimental, funk band. Their music is actually pretty catchy. My only regret - apart from not being able to speak Spanish - is that I did not learn about this band earlier. I could have played the music in the background while preparing chancho en piedra, the sauce.

PEACE.

Nuoc Cham Marinated Steak

One thing has become increasingly clear as I cook my way around the world: namely, that I have become a huge fan of fish sauce and recipes that incorporate that ingredient into a dish.  My growing interest in this sauce made from fermented fish and salt has led me to prepare a variety of dishes from southeast Asia. 

Many of those dishes incorporate a Vietnamese sauce known as nuoc cham. It is typically served as a condiment, served alongside something else. For example, I prepared and served it as a dipping sauce for raw oysters.  I also prepared nuoc cham as an unconventional sauce for a New Year's Eve fondue.

These efforts have elevated nuoc cham, increasing its presence in my mind. For this reason, when I happened to stumble across a recipe for Nuoc Cham Marinated Steak, I immediately added it to my "to-do" list. Unlike many recipes on my to-do list, which languish for long periods of time before I get around to making them, this recipe was made within just a few days.

There are three regional variations of nuoc cham - northern, central and southern. The northern Vietnamese version uses a broth made from pork and shrimp. The central Vietnamese version uses recipes that incorporate the same amounts of fish sauce, lime juice and sugar, but also with fresh chiles. The southern version uses palm sugar and coconut water.

This particular recipe seemingly draws from the central Vietnamese variation, because of the balance of ingredients and the incorporation of chiles. If the Thai chiles are too spicy for you, you can substitute a less spicy chile, such as a serrano chile or jalapeno chile. 

NUOC CHAM MARINATED STEAK

Recipe from Food & Wine

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1.5 teaspoons grated garlic (from 4 medium garlic cloves
• 3 Thai chiles, halved
• 1.5 pound beef strip steak (about 1.5 inches thick)
• 1.5 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Lime wedges for serving

Directions:

1. Prepare the marinade. Whisk together the fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, soy sauce, garlic and chiles in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. Prick steak all over with a fork and place in a ziploc plastic freezer bag. Pour nuoc cham all over steak in bag. Seal bag and shake to ensure that steak is evenly coated. Chill for 4 hours. 

2. Prepare the steak. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the steak from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes. Heat oil in large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Remove steak from marinade; discard marinade. Pat steak dry with a paper towel and sprinkle both sides with salt. 

3. Cook the steak. Add the steak to the skillet and cook, undisturbed, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer skillet to preheated oven and bake until a thermometer inserted in the thickest steak registers 125 degrees Fahrenheit, 12 to 15 minutes, turning half way through. 

4. Finish the dish. Transfer steak to cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut steak against the grain into thin slices and serve with lime wedges. 

PEACE.

Crying Tiger (Suea Rong Hai) with Jaew Sauce

One can trace the origin of this recipe -- Crying Tiger (Suea Rong Hai) -- to its principal range, which extends from northeastern Thailand into Laos. One could find cuts of beef, usually brisket, marinating in a mixture of herbs and spices that balances sweet, spicy, sour, and savory.  Cooks then grill the marinated meat over charcoal. Once the meat is grilled, the cooks slice it thinly and serve it with a dipping sauce.

There is a lot to learn about Crying Tiger, but some of it is shrouded in mystery, like the name.  There are at least three different versions of where this recipe got its name. The first one focuses on the meat itself. It is said that cooks used cuts of beef that were so tough that they would make tigers cry when they chewed them.  The second focuses on a farmer's cow. A tiger came out of the jungle and stole the cow. The tiger then proceeded to eat most of the cow. The tiger eventually was too stuffed to eat the brisket. The tiger looked at the juicy piece of meat and began to cry because it could not finish it. Finally,  there is the story that the fat marbling on a brisket looked like tiger stripes and, when the brisket was grilled, the fat dripping off the meat looked like a tiger's tears.

Whatever the origin of the name, this dish represents some of the best qualities of Thai cuisine, especially given the balance of flavors that I mentioned above. That balance is reinforced with the jaew sauce, which is one of many nam jim (or sauces) that are served alongside Thai dishes. The jaew sauce comes from Isan, the northeastern Thai region that borders Laos. The one ingredient that sets jaew sauce apart from other nam jin is the use of toasted rice powder. The powder adds an element of toastiness to the sauce, as well as serves as a thickener. The other ingredients -- lime juice (bitter), tamarind (sweet), chile pepper (spice), and fish sauce (sour or umame) -- provide a level of balance to the entire dish.

In the end, Suea Rong Hai with Nam Jim Jaew provides a multi-dimensional balance of flavors that makes one of the best beef dishes that I have made or had recently. It gets me to thinking about what other recipes are lurking out there, waiting to be discovered.

CRYING TIGER (SUEA RONG HAI) WITH JAEW SAUCE

Recipe from Thai Caliente & The Wanderlust Kitchen

Serves 4

Ingredients (for the steak)

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon palm sugar (or brown sugar)
• 1 pound of beef (such as rib eye, sirloin or strip steak)
• 1 lime, juiced

Ingredients (for the Jaew Sauce):

• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1/3 cup lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate
• 1 teaspoon ground toasted rice
• 2 teaspoons ground Thai chile peppers
• 2 teaspoon coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons scallions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon water, if needed

Directions:

1. Marinate the beef. Combine the soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar and lime juice. Whisk the ingredients. Add the beef and allow it to marinate for 30 minutes to 45 minutes at room temperature. 

2. Prepare the Jaew Sauce. Combine fish sauce, lime juice, tamarind, toasted rice powder, chile peppers, sugar, cilantro green onion and, if necessary, water.  Adjust the sauce by adding water to dilute it or lime juice, sugar, or fish sauce to balance the flavors.

3. Grill the beef. Heat a grill or cast iron skillet over the stove to hot. Pat steaks dry, season with salt and pepper, and place steaks on grill or skillet. Cook for a couple minutes on each side until desired temperature (medium rare) is reached.  Allow the steaks to rest for 10 minutes. 

4. Finish the dish. Slice the steak and serve immediately with the Jaew sauce and condiments such as lettuce leaves, cucumber slices and rice. 

PEACE.

Around the World in 80 Dishes: Argentina

The posts that I love the most during my Around the World in 80 Dishes culinary challenge are those that involve cooking meat. I am an unabashed carnivore and, to this date, one of my favorite challenges involved Uruguay. I had to prepare Chivitos al Pan, a sandwich that could clog an artery on its own. 

I could truly feel at home in a large swath of South America - from Brazil to Uruguay and on to Argentina, where the cuisines are, to say the very least, meat-centric. For now, I will settle with my next personal culinary challenge, which requires me to make a main course from Argentina. 

The cuisine of Argentina actually begins with the indigenous people of the Andes, as well as the Guarani. I have already some experience with Guarani cuisine from my challenge involving neighboring Paraguay. These indigenous cultures contributed to Argentine cuisine through the use of potatoes, cassava, melons, peppers, squash, tomatoes, beans, quinoa and other native ingredients. These ingredients gave rise to dishes such aa, humita, which is made after milling maize, and cooking processes like curanto, a method used by the Mapuche to cook meat, vegetable or fruits over hot coals covered with linen or dry leaves.

The Spanish introduced cattle, goats and pigs during the colonial period, which became the foundation for the large cattle industry that has a prominent place in Argentine cuisine and culture. However, many of the cattle and horses escaped farms and ranches, finding independence in the countryside long before the people of what would become Argentina. 

A historic photo of a gaucho
(Source: Estancia Ranquilco)

As the cattle and horses roamed the plains, so did the gaucho. Some say the word "gaucho" comes from the Quecha word "huachu," which means "orphan," or "homeless." Others say it comes from the Guarani word for "drinker." Either way, the etymology of "gaucho" sheds some light on the early history of the Gauchos. They were solitary horsemen, wandering the Pampas in search of wild cattle or horses. To be a gaucho was to be part of a social class, one that was, at least at first, viewed with disdain. The Spanish colonial authorities viewed gauchos as cattle thieves, robbers and smugglers. As someone else summarized a gaucho: 

a colonial bootlegger whose business was contraband trade in cattle hides. His work was highly illegal; his character lamentably reprehensible; his social standing was exceedingly low.

Put simply, "gaucho" was an insult, often lobbed at people who lived in the countryside. 

All of that changed with the war for independence in 1810. As a Spanish general once described the gauchos during the war: 

The gauchos were men that knew the country, well mounted and armed.... They approached the troop with such confidence, relaxation and coolness that they caused great admiration among European military men, who were seeing for the first time these extraordinary horsemen whose excellent qualities for guerilla warfare and swift surprise they had to endure on many occasions.

The war saw gauchos go from being outcasts to revolutionary heroes. The gauchos continued to ply the plains after the war, hunting and trading while living off of the land. 

Ultimately, capitalism was able to accomplish what Spanish generals could not. Private owners began acquiring the livestock that lived on the Pampas, along with fencing off the land into huge estates. As the fences went up, the area for the gauchos to roam shrank. Soon, they were not able to live off the land as they once were. "In one generation," it has been observed, "the free-spirited gaucho was forced to become a ranchhand." 

Modern day gauchos (Source: Audley Travel)

APPETIZER

In honor of the gauchos, this particular Around the World in 80 Dishes challenge will feature meat ... and more meat. For an appetizer, I decided to make Choripan or, as the Argentinians call it, "chori." The origins of this dish can be traced to the gauchos, who would grill chorizo - introduced to the region by the Spanish - over a fire in the countryside. Gauchos serve the grilled sausages with bread (pan) for convenience. The dish made its way into the cities, where it is now a common street food that can be found at food stalls or football matches. 

The recipe I found calls for the preparation of chimichurri as a condiment for the Choripan. The history of chimichurri is not very clear. Some historians have argued that gauchos created chimichurri to flavor the roasted meats. Others note that "chimichurri" is close to "tximitxurri," which is Basque for "a mixture of several things in no particular order." It may even predate the Spanish, as the Quechua had a similar word for a strong sauce that was used to preserve meats.

The Argentinian government has noted the popularity of this dish, estimating that over 500,000,000 choripan are consumed each year. There is even a Choripan World Cup, which is held annually in the city of Cordoba. 

ARGENTINIAN-STYLE CHORIPAN

Recipe from Saveur

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 fresh chorizo sausages, Argentinian style if possible
• 4 6-inch hero rolls, split length wise, connected on one side like a hinge
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup minced white onion
• 1 clove of garlic, grated using a microplane
• 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Prepare the choripan. Preheat a grill over medium heat. Add the chorizo and let cook, turning occasionally with tongs as needed, until the sides are deeply seared and the center is fully cooked through. 30-35 minutes. 

2. Prepare the chimichurri.  In a medium bowl, add the parsley, onion and garlic. Stir briefly to combine. Add the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, stirring well. Let rest for at least 15 minutes. (Chimichurri can be left out at room temperature for up to 12 hours before serving. 

3. Finish the dish. If desired, briefly warm the insides of the rolls over the grill. You can split the sausages lengthwise if desired as well. Place one cooked sausage into each roll. Slater one side of the roll and some of the sausage generously with chimichurri. Serve immediately. 

MAIN COURSE

A cornerstone of Argentine cuisine is asado, or the grilling of meats. The Asador - or cook - prepares the parilla, which is the grill. There are two parts to this grill: one section that houses the charcoal and wood, and another that has the metal grill upon which the meat - known as carne a la parilla - will be cooked. The meat is primarily beef, but lamb, mutton or pork may also find themselves being seared on the grill. As for the cuts or types, one could find chorizo, morcilla (blood sausage), vacio (flank steak), bife ancho (ribeye steak) and lomo (tenderloin). 

However, for this culinary challenge, I will assume the role of asador and prepare tira de asado, which are short ribs and which happen to be one of the more popular cuts to grill. The short ribs are not the typical ones that I can find in grocery stores around me. Instead, the Argentinians have their own style, which is a flanken cut across a three or four bone plate. It took a little time, but I was able to find the cut online (as it is the same type of cut used for South Korean kalbi). 

One last thing, as with the choripan, this recipe called for the preparation of "traditional chimichurri." The recipe underscores one understanding about chimichurri: there are as many versions of the sauce as there are cooks, gauchos or asadors. This recipe does not use onions, as the chimichurri sauce for the choripan, but it does use crushed red pepper. These changes result in a slightly thinner sauce that has a much stronger kick. That is definitely more to my liking. 

TIRA DE ASADO WITH TRADITIONAL CHIMICHURRI

Recipe for the ribs from Food and Wine

Recipe for the chimichurri from Food and Wine

Ingredients (for the short ribs):

• 3.5 pounds of flanken cut, 3 bone beef short ribs
• 1.5 tablespoons coarse sea salt

Ingredients (for the chimichurri):

• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons oregano leaves
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Prepare the chimichurri. In a food processor, combine the parsley, vinegar, garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and pour the olive oil over the mixture. Let stand for 20 minutes.

2. Grill the beef ribs. Preheat the grill (preferably a wood fire) to medium high (400 degrees Fahrenheit to 450 degrees Fahrenheit). Pat the ribs dry with paper towels. Sprinkle all sides of ribs evenly with salt, pressing salt into meat and rubbing it on bones. Arrange the ribs diagonally, spaced 1 inch apart on lightly oiled grates. Grill uncovered and undisturbed until bottoms of ribs are browned and release from grates, about 4 to 6 minutes. Flip ribs, and continue to grill uncovered until browned and a thermometer near the bone but not touching it registers 130 degrees Fahrenheit, about 2 to 4 minutes. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Finish the dish. Serve the ribs whole, or if serving with an assortment of meats for a larger group, cut each rib into thirds on the diagonal. Serve with chimichurri.

*     *    *

In the end, this challenge satisfied my inner carnivore. Any grilling challenge almost inevitably ends up in the top few of my most favorite challenges. I may not have been out in the middle of nowhere in the Pampas, but from my suburban backyard, I could at least spend a couple of hours as an Asador or a Gaucho. Until next time ...

PEACE.

Txuleta with Red Pepper

It has been referred to as the "cornerstone" of Basque cuisine. It goes by the name of Txuleta (pronounced choo-letah) which translates into "meat chop." This particular cut of "meat chop" is always a porterhouse steak, from cattle that are raised in the autonomous community of Galicia. The cattle are raised on a very particular diet comprised of "high quality grasses." Another source of beef comes from retired dairy cattle from Germany or Poland. Moreover, the beef comes from relatively old cows, ranging in age from eight years to eighteen years.

There is also a very specific way to prepare Txuleta. It involves the application of a lot of salt to the exterior of the meat. This layer of salt helps to create a charred exterior during the grilling process. Once the steak reaches the desired temperature, which should be rare and no more than medium rare, the salt layer is brushed off before the steak is cut and then served.  

Not just any porterhouse will do. The steak should be at least two inches thick, so as to allow the steak to "stand" on its side when grilled. Not everyone has access to a butcher, who could provide you with a two-inch thick porterhouse. Thus, the key is getting the thickest steak you can. You will just have to adjust the cooking times to ensure you reach that rare or medium rare temperature.

All of the foregoing suggests the importance of cuisine to the Basque people, as well as the pride taken in terms of its preparation. The cuisine reflects the Basque region itself, which stretches along a coastline of the Bay of Biscay in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. That coastline means that seafood often plays a prominent role in Basque dishes. These include Marmitako, a fish stew, and Txipirones, a dish made from baby squid. Yet, the region also extends into an interior of fields, hillsides, and mountains. That interior yields grapes, producing some very good wines (especially Txakoli white wines), as well as livestock, produce and cheeses (like the Idiazabal). It also gives rise to meat stews and the iconic Piperade, a mix of tomatoes, onions and green peppers whose colors reflect the flag of the Basque country.

Returning to the Txuleta, the dish is typically served with some simple sides. These sides include a tomato salad, fried peppers or green onions. The recipe that I found, which comes from the Smithsonian Institution's Folk Life Festival, included charred, thinly-sliced red piquillo peppers. 

As a cornerstone of a cuisine, Txuleta represents an excellent introduction into a culture that I hope to further explore in the near future.

TXULETA WITH RED PEPPER

Recipe from Smithsonian Institution

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 T-bone steak, about 2 inches thick so it can stand on its side
• 1 Piquillo pepper (or any sweet red pepper)
• Salt
• Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Prepare the pepper. Take a red pepper and place it on a roasting stick. Using a burner with the plate removed, lay the pepper in the open flame. Roast the pepper until its skin is entirely black. Rotate as needed. Burning the skin makes the pepper easier to peel and gives it a slight barbecue flavor. Peel the pepper by gently scraping off the burnt parts with your fingers or a paper towel. Do not use water as the pepper will lose flavor.

2. Continue to prepare the pepper. Chop or tear the pepper into long thin strips. In a 10" saute pan, add a layer of olive oil (approximately 1/2 cup or 4 ounces) and the steps of pepper. Let the peppers cook in low heat for 5 minutes to soften. Set the peppers aside.

3. Prepare the steak. Place the txuleta on a skillet or barbeque. Cook one side for approximately 4 to 5 minutes on low heat. Flip sides when the steak gets a nice browned color. Add a layer of salt on the top side. This helps keep the juices in and makes the meat crisper. Cook the second side for 4 to 5 minutes. Once done, shake off the excess salt. 

4. Finish the dish. Cut the meat off the bone in long strips, cutting from outside in toward the bone. The meat should still be red, rare to medium rare. The dish is traditionally served along with hot stones, which can be used to cook the meat further if desired. Place the meat on a platter with the peppers and serve.

ENJOY!

Nyonya-Style Steak

One would think during these times of stay-at-home orders, I would be doing a lot of cooking.  While I am doing some cooking, it is not as much as I would like. There are a couple of reasons.  Work, of course, is one of the main reasons.  The other reason is that I really don't like going to the grocery stores right now.  It is not as enjoyable as it once was.  I have spent quite a bit of my spare time researching how to order directly from farms and other local suppliers.  

Still, I have my fair shares to continue with my cooking hobby.  My beautiful Angel recently bought a couple of sirloin steaks when she went to the grocery store.  I went online looking for recipes and found a recipe for "Nonya-Style Flank Steak" from Steven Raichlen.  According to Steven Raichlen, it is a recipe of steak, Malaysian "Grandmother"-style.  The "style" is defined by the of oyster sauce, anise (or Chinese Five Spice) and topped with fried garlic. As much as I love Steven Raichlen and his contribution to cooking and cuisine (I am a big fan of all his shows), there is a little more to the Nonya-style.

Initially, it is Nyonya, not Nonya. The Nyonya (or Baba Nyonya) are the descendants of the Peranakan Chinese.  The Peranakan Chinese left what is now Guangdong and Fujian in modern-day China.  They emigrated to the Malay peninsula and the islands of what are now Indonesia. The emigration began in the 10th century but mostly took place from the 15th to the 17th centuries.  Thus, the Nyonya are a subculture of Chinese descendants who live in modern-day Malaysia. Those who live in Penang, Malacca and Singapore refer to themselves as Baba Nyonya.

In researching the cuisine of the Nyonya, I came across a very detailed research paper by Chien Y. Ng and Shahrim B. Karim, which can be found here. Both Ng and Karim discuss the historical and contemporary influences on Nyonya cuisine in their paper. They generally describe that cuisine as "a product of of cultural borrowing and cultural innovation through exposure to local sources of food such as ingredients and food preparation, that are non-Chinese." In other words, given the roots from whence they came, the starting point is Chinese cuisine. Once they reached the Malay peninsula, some of the ingredients they would have have used were no longer available or easily attainable.  This is where other cultures, such as the Malay, could fill in the gaps.  This allowed the Nyonya to adapt Chinese cuisine to life on the Malay peninsula.

Commonalities between Nyonya and Malay cuisine emerged over time, particularly when it came ot the use of certain ingredients. Both cuisines extensively use pungent roots (such as turmeric, galangal and ginger), leaves (laksa leaves, galangal leaves, and coriander leaves), spices (cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin and nutmeg) and other ingredients (such as lemongrass and tamarind).  One other common ingredient between the two cuisines is the use of chiles. both dried and fresh.

Ng and Karim posit there are three types of Nyonya dishes: (1) traditional Chinese (Hokkien) dishes; (2) Malay-style dishes; and (3) innovated foods. Returning to Steven Raichlen's recipe, the use of oyster sauce, soy sauce, garlic, and turmeric make it hard to distinguish where this recipe draws its inspiration within those types.  Those ingredients are common in both Chinese and Malay cuisine.  It is perhaps the use of Chinese five spice (which is really a Chinese ingredient) that would put this dish in the first category (if categorization were possible).

Overall, this is a very good recipe for a steak, especially when one may be short on time. It was also a great recipe because it got me to look a little further into a culture and cuisine which I never knew about.  That is what cooking means to me.

I just have to remember the fried garlic slices.  Always something for the next time .... 

NYONYA-STYLE STEAK

Recipe adapted from Steven Raichlen

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

1 1/2 poounds of flank steak, sirloin steak or any steak

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons of oyster sauce
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons of Chinese five-spice powder
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt.

Directions:

1.  Prepare the marinade.  Heat oil in a small skill over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute.  Transfer the garlic to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.  Pour the garlic flavored oil into a heatproof mixing bowl and let cool to room temperature.  Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, Chinese five spice, turmeric, and pepepr to the garlic oil.  Season with salt to taste.  Pour the marinade over the flank steak, turn it to coat both sides.  Let the steak marinate in the refrigerator, covered, 1 to 4 hours, turning it once or twice.

2. Grill the steak.  Heat a grill on high heat.   Brush and oil the grate.  Drain the steak and arrange it on a hot grate at a diagonal to the bars.  Grill the steak until cooked to taste, about 3 to 5 minuts for medium rare.  Transfer the grille dsteak to a platter and let it rest for 2-3 minutes. Thinly slice the steak and serve it with the fired garlic slices sprinkled on top.

ENJOY!

Smoked Ribeye Roast, Uruguayan Asado Style

I have a fascination with the country of Uruguay.  The relatively smallish country bordered by Brazil to the north and, across the Rio de la Plata, within sight of Argentina. My fascination as entirely to do with the country's cuisine.

It all began a few years ago with my personal culinary challenge to prepare a main course from Uruguay as part of my Around the World in 80 Dishes challenge.  I made Chivitos al Pan, a sandwich loaded with meat, cheese and eggs. That stands as perhaps my favorite challenge to date. After that time, I have wanted to learn more about the cuisine of Uruguay.

And, this post provides that opportunity.  Uruguayan cuisine is perhaps the most meat centric cuisine in at least the Western hemisphere, if not the world. The country has a population of just little more than 3.4 million people in 2016, but consumes more than 427 million pounds of  meat during that same year.  That is 124 pounds per person that year.  With the average weight of a person around 137 pounds, that means that, on average, an Uruguayan eats as much meat as the average person weighs.  That is quite the feat.

But it is not just about eating meat, it is the grilling of the meat. In many ways it defines Uruguayan cuisine. The chicken, beef, pork and chorizo on the parilla, carefully watched and tended to by the asador. There is nothing like taming the coals and cooking ungodly amounts of meat for an asado. (If I did not have my current job, my dream job would be that of an asador.  Perhaps upon retirement, a move to Uruguay and I could start a second career as an asador, cooking untold amounts of meats while casually sipping one of Uruguay's wines, like a Tannat or a Cabernet Sauvignon.)

It is this tradition of grilling that inspired me to make a ribeye roast over coals.  To be sure, this is not the parilla true style of cooking.  I did not have the arrangement for that.  Instead, I used my smoker, with its grill (and without the liquid bowl) to create a direct charcoal grilling. The one significant difference is that I decided to use some hickory wood to add smoke to the ribeye roast.  

To underscore the Uruguayan inspiration, I prepared a classic Uruguayan chimichurri for this ribeye roast. Like its Argentinian neighbor, this chimichurri is full of fresh parsley, garlic and oregano, mixed with olive oil and vinegar to create what is perhaps the most amazing accompaniment for grilled beef.  The vinegar helps to cut through the fat of the ribeye roast.  The crushed red pepper flakes, along with the freshly ground black pepper and the peppery nature of the oregano, add a slight hint of heat.  These additional layers of flavor create an artistic masterpiece on the canvas that is the beef itself.

I have cooked a lot with ribeye roasts, and some of the recipes have made it on to this blog.  However, this is perhaps my favorite ribeye roast that I have done. Maybe it is the effort to draw inspiration from Uruguayan cuisine.  Maybe it is just that I love beef.  Either way, I am going to make this recipe again. 

SMOKED RIBEYE ROAST, URUGUAYAN ASADO STYLE

Recipe adapted from Saveur

Serves several

Ingredients (for the ribeye roast):

1 ribeye roast (5 to 6 pounds)

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Hickory wood chunks

Ingredients (for the Uruguayan chimichurri):

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 cup finely chopped parsley

3/4 cup finely chopped oregano

1 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

8 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Prepare the roast.  Combine the salt, black pepper, oregano and garlic powder and mix well.  Spray some olive oil over the roast.  Apply the salt and pepper mixture to all sides of the roast.  

2.  Prepare the smoker.  Soak the hickory chunks in water for 1 hour.  Prepare a fire for a 300 degree smoker.  Once the temperature is right, oil the grates and add the roast.  Smoke for about 3 to 3 1/2 hours until the temperature in the roast registers 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the roast from the smoker and let it rest, covered, for about 15 to 30 minutes. 

3.  Prepare the chimichurri.  Bring 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 cup of water to a boil in a 1 quart saucepan.  Let cool.  Whisk parsley, oregano, chile flakes, oil, vinegar, garlic and pepper in a bowl.  Stir in salt water mixture.  Let chimichurri sit for at least 30 minutes.

4.  Finish the dish.  Slice the ribeye roast and serve immediately with the chimichurri.

ENJOY!

Flank Steak Bulgogi

I know,  I know.  Bulgogi is not supposed to be made with flank steak. It should be thin slices of ribeye.  Using flank steak in bulgogi is like the foodie thing to do ... take something traditional and try to do something different with it.  But, in my defense, my beautiful Angel bought me five pounds of flank steak and I had to do something with it.  Something different.  Something bulgogi.

I am not going to get into the history of bulgogi, because that is for another post (like one in which I actually use thin slices of ribeye).  What I will say is that I was looking to make a creative dish, because I intended to use some (and eventually used all) of the flank steak for a dinner for my parents.  I wanted a dish that they would remember.

But, I have to admit, it was not just about making a great meal for my parents.  I really wanted to try bulgogi.  I never have had it (and, despite my effort, I will say I still have never had it).  A nice bulgogi dinner at a Korean BBQ joint is definitely on my to-do list.  And it has been on that list for a very, very, very long time.

So, with five to six pounds of flank steak (which, if you didn't know, is about 1/3 of the flank steak from your average cow), I decided to do a hackneyed idiom and kill two birds with one stone: satisfy my desire to try bulgogi and make a memorable meal for my parents. I scoured the internet for a bulgogi recipe that utilizes flank steak and, surprise, there were a few.  I picked the one that I liked the most, which was from the blog or website of Korean Bapsang, "a Korean Mom's Home Cooking."   The interesting twist to this recipe is the use of pineapple juice.  That is an ingredient that I would not have expected with South Korean cuisine.  Pineapples, not sea pineapples (that is a completely different post for probably a different blog - cue, Andrew Zimmern).   But, I digress ...

The rationale behind using the pineapple juice is to tenderize the flank steak.  As it turns out, pineapple contains an enzyme bromelain, which is used to tenderize meat.  That enzyme is found in fresh pineapple, but not canned pineapple because the canning process damages and destroys the enzyme.  Don't bottle with powdered pineapple (does that actually exist?) or bottled pineapple juice. The recipe calls for a can of pineapple, which runs counter to what I just wrote.  But, if you can get an actual pineapple, and you can juice the hell out of it, use that juice to marinate the beef.

In the end, this is a great recipe if you want a quick way to make bulgogi without adhering to the traditional expectations of the dish and you want to cut a few corners in order to feed your family now rather than in several hours.  It is definitely worth it.

FLANK STEAK BULGOGI

Recipe from Korean Babsang

Serves 4

Ingredients (for the steak):

1 flank steak (about 1.5 to 2 pounds)

2 scallions

Ingredients (for the marinade):

5 to 6 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons rice wine (or mirin)

4 tablespoons juice from a can of pineapple

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 to 1.5 teaspoons finely grated ginger

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Prepare the meat.  Slice the meat (about 1/3 to 1/4 inch thick) against the grain at a steep angle.  Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Add the meat and mix well until evenly coated.   Marinate for at least 1 hour. 

2.  Cook the meat.  Heat a grill pan over high heat and add a few slices.  Lower the heat as necessary.  The marinade may burn if the heat is too high.  Cook until the meat is is cooked through and slightly caramelized, one or two minutes per side. 

3.  Finish the dish.  Serve the meat with any of the accompaniments associated with bulgogi.  In this case, I served it with thinly sliced red onions, scallions and carrots, with lettuce to serve as a wrap.

ENJOY!

Chinese-Style Steak

When I first started cooking as a hobby, there were two things that motivated me.  First, it was Italian cuisine.  This was due to my food-based trip through Emilia Romagna and Tuscany, which I took back in 2006.  However, the other source of motivation came from the other side of the world ... it was the original Iron Chef.

Iron Chef was a cooking competition show produced by Fuji Television.  Each episode generally pitted two of the three (and later four) Japanese Iron Chefs in an one-hour cooking battle focused around a secret ingredient.  The Iron Chefs were Japanese chefs who represent the pinnacle of a cuisine: Hiroyuke Sakai, who was Iron Chef French; Chen Kenichi, who was Iron Chef Chinese; and Rokusaburo Michiba, who was the original Iron Chef Japanese.  (Masahiro was later succeeded by Koumei Nakamura and Masahiro Morimoto as Iron Chef Japanese.)  The fourth Iron Chef was Masahiko Kobe, Iron Chef Italian.  

Iron Chef Chen Kenichi

While I enjoyed watching all of the Iron Chefs produce creative dishes, the one chef who I always seemed to root for the most was Iron Chef Kenichi.  The official records of the Iron Chef reveal that Chef Kenichi had the most losses of any Iron Chef, but that did not matter to me.  Chef Kenichi brought a Sichuan-inspired flair to his dishes, which earned him the nickname, "The Szechuan Sage." His dishes always left me hungry and his cooking inspired me to dabble with Chinese cuisine.  

Long after the show ended, and the reruns stopped, I came across Chen Kenichi's cookbook, Iron Chef Chen's Knockout Chinese.  While the book has sat on a shelf for a very long time, I have been wanting to make a dish from its recipes.   I paged through it one day and found a recipe for "Chinese-Style Steak."  Chef Chen writes that this was his favorite recipe as a child.  "If my mother said, 'Steak for dinner tonight,'" he recounts, "my head would be filled with mouth-watering visions all day at school."  The chef would head "straight home on those days" for that steak dinner.  

With that background, I thought that would be a good recipe for one of my Steak Nights. The recipe is incredibly easy to make.  That simplicity seems quite ironic for a chef who made some very complex recipes during his Iron Chef Battles.  In the end, this is just another lesson that has been become a theme in my cooking adventures.  Simplicity can be perfection.

(One last note: I did not have any watercress for the garnish.  But, who needs greens?  Steak and onions is a meal in and of itself!)

CHINESE-STYLE STEAK

Recipe from Chen Kenichi, 

Iron Chef Chen's Knockout Chinese, pp. 58-59

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 cut beef tenderloin

Dash each salt and pepper

1 onion

Beef tallow or vegetable oil

1 tablespoon sake

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Watercress, for garnish

Directions:

1.  Prepare the beef and onion.  Score meat diagonally along the surface of the beef and season with salt and pepper.  Thinly slice the onion against the grain.

2.  Cook the beef.  Melt the beef tallow in a wok and add  steak.  Grill on both sides to desired level of doneness and remove from the wok.  Use remaining fat in pan to saute onions.  Add the sake and soy sauce.  

3.  Finish the dish.  Cut steak into bite-size strips, top with sauteed onions and garnish plate with watercress. 

ENJOY!

Oaxacan-Style Grilled Sirloin

I am a very big fan of Steve Raichlen, who is the author of the Barbecue Bible and host of shows such as Primal Grill.   Maybe it is his straightforward presentation of recipes that are easy to understand and replicate.  Maybe it is the line of grills and smokers that are in the background of his shows.  Maybe it is understanding that, during the process of  following recipes, it is okay to make mistakes.  After all, Steve Raichlen has said, "there's no such thing as a mistake in a kitchen, just a new recipe waiting to be discovered.

In the end, I think it is the undeniable fact that Steve Raichlen is synonymous with grilling and barbecue, both of which are among my favorite cooking methods.  Many of his recipes have inspired my cooking, especially when it  comes to my Steak Night meals or Savage Bolek BBQ recipes.  (The Baltimore Pit Beef recipe, which is Steve Raichlen's take on the quintessential Maryland "BBQ" ranks as one of the most popular recipes on this blog.)

One particular recipe, Oaxacan-Style Grilled Sirloin, grabbed my attention and did not let go.  The reference to Oaxacan cuisine was one reason, because I am intrigued by regional Mexican cooking.   For examples, you can check out my Pollo a las Brassas, which is based on street food from Sinaloa, or my Mole Verde Zacatecano, which is based on the green sauce from Zacatecas.

Raichlen's recipe is a nod to a under-appreciated fact about Oaxacan cuisine.  While Oaxaca may be known as the land of the seven moles, simply grilled meats wrapped in tortillas -- carne asado -- are as quintessentially Oaxacan as any of those seven sauces. Luke Pyerson, of the Boston Globe, recounted the experience of searching out carne asado at the Mercado Noviembre 20, a market locate just off the the zocalo or main square.  He described following the scent of grilled meat to the vendors, who served it in corn tortillas along with roasted onions and peppers, guacamole, and anything you purchased from the vegetable vendors at the market.  

If you want to transform the whole experience from print to video, I would assume it looked something like this: 

(Note: the first two and a half minutes are about the market, the rest of the video is about Oaxacan crafts and folk art, which is interesting too.)  After reading the article and watching the video, I wished there was an alley of smoked meats in my neighborhood.  Not just for the carne asado, but also the music.  

So, with a very hungry stomach, I made Steven Raichlen's Oaxacan-Style Grilled Sirloin.  Needless to say, I was not disappointed.  It was the best I could do without standing in the middle of the Mercado 20 Noviembre.  Given the ease of the recipe, as well as how tasty the results are, this recipe is going to be added to my quickly growing "go-to" recipes.   It is definitely a great summer recipe and, quite frankly, it is also a recipe that is worth standing in 3-4 inches of snow during the winter time just to grill the meat.

OAXACAN-STYLE GRILLED SIRLOIN

Recipe from Steven Raichlen's Barbecue Bible

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 bunches scallions, white and green parts trimmed

8 chiles de agua, cubanelle peppers, jalapeno peppers or poblano peppers

Coarse salt

2 pounds of boneless sirloin steak, cut into broad sheets 1/4 inch thick

16 corn or flour tortillas, or more as needed

4 limes, cut into wedges

Guacamole

Salsa

Directions:

1.  Prepare the grill.  Preheat the grill to high heat.

2.  Prepare the vegetables.  If using charcoal, toss the scallions and peppers right on the coals.  If using gas, arrange the scallions and peppers on the hot grate.  Cook, turning with tongs, until nicely charred and tender, about 5 minutes.  

3.  Continue preparing the vegetables.  Transfer the grilled scallions to a serving plate and set aside until ready to serve.  Scrape the charred skins off the peppers with a sharp night (don't worry about removing every last bit.  Cut the peppers in half and scrape out the seeds.  Transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

4.  Grill the steak.  When ready to grill the beef, brush and oil the grate.  Generously salt the beef and place it on the hot grate.  Grill, turning with tongs, 1 to 4 minutes per side for well done (the way Oaxacans like their beef cooked).  While you are at it, arrange the tortillas, a few at a time, on the grill for a few seconds to ehat them, then keep them warm in a cloth lined basket.  Transfer the grilled beef to a cutting board and cut it into thin strips or 1/2 inch dice.  

5.  Serve.  Set out the bowls of lime wedges, guacamole and salsa, along with the scallions and peppers.  To eat, place a few pieces of beef on the tortilla.  Place a grilled scallion and half pepper on top.  Top with spoonfuls of guacamole and salsa, and a squeeze of lime juice.  Roll the whole thing up and eat it.

ENJOY!

Grilled Steak with Green Sriracha

One of the things on my culinary bucket list is to make my own hot sauce.  It may not seem like much, especially to cooks and chefs who could easily make a hot sauce for various dishes.  However, I love hot sauce.  I really, really LOVE hot sauce.  I usually keep at least 3 or 4 different types of hot sauce on hand in our refrigerator, including the "staples," like Tabasco and Sriracha. 

Recently, I came across a recipe for a grilled steak with a green sriracha sauce.  A sriracha sauce is a type of hot sauce typically made from chiles, distilled vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt. The sauce is Thai in origin, often called sot Siracha; the name comes from the city of Si Racha, which is located in the Chonburi province of eastern Thailand.  The sauce is typically used in Thai cuisine as a condiment; and, it even finds its way into Vietnamese cuisine, served alongside bowls of phở.

Sriracha is particularly popular in the United States.  Given that over one ton of Sriracha sauce is produced every hour, it has found its way into many grocery stores and restaurants across the United States.  The supply is readily eaten by demand, including one person who consumed three bottles of it at one time.  While I have consumed my fair share of Sriracha sauce, I have never simply guzzled the hot sauce.  It is best drizzled over food, especially fried or grilled foods.

While the red Sriracha sauce is almost ubiquitous, the green sauce seems more intriguing and it is one that I have never tried before.  The recipe incorporates green chiles -- roasted poblano peppers and serrano chiles -- with a range of fresh ingredients such as basil, chives, cilantro, lemongrass, lime leaves and coconut.  The poblano peppers add depth to the flavor of the sauce, while the serrano chiles provide quite the kick, which one would expect.  The end result is a hot sauce that is in many respects better than the red Sriracha.  Maybe it is the use of fresh ingredients, prepared using a blender.  Maybe it is the tartness of the lime juice contrasted with the heat of the serranos, along the field of chives, cilantro, basil and mint.  Maybe it is just that I love most of what I make.    

GRILLED STEAK WITH GREEN SRIRACHA

Recipe from Food & Wine

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 large poblano chiles 

2 serrano chiles

3 large garlic cloves, peeled & smashed

1/2 cup fresh ginger, sliced

1 half-inch piece of turmeric or

     1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric

1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

2 loose cups of basil leaves

2 loose cups of mint leaves

1 1/2 cups of snipped chives

1/2 cup of chopped cilantro

4 kaffir lime leaves, shredded

1 lemongrass stalk, tender inner bulb, bottom 4 inches

     peeled and thinly sliced

1 cup canola oil, plus more for grilling

1/4 cup of lime juice, plus 2 tablespoons

Kosher salt

4-5 pounds of steak, such as flank steak or skirt steak, cut into 

     4 even sized pieces

Directions:

1.  Prepare the Green Sriracha.  Roast the poblano chiles directly over a gas flame, turning, until charred and tender.  Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let cool.  Peel, core and seed the poblanos.  Transfer the poblanos to a blender.  Add the serranos, garlic, ginger, turmeric, coconut, basil, mint, chives, cilantro, lime leaves and lemongrass and pulse to chop.  With the machine on, add the 1 cup of oil and puree.  Add the lime juice and season the green Sriracha with salt. Once the sauce is made, it can be refrigerated for up to three days.

2.  Grill the steak.  Light a grill.  Brush the steaks with oil and season with salt.  Oil the grill grates and grill the steaks in batches over high heat, turning once or twice, until the meat is lightly charred and medium rare, 5 to 6 minutes.  Cook a little longer, 1 to 2 minutes more, to obtain medium, if that is your desired doneness.  Transfer to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing across the grain.  Serve the steak with the green Sriracha.