Sometimes we creative cooking types overthink our food. We get really fancy with all sorts of herbs, spices, flavors, etc., and labor-intensive preparation techniques. Certainly, that can be a lot of fun, and delicious, too. But sometimes there is a beauty and simplicity in letting the food speak for itself.
In the spirit of simplicity, here are a few super-easy recipes (really more like cooking tips) for you.
SIRLOIN STEAK
Several good cuts of sirloin, about 1 1/2 inches thick
Salt
Fire up your grill. If you use charcoal, make sure you use plenty of coals and get them well-fired until they're white and glowing. Also, ABSOLUTELY make certain you've burned off all the starter fluid. If you use a gas grill, turn on all the burners and close the lid so the grill can get as hot as possible. It makes a big difference to pre-heat the grill to its maximum thermal capacity.
Next, lay the steaks on the grill and sprinkle with a little salt. Now, here's the tough part: leave them alone.
The biggest mis-steak (sorry, I couldn't resist) most people make is flipping their steaks multiple times. This makes the meat dry and tough. Instead, close the lid and walk away for four or five minutes. Flip the meat only once. You can tell when it's time to flip by lifting up the edge of a steak and looking at the bottom. Once it has nice grill marks and a good sear on it, flip it. Now that it's on the flip side, leave it alone.
Give it another few minutes, then repeat the process of looking at the bottom of the steak. It's better to undercook the meat slightly, because steaks will continue to cook internally for several minutes after they've been removed from the heat. Most importantly, you want the steak to be juicy and tender. Your steak is naturally inclined as such -- it's unnecessary meddling that makes a steak dry and tough.
OVEN BAKED POTATOES
Several good-sized baking potatoes
Vegetable oil
Salt
Once again, the secret is in the preparation. Wash the potatoes very well. Once they are clean, dry them off well. Rub each potato with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt. Stand the potato upright in a muffin pan and bake until the potato is relatively soft. DO NOT poke holes in the potato prior to cooking -- all that does is let them release their internal moisture and become dry. DO NOT wrap in foil -- that makes the skin soft and tasteless. By rubbing with oil and cooking upright, your potato will come out with a delicious, slightly crispy/crusty skin.
SAUTEED ONIONS
two medium onions, peeled, halved and sliced in medium wedges
1/4 stick of real butter
15-20 whole peppercorns
(OK, here I get a little fancy and use a peppercorn medley)
a couple of dashes of red wine (to cook with, not to drink)
(preferably Cabernet, Shiraz, Merlot, Pinot Noir, or something that pairs well with a good steak)
Put all the ingredients together in a big skillet (or my preference, a wok) and sautee over medium-high heat, tossing occasionally to keep anything from sticking or burning. Sautee until the wine is fully evaporated and the onions are well caramelized.
There, that's about as simple and delicious as it gets. Serve with a tossed salad, and maybe another simple steamed vegetable like carrots or broccoli.
Enjoy the food!
In the spirit of simplicity, here are a few super-easy recipes (really more like cooking tips) for you.
SIRLOIN STEAK
Several good cuts of sirloin, about 1 1/2 inches thick
Salt
Fire up your grill. If you use charcoal, make sure you use plenty of coals and get them well-fired until they're white and glowing. Also, ABSOLUTELY make certain you've burned off all the starter fluid. If you use a gas grill, turn on all the burners and close the lid so the grill can get as hot as possible. It makes a big difference to pre-heat the grill to its maximum thermal capacity.
Next, lay the steaks on the grill and sprinkle with a little salt. Now, here's the tough part: leave them alone.
The biggest mis-steak (sorry, I couldn't resist) most people make is flipping their steaks multiple times. This makes the meat dry and tough. Instead, close the lid and walk away for four or five minutes. Flip the meat only once. You can tell when it's time to flip by lifting up the edge of a steak and looking at the bottom. Once it has nice grill marks and a good sear on it, flip it. Now that it's on the flip side, leave it alone.
Give it another few minutes, then repeat the process of looking at the bottom of the steak. It's better to undercook the meat slightly, because steaks will continue to cook internally for several minutes after they've been removed from the heat. Most importantly, you want the steak to be juicy and tender. Your steak is naturally inclined as such -- it's unnecessary meddling that makes a steak dry and tough.
OVEN BAKED POTATOES
Several good-sized baking potatoes
Vegetable oil
Salt
Once again, the secret is in the preparation. Wash the potatoes very well. Once they are clean, dry them off well. Rub each potato with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt. Stand the potato upright in a muffin pan and bake until the potato is relatively soft. DO NOT poke holes in the potato prior to cooking -- all that does is let them release their internal moisture and become dry. DO NOT wrap in foil -- that makes the skin soft and tasteless. By rubbing with oil and cooking upright, your potato will come out with a delicious, slightly crispy/crusty skin.
SAUTEED ONIONS
two medium onions, peeled, halved and sliced in medium wedges
1/4 stick of real butter
15-20 whole peppercorns
(OK, here I get a little fancy and use a peppercorn medley)
a couple of dashes of red wine (to cook with, not to drink)
(preferably Cabernet, Shiraz, Merlot, Pinot Noir, or something that pairs well with a good steak)
Put all the ingredients together in a big skillet (or my preference, a wok) and sautee over medium-high heat, tossing occasionally to keep anything from sticking or burning. Sautee until the wine is fully evaporated and the onions are well caramelized.
There, that's about as simple and delicious as it gets. Serve with a tossed salad, and maybe another simple steamed vegetable like carrots or broccoli.
Enjoy the food!
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