Carpool Wars: Battle Steak!

FADE IN:

INT.  DINING ROOM - NIGHT

AUTHORITATIVE ANNOUNCER VOICE

Previously, on Carpool Wars...

Overhead shot of dining table littered with large plates covered with remnants of various pasta dishes, a few scattered pieces of blueberry pie with ice cream melting in places, and several EMPTY WINE BOTTLES.  A group of adults, clearly completely stuffed and showing the effects of the wine, are leaning back in their chairs, rubbing their bloated bellies with happiness.

MY HUSBAND

Ribs?

THE CARPOOL MOMS

(Raising glasses to toast)

You're on!

FADE TO:
INT.  KITCHEN - EVENING
Quick montage of Battle Ribs! with properly dramatic, pulse-pounding soundtrack in the background.  Use clever editing to make people feel this has happened just last week, despite the fact that this particular battle happened in November*.

AUTHORITATIVE ANNOUNCER VOICE

Three battles in.  A brand new driver in the mix**.   The most exciting Mom-on-Mom cooking competition in America hits a whole new level of fierceness tonight.  Who will win the coveted "Taste" prize?  Stay tuned.  
It's CARPOOL WARS:  BATTLE STEAK!

EXT.  MY CAR - LATE AFTERNOON
Overhead shot. We see the car turning a corner and overhear the conversation.

MY SON

What do you want to bet that Cindy doesn't even make a real steak? 

MY DAUGHTER

Yeah, she'll probably make, like, duck, and call it steak.  Like the fish burgers.  

ME

Or she could be making steak tartare...

..
A chorus of "Ews!" ensues, along with laughter.  MY HUSBAND looks worried.  I look calm but am secretly dismayed, because I know she will be making a real steak, and I am in trouble.

INT.  KITCHEN - EVENING
Close ups of succulent steaks. We hear CARPOOL MOMS murmuring in the background about their personal relationships with various butchers.  Smack talk all around**.

Christy D's two-inch thick NY steaks from a butcher that sells to the top restaurants in LA, basking in a balsamic-shallot-olive oil marinade.

Cindy's even thicker bone-in rib eyes, with her special skillet, artisan salts, and other spices.  Also bone marrow to be roasted alongside.  (The kids were a tiny bit right)

A clever entry from the new Christy: Flank steak marinated in a vibrant chimichurri sauce.  She's a ringer!

CUT TO:
Sizzling everywhere.  Tantalizing smells are coming from the stove top, the oven and the grill. The guacamole has been demolished, the baked potato bar is being set up, and THE CARPOOL MOMS are well through the white wine and on to the red.

 

PAN TO:
Platters of steak, laid out for the JUDGES to take the first pass through.

 

The judges are pleased.

The grilled balsamic NY steaks, with a decadent peppercorn cream sauce

The rib eye - finished in the oven with the marrow bones, a little thyme, and butter

The INSTIGATOR, enjoying the results of his diabolical plan (and the lack of steak tartare)

The votes come in, including a new category "Tenderness", added perhaps in a kind gesture to my steak, which was completely outclassed in every aspect but this one.

The WINNER for best tasting steak savors her victory by jumping up and down and screaming for joy****.  The OTHER MOMS are outwardly happy for her, each having won a category themselves*****, but we know better.  They waste no time in throwing down the gauntlet.

AUTHORITATIVE ANNOUNCER VOICE

Don't miss the next exciting CARPOOL WARS: Battle Brunch!

FADE OUT.

Things that you grill for $200, Alex

Alex Trebek:  Answer - "This flavorful use for a less popular part of the bird will satisfy both your family's appetite and your own repressed anger at the absence of your daughter."

DING!

Me: What are Mediterranean Chicken Skewers?
Alex Trebek:  Correct!

Mediterranean Chicken Skewers 

A recipe from the grilling class I took a while back.   They are juicy, full of spice, and a cinch to make.  Plus, you get to stab the meat, chanting "you better be nice to her!" or other such comfort phrases, as much as you like.  I served these with a refreshing Tabouleh-style salad made with Israeli cous cous instead of bulgur wheat* and some white bean hummus from Trader Joe's.

1/2 c. olive oil
2 Tbs. minced garlic
1/4 c. combined assortment of minced Italian parsley, mint, tarragon and chives
1 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 1/2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks

Mix all ingredients except chicken together in a small bowl until well combined.  Place marinade and chicken into a large Ziploc bag.  Turn several times to coat the chicken, and refrigerate for at least an hour and up to a day.

Remove the chicken from the marinade, and thread onto skewers. ("Die, evil counselor! Die!")  Heat grill to medium.  Place skewers on the grill, sprinkle liberally with kosher salt, and cook for 8-10 minutes, turning once.  It should be opaque on all sides, but you can check for doneness by cutting into one of the pieces with a small knife.  Serve immediately.

Alex Trebek:   Pick again.
Me:  Things that you grill for $400, Alex.
Alex Trebek:  Answer - "This summer dinner party winner was just one of 101 grilling ideas published recently by Mark Bittman in the New York Times."

DING!

Me:  What is Lime Ginger Soaked Skirt Steak?
Alex Trebek:  Correct!

Lime Ginger Soaked Skirt Steak

Out of all 101 sentences in that post, this one just called to me:  Soak skirt steak in a mixture of soy, lime juice, garlic, ginger and sugar (or mirin) before grilling.

So I did exactly that.  Or almost exactly.  I had some fresh herbs around and threw those in, too.  I've tried to replicate the proportions I used, but definitely just wing it.  I don't think you can go wrong.

One 2-3 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
8 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbs. chopped fresh scallions
1/4 c. of soy sauce
Juice of 4-5 limes
1/4 c. of brown sugar
1/2 c. of olive oil
About 2 lbs. skirt steak, visible fat trimmed, silver skin removed as best you can.
Kosher salt

Combine all ingredients except steak in a bowl, and mix thoroughly.   Put steak and marinade into a large Ziploc bag and refrigerate at least 6 hours but preferably overnight.   Once or twice, give the steak a little massage and move the marinade around.

When you are ready to cook, preheat grill to medium high.    Place steak on grill, and sprinkle liberally with salt.  Grill for 2-3 minutes per side for medium rare, depending on the thickness of your steak.  Remove from the grill and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes on a pan or tray that will collect any juices from the steak.   Then slice against the grain on the diagonal and serve, drizzling juices over.

Alex Trebek:  I'm sorry.  That's all the time we have for today.  Mostly because I'm too hungry to continue.  Tune in next time, everybody!

Today's post is in honor of one of my favorite movie moments, from White Men Can't Jump:



*  To make the salad, cook the cous cous as directed.  While still warm, stir in the juice from 2 or 3 lemons, 3 Tbs. of balsamic vinegar, 1/3 c. of olive oil, and about a cup and a half of chopped fresh herbs.  The herb proportions should skew towards Italian parsley, but should have a strong dose of mint and scallions, too.   The nice thing about pairing this with the chicken is how much they have in common, herb-wise.   You can easily chop all the herbs at once for both recipes.  Allow salad to cool completely, then refrigerate, preferably for a least an hour, before serving.  About 15 minutes before you're ready to eat, stir in chopped fresh tomatoes, cucumbers or whatever other veggies you like.  Taste, then season with salt and pepper as needed.

Why I don't write about my Dad

There are several key reasons why my father does not make regular appearances here on my blog.  Let me lay them out for you as follows:

1. He tends to communicate via extensive, enumerated lists to make his point*.   While his logic is inevitably irrefutable, this doesn't make for good sound bites**.
2. He's been a very successful bureaucrat for most of his professional life.  Meaning he's diplomatic, even tempered, detail-oriented, authoritative and thoughtful.  But not funny.
3. He's had both hips replaced, his back hurts a lot, and he should be retired.  But he goes to work every day, cooks and cares for his wife when she's ill, and supports my mom financially.   He's devoted to his dog.   Making him a shining example of nobility and selflessness, but not exactly riveting copy.
4. He taught me to love reading, puzzles, George of the Jungle cartoons and Monty Python movies.  He put me and my sister through college, raised two strong, confident women, and is inordinately proud of both of us.  And he adores his crop of rapidly growing grandchildren enormously.   We are beyond lucky to have him, but this is more of a personal benefit than a public one.
5. Perhaps most relevant of all, he's got an iron grip***, is really tall and intimidating, and may actually read this someday.  

Dad with his grandkids and the characters from South Park at his 70th birthday party****.

So, instead of blogging about my Dad on Father's Day, I'm going to blog about what I cooked for my Dad on Father's Day.   It's much safer.  

Warm Grilled Potato Salad
This was an experiment I tried as an accompaniment to our Father's Day mixed grill, and we all loved it. 

About 2 lbs. of red rose or other waxy potatoes, washed and cut into 1/3 inch slices
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 c. of olive oil
2-3 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1/2 c. of chopped green onions
grated zest of 1 orange
3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
Another 1/2 c. olive oil
Plenty of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3-4 cups of arugula

Put a pot of salted water on to boil, and add the potatoes.  Cook for 6-8 minutes, or until potatoes are nearly done but not quite.  To check, look for them to opaque at the edges but still crisp in the middle.

Remove from water and drain well on a towel.

Meanwhile, whisk the garlic, 1/2 c. of olive oil, and mustard together in a small bowl, and season liberally with salt and pepper.  Brush one side of the potato rounds with this mixture, and hold onto the rest.   Mix green onions, orange zest, vinegar and the other 1/2 c. of olive oil in a large mixing bowl until well blended.  Set aside.   Arrange arugula in a shallow serving bowl and keep in the fridge until you need it.

Place potato slices, oiled side down, onto a hot grill.   Brush the tops with the remaining mustard/garlic mixture.   If you have any of the mustard mixture left, stir it into the large bowl with the balsamic dressing.  Close grill and cook potatoes for 6 minutes.   Flip over and continue grilling for another 6 minutes.   The potatoes should be nice and brown and crispy looking when they're done.   Immediately transfer to the bowl with the dressing and toss, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.  Get out your serving dish, and spoon the potatoes over the arugula, drizzling with any extra dressing.  Serve immediately.

Bonus! The trick to great grilled steak

When you put the steak on the grill, place a few thin slices of cold butter on top.   It will melt into the meat slowly.  When you flip the steaks, put another few slices of butter on the steak.  This will melt quickly.  When you eat the steak, it will literally melt in your mouth.   You will never grill any other way again!

* I suppose I have made use of this methodology here from time to time, so perhaps he has had an impact after all.
** What it does make for are long, drawn out conversations that have a strong tinge of the old college lecture about them.
*** Those of you who have met my dad know what I'm talking about.
**** He may not be that funny himself, but he has a great appreciation for comedy (which he passed on to me) and for campy Godzilla movies (which he thankfully did not).

A few telltale signs that it's just about summer time

1. Gas prices go up for no valid reason
2. Teachers have ceased assigning any meaningful amount of homework, giving you children with way too much time on their hands several weeks before camp starts
3. After a bunch of two hour season finales, every show worth watching is in repeats
4. It's way too late to lose that extra 20 pounds in time for getting in a swimsuit, but you have an outside chance of taking it off in time for putting on a parka
5. Basketball season is getting interesting
6. The grill is on!

All of the above happened here this weekend, so we stayed home (#1), put the kids in the pool (#2), tuned into the NBA Playoffs (#3 and #5), whomped up a whole mess of great BBQ food (#6 and #4, since another few days of good eating won't hurt me), and had friends and family over to enjoy the day (a great idea year round).

Highly recommended.  As is this steak.