Date Night--September 19, 2012

 It was a little odd preparing a Date Night meal with Josh around.  He wanted to--wait for it--HELP!

Coulda knocked me over with a feather.  Of course, if you ask him today who made the steak and the pudding, well,  you know what his answer will be.  "I did."  The reality is he helped.   A lot.  especially making the marinade.  He mixed everything in the zip top bag except the grated shallot and garlic.  (No onion makes me cry like a shallot and grating it had me in hysterics!  I thought I was gonna die.)

The flank steak was a recipe that I saw Kelsey Nixon make on her show on the cooking channel.

Ingredients

STEAK:

• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

• 4 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 medium shallot, grated
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus 1 tablespoon, divided

• 2 pounds flank steak  

Directions

For the steak: In a small bowl, mix together the Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, mustard, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, garlic and shallots. Gradually whisk in 1/4 cup vegetable oil until emulsified. Place the steak in a plastic zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over the steak and seal the bag. Marinate for at least 1 hour at room temperature or refrigerate overnight. Allow the steak to come to room temperature before cooking.

When ready to cook, preheat the broiler and set the oven rack at the highest point, as close to the flame as it can get and still fit the steak below. Fit a wire rack onto a baking sheet.

Place the marinated steak on the prepared baking sheet (or a broiler pan), sprinkle with salt and pepper and place it under the broiler. Cook for 3 minutes on the first side. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes for medium-rare. Remove from the oven and allow to rest 10 minutes. Slice thin strips of steak against the grain.

Now, did you notice the green highlighted (highlit?) part?  I had the steak so close that it was actually on fire when I took it out to the oven.  Quick thinking Josh blew it out.

This steak was accompanied by perfectly steamed green beans and these yummy roasted potatoes that my mommy makes.

You start by thinly slicing any number of potatoes.  Then you shingle them on a pan that has been lightly coated with EVOO.  Coat the tops of the taters with more EVOO, salt, pepper, and minced rosemary.  Bake at 450 for 45 minutes to an hour.

I imagine that by now you have noticed the image of a "SliceOMatic" on this blog.  I have a story about my newly acquired SliceOMatic.  I saw an ad in the Bed Bath and Beyond circular for this product at half price.  A mere $10!  So last Friday, after getting my brand name mayo at the local market for $1.88(!!!), I headed over to BB&B to get my new slicing machine.  It was 9:05.  The store doesn't open till 9:30.  I was standing in the vestibule with an employee.  She let me in early, went and got my item (there were only 3!!! left) and sold it to me all before opening!!!  Additionally, I had forgotten my 20% off coupon, but was assured that I could bring the coupon and my receipt in and be reimbursed.  Do I think this item is worth the MSRP of $20?  Probably not.  But for $8, it's great!

Now on to dessert.  I made pudding.  From scratch.  My sister thought was "ambitious."  But it was not that bad.  Josh helped until we got to the "whisk for 7 minutes" stage.  That was just too tedious, I guess.  I wish he had been there to see the moment when it thickened.  Cooking is so exciting!

So anyway, this is Real Simple's Ultimate Chocolate Pudding.   And it is yummy!

 Ingredients

• 1/4  cup  sugar
• 1/4  cup  cornstarch
• 2  tablespoons  unsweetened cocoa powder
• pinch kosher salt
• 2  cups  whole milk
• 4  large egg yolks
• 2  tablespoons  unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 3  ounces  semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1  teaspoon  pure vanilla extract
• whipped cream, for serving

Directions

1. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa, and salt. Gradually whisk in the milk, then the egg yolks.
2. Cook the milk mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened to the consistency of mayonnaise, 7 to 8 minutes. Continue to cook, whisking, for 1 minute more. Remove from heat and pour through the sieve into the bowl, pushing the mixture through gently with a rubber spatula or spoon. Add the butter and chocolate and stir until melted. Mix in the vanilla.
3. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. Before serving, gently stir the pudding to loosen it. Serve with the whipped cream.

Kristen out!

happy cooking!