Asian Flank Steak

Source: www.allrecipes.com

1 flank steak
1/4 c vegetable oil
1/4 c orange juice
3 T soy sauce
3 T honey
3 T rice wine vinegar
2 T minced green onions
1.5 t grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, pressed
1.5 t corn starch
3 T water

Score steak diagonally across grain at 3/4 inch intervals.

Combine oil and next 7 ingredients in a shallow dish; add steak. Cover and chill 8 hours, turning occasionally.

Remove steak from marinade, reserving marinade.

Grill steak, covered with grill lid, over high heat, about 6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

Bring reserved marinade to a boil in a saucepan, and boil at least 1 minute until reduced by 1/3.

Stir together cornstarch and water until smooth. Add to marinade; bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Spoon over steak.

Roasted Beet Salad with Beet Greens

Source: Bon Apetit, March 1997

6 TB EVOO
2.5 TB red wine vinegar
1 TB minced garlic

7 medium-large beets with greens
1 cup water
2 TB chopped drained capers

3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Whisk oil, vinegar and garlic in small bowl to blend. Season dressing generously with salt and pepper.

Cut green tops off beets; reserve tops. Arrange beets in a single layer in a baking dish; add on cup water. Cover and bake until beets are tender when pierced with a knife, about one hour. Peel beets while still warm. Cut beets in half and slice thinly. Transfer to a large bowl. Mix in capers and 1/4 cup dressing. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut stems off beet greens; discard stems. Wash greens. Transfer greens, with some water still clinging to leaves, to a large pot. Stir over high heat until just wilted but still bright green, about 4 minutes. Drain greens; squeeze out excess moisture. Cool; chop coarsely.

Transfer greens to medium bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Arrange beets in center of platter. Surround with greens; sprinkle with feta. Drizzle with any remaining dressing.

Candied Sweet Potatoes

Source: Gourmet, November 1999

3 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and halved
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 to 1/2 cup bourbon

Preheat oven to 375.

Cut each potato half lengthwise into fourths. Steam potatoes on a steamer rack set over boiling water, covered, until just tender, 10 to 15 minutes, then cool uncovered. Transfer into a buttered 3-quart shallow baking dish.

Simmer brown sugar, butter, water, and salt, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and syrup is thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in bourbon to taste. Drizzle syrup over potatoes and bake in middle of oven, basting occasionally, until syrup is thickened, about 1 1/4 hours.

Sourdough-Sage Stuffing

Source: Saveur, November 2000

16 tbsp butter
3 medium yellow onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 head celery, trimmed and finely chopped
1 large bunch parsley, stems trimmed and leaves finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh sage leaves
salt and freshly ground pepper
10 cups fine fresh sourdough breadcrumbs
1/2 cup chicken stock (or more, as needed while baking)

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter in large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions, and cook without browning, stirring often, until very soft, about 20 minutes. Add celery, parsley, and sage. Generously season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes more. Remove from heat, and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Add bread crumbs to onion-celery mixture, and toss until well combined. Add chicken stock, and mix until stuffing is just moist but not packed together. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Spoon warm stuffing into turkey, truss, and bake. Or put stuffing in a buttered baking pan, and bake until hot and golden on top, about 30-45 minutes.

Traditional Beef Stew in Crockpot

Source: www.crockpot365.blogspot.com

2 lb beef stew meat
1/2 onion
handful baby tomatoes
celery
carrots
mushrooms
beef broth (24 oz or so)
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp seasoning blend (I used the beef spices from Turkey and they were great)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup flour

Wash and chop all vegetables. Add to crockpot.
Put flour in bowl. Toss in meat to fully coat.
Put meat into crock. Throw away unused flour.
Add dry seasoning and Worcestershire sauce.
Pour in wine and beef broth.
Cover and cook on low for 8-12 hours.

You could prepare everything the night before, adding liquids just before plugging in and cooking.

Serve with mashed potatoes or crusty bread.

Lentils Syrian Style

Source: Little Foods of the Mediterranean by Clifford A. Wright

2 tablespoons garlic, peeled (from about 8 large cloves)
1 ½ cups dried lentils (ordinary brown or green variety; French green lentils are great)
4 tablespoons olive oil
5-8 Swiss chard leaves, washed, dried, stems removed and sliced into thin strips
¾ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves (about 1 bunch)
At least 1 cup water (or remaining lentil liquid)
1 tablespoon juice of a lemon
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (available at Middle East groceries)

Rinse lentils in a sieve, holding back stones or grit. Place lentils in a pot and cover with water. Bring up to a boil, then lower heat and cook lentils at a simmer, until tender, between 30 and 45 minutes. Check doneness after first 20 minutes, then every 10 minutes, as cooking time varies according to age of lentils. Drain and set aside; reserve cooking liquid if using. Salt lentils to taste.

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic until pulverized. Alternatively, smash garlic with a chef's knife, then continue mashing it. You don't want minced garlic, which tends to burn.

Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the emptied, rinsed-out pot, over medium heat, then add chard until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove chard; set aside.

Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil and add garlic and cilantro, stirring constantly. Cook about 1 minute, reduce heat and return chard, plus lentils and liquid of choice. Stir to combine and cook on medium heat, about 10 minutes. Add lemon juice, pomegranate molasses and stir again.

Makes enough for six as a side dish.