CutandBaste.com

To celebrate the inauguration the other night, we did a classic American “meat & potatoes” dinner: thick cut sirloin steaks basted in butter, roasted fingerling potatoes with a ton of rosemary and garlic, and a simple salad.  To add a bit more flavor to the meal, I did an interesting vinaigrette with blood orange and roasted garlic.  In a blender, start by pureeing the juice of one blood orange, a few tablespoons of blood orange vinegar, a small amount of spicy mustard, and the a whole head of roasted garlic.  Drizzle in olive oil while blending and add salt and pepper to taste.  Toss with lettuce, some slivers of blood orange, radish, and avocado.

For the stir fry:

• Skirt steak (this can be marinated in the sauce below for 1-24 hours)
• Onion, chopped
• Snow peas
• Broccoli
• Shiitake mushrooms, sliced

For the noodles:

• 1 Carrot, shredded
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 T ginger, minced
• Small amount of habanero pepper for spice, finely chopped
• Few tablespoons of rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and about a half cup stock — to taste
• Ramen or Lo Mein noodles

Saute carrot, garlic, and ginger over medium-low heat for a few minutes.  Add liquids and bring to a boil.  Lower heat and simmer while prepping steak and veggies.

Season steak with salt and pepper and pan fry over high heat until medium-rare to rare.  Remove, cover with foil on cutting board, and let rest while preparing everything else.

Saute onions, broccoli, and snow peas over high heat.  Remove and cover.

Saute mushrooms in butter.  Add everything else back and keep warm until while prepping noodles.

Boil noodles, strain, and add to ginger/garlic sauce.

Florence Meat Market on Jones and West 4th in the West Villiage has a special cut of meat called the Newport Steak, which is a sirloin cut.  It needs nothing other than salt and pepper and a quick pan fry and butter baste.  Here the steak is served with cauliflower and a puree of potatoes, a young sheep’s milk cheese called Abbaye de Belloc, and lots of roated garlic.

• 3 cups Spicy slaw
  
• 1 cup Guacamole
• 1 Mango, sliced
• 2 cups white cheese, grated (manchego, white cheddar, aged goat, etc)
• Flank steak, seasoned with salt, pepper, and cumin
• Tortillas

Grill or saute steak over high heat until medium rare.  Remove from heat and let rest for ten minutes or so.  Slice thinly.

Warm tortillas in oven, grill or saute pan and assemble tacos.