Now that we are well into summer, it’s a good time for favorite summer recipes. For my family, that means tomato sandwiches with fresh corn on the cob. To take advantage of truly vine-ripened tomatoes, we probably eat them at least once a week. And while they are delicious, I thought I would include some favorites from other library staff as well. One is a recipe to help you use up fresh zucchini. The other one is a recipe for marinated flank steak for the grill. Hopefully you find some fresh ideas to help you enjoy the lazy days of August, while they last.
Tomato Sandwiches
- 4 English muffins, split and toasted
- Mayonnaise (can use light)
- 8 thin slices of fresh tomato
- 4-8 thin slices of sweet onion
- Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil leaves
- 8 slices of thick sliced bacon, cooked and well drained
- 4-8 slices sharp Cheddar cheese
- Preheat broiler.
- Spread mayonnaise on each half of toasted English muffins. Top each bottom half with 2 slices of tomato and 1-2 slices of onion; salt and pepper, as desired. Add basil and bacon. Place cheese slices on each top half. Leaving sandwiches open-faced, place on a baking sheet.
- Place under broiler until cheese melts. Remove from oven and place cheese half on top of the tomato half, making 4 sandwiches.
I like to serve these with fresh corn on the cob and pasta salad or coleslaw.
Grilled Marinated Flank Steak (simplyrecipes.com)
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Marinating 2 hrs
Total Time 2 hrs 30 mins
Servings 6 servings
Marinade Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Other ingredients:
- 1 (2-pound) flank steak
- Coarse salt, to taste (optional)
- More freshly ground black pepper, to taste (optional)
Method
- Marinate the steak:
Combine the marinade ingredients in a large non-reactive bowl.
Place the steak in the bowl and turn it, so it is completely coated with the marinade. (You can also place the steak and marinade in a plastic freezer bag and place it in a bowl.)
Chill and marinate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
- Prepare your grill:
Prepare the grill for high, direct heat with one part of the grill for lower, indirect heat. The grill is hot enough when you hold your hand about an inch over the hot side, and you can only hold it there for about a second.
- Grill the steak:
Remove the steak from the marinade and gently shake off the excess marinade from the steak (But make sure there is still a coating of it, you’ll want the oil on it to help keep the steak from sticking to the grill.).
If you want, sprinkle generously on all sides with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. The salt and pepper will help form a savory crust on the steak.
Place steak on the hot side of the grill. Grill for a minute or two on each side to get a good sear. Then, move the steak to the cooler side of the grill, cover and cook a few minutes more until done to your liking.
How do you know when the steak is done? One way to tell is to poke it with your fingertips. While the steak is still raw, test it with your fingers; it will be quite squishy. That’s what a very rare steak feels like. Touch the tip of your nose and that’s what a very well done steak feels like. Here’s a visual guide, the finger test to check the doneness of steak.
Otherwise, use a good meat thermometer (I recommend a Thermapen.) Pull the steak off the grill at 120 to 125°F for rare, 130-140°F for medium rare, and 145°F for medium.
- Rest the steak:
When the steak has cooked to your liking, remove from the grill and place on a cutting board. Cover with aluminum foil to hold in the heat while the steak rests for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Slice across the grain:
Notice the direction of the muscle fibers of the steak; this is called the grain of the meat. Flank steak is a very lean cut that will be tough and chewy unless you cut it in a way that breaks up the muscle fibers.
So, cut the steak across the grain of the meat, at a steep diagonal, so that the slices are wide. I find it easiest to use a long serrated bread knife for this, but any long sharp knife will do.
If you want, you can take the excess marinade and bring it to a boil, simmer for several minutes, and serve with the flank steak. Great also with salsa or horseradish sauce.
Fresh Gnocchi and Baby Zucchini
with Crispy Squash Blossoms & Lemon Brown Butter (blueapron.com)
2 Servings
- 4 Squash Blossoms
- 1 Lemon
- ½ lb Baby Zucchini
- ¼ cup Rice Flour
- 2 Tbsps Butter
- ⅓ cup Grated Pecorino Cheese
- 10 oz Fresh Gnocchi
- Prepare the ingredients: Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling on high. Remove the stems and stamens of the squash blossoms; roughly chop 2 of the flowers, leave the remaining 2 whole. Using a peeler, remove the yellow rind of the lemon; mince the rind to get 2 teaspoons of zest. Quarter the lemon and remove the seeds. Trim off and discard the tops and bottoms of the zucchini; halve each once lengthwise and once crosswise to create quarters. In a medium bowl, combine the rice flour and ⅓ cup of water to create a batter.
- Fry the squash blossoms: In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a thin layer of oil on medium-high until very hot. Once hot enough that a drop of batter sizzles immediately when added to the pan, coat the whole squash blossoms in the batter, allowing any excess to drip off. Carefully add the coated squash blossoms to the pan and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately season with salt. Set aside as you continue cooking. Carefully discard the oil. Wipe out the pan.
- Make the brown butter sauce: In the same pan used to fry the squash blossoms, melt the butter on medium. Continue cooking until the butter foams. Once the foam subsides, swirl the butter around the pan over the heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it turns golden brown and smells nutty. (Be watchful, as the butter can burn easily.) Add the chopped squash blossoms and lemon zest and cook, stirring frequently, 5 to 10 seconds, or until thoroughly coated.
- Add the zucchini: Add the zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the juice of 2 lemon wedges.
- Cook the gnocchi: While the squash cooks, add the gnocchi to the pot of boiling water. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender and the gnocchi floats to the top of the pot. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then using a slotted spoon or strainer, transfer the cooked gnocchi to the pan with the zucchini and brown butter.
- Finish the gnocchi & plate your dish: Add all but a pinch of the Pecorino cheese and ¼ cup reserved pasta water and stir until well combined. (If desired, add up to an additional ¼ cup of reserved pasta water to achieve your desired consistency.) Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. To plate your dish, divide the gnocchi between 2 dishes and top each with a fried squash blossom. Garnish with the remaining Pecorino cheese and lemon wedges. Enjoy!