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Turkey Burgers

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It seems to me that ground turkey gained popularity sometime during the 1980’s.  People were turning away from red meat and they were looking for something that was healthier.  I didn’t jump on the turkey wagon right away. 

But, as time passed, I kept trying new things and ground turkey was something I finally got around to.  If you want reduce the amount of fat in your diet, get ground turkey breast.  Most ground turkey in supermarkets combine the light and dark parts of the turkey, which might have as much or more fat content than very lean beef. 

Aw, who cares…

Control your portions, get some exercise and get a good night’s sleep and stop worrying so much.

One of the things I dislike about some recipes that call for ground turkey is that they attempt to mimic the texture and flavor of beef.  That seems dishonest to me.  I don’t want to be fooled by food.  I want something straightforward and honest. 

I remember when my kids were little and they were going through their chicken nugget phase.  Once, when I was picking up a bag of chicken nuggets at the store, I saw some chicken nuggets that were dinosaur shaped.  Really…?  Who were they trying to fool?  Oh…kids, that’s right.  Well kids, guess what?  You’re not really eating miniature dinosaurs.  You’re eating a glob of crunchy processed chicken.

Alright, enough of that!  Let’s make some honest turkey burgers. 

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey

1 egg

1/4 cup bread crumbs

2 Tbs mayonnaise

1 Tbs garlic powder

2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbs chopped basil

1 Tbs kosher salt

1 Tbs ground black pepper

1 Tbs cooking oil

4 Hamburger buns (I used brioche buns)

(Burger toppings…lettuce, tomato, pickles, etc.)

Ingredients for sauce:

2 Tbs mayonnaise

1 Tbs Dijon mustard

½ tsp hot sauce

Directions:

Mix the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl.  Set aside.

This is a double batch…I used 3 eggs.

In a large bowl, mix together turkey, egg, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise and basil, and season with salt and pepper.  Form the mixture into four balls.  Don’t be alarmed to find that the mixture is a bit “wet”.  This isn’t beef.  Don’t worry.  Slightly moisten your hands under tap water as you form the patties.  This will keep the patties from sticking to your hands. 

Heat a skillet to medium heat and add the cooking oil.  Add the patties to the pan.  I actually added the round balls of meat to the pan and pressed them flat with my hand.  That made it easier to form the patties.  Cook for about 2 minutes and then flip the burgers.  Sprinkle a little salt on the burgers and cook for another two minutes and turn one last time.  

Let the burgers cook for another minute, or so, until they are golden and cooked through.  Remove to a plate and keep warm.

Smear a thin amount of sauce on the top bun.  Place a burger on the bottom bun and apply a generous portion of the sauce to the burger.  Add your favorite burger fixings to the burger.

Serve with chips or fries.

Make Your Own Pizza

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Recently, I was expecting dinner guests and I didn’t have a plan for the meal.  This happens every now and then and, when it does, I usually resort to something I can practically do in my sleep.  Maybe tacos.  Maybe spaghetti.  No, let’s do pizza again. 

I know what my family likes on their pizzas so I normally just make them according to what I know to be their taste preferences.  If I’m making two pizzas, I might make one with half pepperoni and the other half pepperoni and Italian sausage.  The other pizza might be an “everything pizza”, meaning all of the veggies and assorted meats.  I might slip some anchovies in on the other half of the “everything pizza”, but I have to make sure to put up warning cones around that half of the pizza and announce, “this side has anchovy!” 

It never fails, someone always inadvertently gets a slice with some anchovy.  Life is unfair sometimes.

But, this time I didn’t know what all of the guests like on their pizza…or even if they liked pizza at all, for that matter.  So I thought, why not lay out all of the toppings and allow the guests to dress their own pizza.

I prepared the vegetables and meats and cheese and I even put out a container or marinara, so that they could add as much as they wanted.

It turned out that the dinner party fizzled out and it was just my wife and I.  We wound up making nearly identical pizzas…go figure.

I still think this is a pretty neat idea for a party.  It allows people to congregate in the kitchen, which seems to occur naturally, anyway.  And, it gives everyone the illusion of being able to control their own destiny.  I like that.

Fried Chicken Therapy

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Sometimes I embrace the South with open arms and a willing heart, and this is one of those times.  Of course my willing heart will probably resent the heavy dose of cholesterol that the fried chicken will impart but the rest of me is fully satisfied by this delicious, crunchy delight! 

I like to think that this sort of indulgence is okay, every now and then, as long as it is followed by rigorous exercise and several days of green salads and fresh fruit.  At least that is what my brain tells my arteries and my heart every time I indulge in this sort of foolish behavior.

What is it about recovering from a cold that makes me turn to the most unhealthy foods?  Maybe it’s just my newly awakened taste buds that make me crave the decadent things in life. 

Buttermilk is key here.  Crispy, fried chicken can be achieved by other means but the combination of the buttermilk and the flour/cornstarch dredge makes this chicken stay crispy.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

4 Tbs cayenne powder

3 Tbs garlic powder

2 cups buttermilk

2 cups flour

3 Tbs cornstarch

3 cups fresh green beans

¼ cup chicken stock

4 or 5 medium russet potatoes

4 Tbs butter

3 Tbs sour cream

¼ cup whole milk

2 tsp all-purpose Greek seasoning (Cavender’s)

Directions:

Cut the chicken breasts by separating the tender from the rest of the breast.  Place the chicken pieces in a mixing bowl and dust with 2 tablespoons cayenne and 1 tablespoon garlic powder.  Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes.  Cover the chicken with buttermilk and refrigerate for one hour.

Wash the green beans and snip off the stems.  Set aside.

Peel the potatoes and cut into roughly 1” to 2” cubes.  Add the potatoes to a 4 quart pot and cover with water.  Boil the potatoes until they are soft.  Strain the cooked potatoes and return to the pot.  Add the butter, sour cream and Greek seasoning.   You can substitute the Greek seasoning with salt and pepper but if you have never added Greek seasoning to mashed potatoes you are missing a real treat.  There is something so very right about Cavender’s Greek seasoning! 

Add some splashes of milk and beat the potatoes with a fork or spatula.  Add more milk until you get the creaminess that you desire.  I usually use about ¼ cup of milk.  Cover the potatoes and keep in a warm place.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter to a hot skillet and sauté the green beans for a minute.  Add the chicken stock, turn the heat down to low and cover.  Stir the beans occasionally until they are tender.  Keep warm until ready to serve.

And now, for the chicken!

Mix two cups of flour, 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, 2 tablespoons of cayenne powder and 1 tablespoon of garlic powder to a large mixing bowl.  Whisk until thoroughly blended.  Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture and let the chicken rest in the bowl for 5 to 10 minutes. 

Heat a skillet and add enough cooking oil to fill the skillet about half way.  The oil needs to be good and hot before adding the chicken…350° is just right.

Dredge the chicken in the flour again and add the chicken pieces to the hot oil.  Don’t start messing  with the chicken right away.  Let it cook for a few minutes before turning over with tongs.  Keep turning the chicken until it is golden brown all around.  Boneless chicken breasts cook quickly…maybe 10 minutes total.  Once you think the chicken is done, take a large piece out and cut it.  If the chicken is white and firm in the middle (not pink), the chicken is cooked.  Remove to a paper towel lined platter and keep warm.  Sprinkle some salt on the chicken…because anything fried deserves a little salt. 

Serve hot. 

Eat salads and fresh fruit for the next several days.  Get plenty of exercise and get good sleep!

“Something for Dinner”

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I know when I’m over a cold when I start thinking about food again.    

I have been working overtime at work, which means waking up at 4:00 am and getting home around 5:00 pm.  That doesn’t leave much time for dinner preparation and relaxing before going to bed. 

I was on my way home, enjoying the rush hour traffic, when it dawned on me that I had not gone to the grocery store recently and I didn’t know what I would make for dinner.  So, I stopped off at the grocery store and started thinking about what was in my refrigerator and what I might buy for dinner.  I knew I had some cooked white rice at home.  White rice is like a blank canvas.  Anything is possible when you have rice.

Since I didn’t have a clue about what I was going to buy at the store I decided to look for good deals on vegetables and meat and let that be my guide.   The first low-priced vegetable I found were Brussel sprouts.  I’m not a huge fan of Brussel sprouts but I stuck with my plan and picked them up.  I found some whole button mushrooms at a really good price and I grabbed those.  I still had fresh tomatoes from the garden and I had onions and garlic at home.  So, the vegetables were a done deal. 

I went to the meat case and found a good deal on center cut pork chops.  They looked good and the price was very good.  I spent less than $8.00 for everything and it was enough food to make a meal for 4 to 6 people. 

For the rest of my trip home I thought about what I would do with all of this stuff.  I started thinking about pork schnitzel, which got me thinking about paprika.  I love a good schnitzel but just thinking about the work that goes into making schnitzel made me tired.   I wanted the paprika, without the fuss.

I thought about stewing the Brussel sprouts with tomatoes and onion and mushroom and serving with the rice and I quickly kicked that idea out of my head.  Yuck!  Brussel sprouts!  What was I thinking?

And then, as I pulled into the driveway, it all came together.  Sauté the Brussel sprouts and put a char on them to get a nutty flavor.  Add that to cooked pork chops, tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms and rice and cook it all in one pan.  Coming home after working overtime means that I have about one hour to make dinner, one hour to eat it, and one hour to relax and digest the food before heading off to bed.  Making dinner in one pan means quick prep and quick clean up.  I knew I was over my cold now.  I can’t make those sort of mental leaps when I am sick. 

I dumped all of the groceries on the counter and pulled the rice out of the refrigerator.  I put the cast iron skillet on the stove and started warming it.  My daughter came into the kitchen to welcome me home and we had a wonderful time sharing stories about our day as I began prepping the food.  She asked me what I was making and, as I often do when I’m not sure, I said, “I’m making something for dinner.”  My daughter has watched me work in the kitchen long enough to know when I am winging it. 

Skillet Pork Chops with Vegetable and Rice

Ingredients:

4 center cut pork chops

1 quart cooked white rice

2 cups Brussel sprouts, sliced in half

16 oz white button mushrooms

2 medium sized tomatoes

½ yellow onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves, smashed

2 Tbs butter

2 Tbs flour

2 cups chicken stock

½ cup tomato sauce

Directions:

Heat an oven to 325°.

Tenderize the pork chops by piercing both sides with a fork.  Flatten the pork chops with the broad side of a meat cleaver or mallet. 

Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat.  Add about 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan.  Lay the pork chops in the pan and dust liberally with paprika.  Allow the chops to sear for about one or two minutes and then turn.  Dust the other side of the chops with paprika.  Turn once more after a minute and remove after another 30 seconds.  Set the chops aside. 

De-glaze the skillet with a half cup of chicken stock.  Add the whole mushrooms, onion and garlic to the skillet and stir.  Allow the mushrooms to absorb the flavor from the pork and stock.  Remove the mushrooms to a large mixing bowl.

Add the Brussels sprouts to the hot skillet, placing them cut side down.  Don’t mess with them.  Let them char for about two minutes.  Turn them with a spatula and brown the other side for a little while.  Remove the Brussel sprouts to the large mixing bowl.

Add the tomatoes and cooked rice to the large mixing bowl.

Turn the heat down to low.  Wipe the skillet with a paper towel to remove any charred bits.  Melt the butter in the skillet and add the flour and whisk to make a roux.  Once the flour has incorporated, add the chicken stock and tomato sauce.  Stir to thicken into a sauce. 

Mix the items in mixing bowl with a spatula.  Add the prepared sauce and mix. 

Arrange the seared pork chops on the bottom of skillet.  Cover with rice, vegetable and sauce mixture.  Cover the skillet and cook in a 325° oven for 25 to 30 minutes. 

How do you like my “redneck” lid for the skillet? Hey, it works and it’s one less thing to clean!

To serve, pull a pork chop from the bottom of the skillet and lay on a serving dish.  Ladle the rice mixture next to the chop. 

Fried Egg *and Garlic Salt* Sandwich

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Believe it or not, I wanted this to be my first post on my blog.  You see, I wanted to show an example of the humble beginnings that have led me down the culinary path where I find myself today.  But I chickened out.  After giving it some thought, I thought it might be a little too lowbrow to open with. 

But now, I present…the fried egg sandwich.

There was a time when this was a real treat for me.  Several days of eating nothing but ramen can have that effect on someone, I suppose.  This recipe originally called for two pieces of bread, an egg and some garlic salt.  Simple and surprisingly delicious.

Ingredients:

2 Tbs butter (or margarine)

Cheap white bread –  2 slices

An egg

Cheap bologna – 1 slice (optional)

Cheap processed American cheese – 1 slice (optional)

Garlic salt – as much as you want

Dill pickle slices – optional

Directions:

Fry and egg in butter.  Break the yolk with a fork, but don’t mix the egg.  Cook the egg just to the point where the yolk becomes firm.  Set the egg aside.

Add a little more butter to the pan and add a slice of bread.  Lay the egg on the bread. Sprinkle copious amounts of garlic salt on the egg.  Top with the other slice of bread.  Toast both sides of the sandwich and serve. 

If you choose to add the bologna and cheese, pan fry the bologna until the edges char.  Add the bologna and cheese to the sandwich before toasting in the pan.   I rarely made it this way, years ago, because I didn’t usually have bologna and cheese on hand.   But I almost always had an egg and cheap white sandwich bread.  Yum!

And of course, the sandwich is even better with some pickles and a toothpick!

Summer Cold

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“Summer cold”.  Now, that’s an oxymoron! 

I haven’t come down with a cold during the summer months in a long time and this one came at me quickly and with a vengeance.  I slept for two days and, on the few occasions I got out of bed, I staggered around the house like Frankenstein’s monster, wandering aimlessly from room to room, only to collapse back into bed after a few minutes. 

At one point, during a semi-lucid moment, I thought it would be “fun” to submit a post about my favorite chicken broth recipe but I was so exhausted that my fingers refused to type and my brain was operating on emergency reserve power.  I really don’t have a favorite chicken broth recipe, but I like to think that I do, when I’m sick. 

I’m feeling a little better now…still drained of energy but at least my brain is firing on more than one cylinder. 

So, let’s see if I can reconstruct the broth I made while I was feeling ill.  I’m glad I took a few pictures because I can barely remember making this, even though it was only a few days ago!

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken broth (I used boxed chicken broth)

1 handful of dry, wide, Thai rice stick noodles (why, why, why?)

1 small jalapeño

2 habaneros

A tiny bit of thinly sliced onion

1 garlic clove

¼ cup fresh spinach

1 Tbs soy sauce

1 lime

Directions:

Use a mandoline to slice the chilis and garlic.  I couldn’t tie my shoes because I was so deliriously sick but did that stop me from using a razor sharp kitchen instrument…heck no!  Slice the lime into quarters…again with the sharp tools!  Set these aside before you hurt yourself.

In a 4 quart pot, add the chicken broth and simmer over medium/low heat.  Add the garlic and soy sauce.  Add the Thai noodles.  Simmer for a few minutes.  Hover over the stove for a moment before realizing that the noodles will probably take FOREVER to cook.

Walk away and forget that you are cooking something.  Go back to the kitchen for a glass of water and remember that you have something on the stove.  Check to see if the noodles are soft.  They probably won’t be.  Lean over the broth and slowly breath in through your nose and out through your mouth several times.  Toss a sliver of habanero or jalapeño into the pot and keep breathing.  This is the therapeutic part of the program.  You may not enjoy the broth when it is done but you will at least have had a moment to clear your sinuses!

Once the noodles have softened, Pour the broth into a large bowl.  Add the spinach, onion and as much of the chilis as you dare to.  Squeeze some lime juice into the broth. 

Why on earth did I add the Thai noodles?  The darn things are so wide and slippery that they defy chopsticks, forks and spoons.  The only way I could eat them was to slurp them from the bowl.  And, since I was sick, that was totally acceptable.

Leftovers…I mean, Nachos!

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I was pondering what to make for dinner the other day.  I didn’t really want to cook but I was hungry.  Sound familiar?  I opened my refrigerator and saw several small containers of leftovers.  After a quick survey of the items it became obvious that Nachos was the best, and easiest solution. 

This was one of those times when the amount of the leftovers was exactly what I needed to make a meal. 

Ingredients:

1 cup Shredded chicken (left over from chimichangas)

½ cup refried beans  (left over from chimichangas)

¼ cup tomato sauce (left over from salsa roja)

3 Tbs diced onion (left over from chimichangas)

1 chipotle pepper in adobo (left over from chimichangas)

2 slices processed American cheese (left over Egg sandwiches)

1 cup sliced Muenster cheese (left over from white cheese sauce)

2 smoked serrano chiles (left over from salsa verde)

Restaurant style tortilla chips – not leftovers!

Just look at the amount of empty storage containers this meal provided.  This is what victory feels like for the home cook!  I couldn’t be any more proud!

Directions:

Distribute tortilla chips on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.  I like to use parchment paper because it makes for very easy clean up. 

Lay the slices of Muenster cheese across the tortilla chips.  Slice the serrano chiles and scrape away the seeds.  Mince the serranos and sprinkle on top of the cheese.  Mix the refried beans with the tomato sauce and drop dollops of the bean mixture on top of the cheese.  Mash and mince the chipotle pepper and adobo sauce and combine with the shredded chicken.  Mix by hand and distribute the chicken over the refried beans.  Sprinkle the diced onions over the nachos.  Finally, tear apart strips of the American cheese and place on top of the nachos. 

Bake in a 400° oven for five to ten minutes, or until the cheese melts.

Serve with sour cream, salsa, lettuce, tomato or any other toppings you desire…but try to use up leftovers in keeping with the theme of the dish!

Ribeye Steak with Chipotle Butter

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Some people say they dream in color and some say they don’t.  I dream in color and I can dream in taste and smell, too.  Afternoon, weekend naps start with thoughts about what to make for dinner.  Trying to recall what is in my pantry and my refrigerator makes me drowsy.  Those thoughts roll over and over in my mind and before long, I fall asleep.  But, afternoon naps are short-lived.  I sleep just long enough to catch a glimpse of a dream and when I awake, I know what I will prepare for dinner.  I can taste it.  I can smell it.  I have already prepared the meal in my dream.   I get out of bed quickly and get to work. 

This afternoon’s dream was of the vivid Tex-Mex variety.  Vibrant colors and bold, spicy flavors are what I have in mind for my ribeye steaks.  This is food worthy of celebration!

Ingredients:

3 beef ribeye steaks (1 pound each and 1” thick)

2 Tbs cooking oil (Canola or Olive oil is good)

2 Tbs cumin powder

1 Tbs coarse salt

1 Tbs freshly ground black pepper

½ red bell pepper

½ yellow bell pepper

½ green bell pepper

4 Tbs softened butter

2 Tbs chipotle adobo sauce

Directions:

Remove the steaks from the packaging and allow them to warm on a platter, at room temperature, for about 20 minutes. 

While the steaks rest, slice the bell peppers into ½ inch rings and set aside. 

Prepare the chipotle butter by combing the softened butter with the chipotle adobo sauce.  Set aside.

Prepare the charcoal grill. 

I use a charcoal chimney to heat the charcoal briquettes. 

If you are not familiar with a charcoal chimney, you need to be.  Starting coals with a charcoal chimney means that you don’t have to use lighter fluid.  Lighter fluid can impart a greasy, oily flavor to meats and vegetables. 

I like to rip apart old newspapers or paper grocery bags, or even pieces of the charcoal bag, to start the fire for the chimney.  This is a good way to recycle paper and it gives me an opportunity to tear stuff up and burn things.  The primal urge to destroy and burn things runs deep…

While the coals heat, prepare the steaks.  Brush the steaks lightly with olive oil and sprinkle each side with cumin powder.  Liberaly apply salt and pepper to both sides.

Once the coals turn gray, dump them in the charcoal grill and spread them out evenly.  Add some mesquite wood, if you have it.  Clean the grill with a steel brush and then swab the grill with a some cooking oil and carefully lay the steaks on the grill, keeping at least 1” between each steak.  

Add the sliced bell peppers and grill them for a minute or two, until they start to char.  Remove the peppers.

Grill the ribeye steaks for 3 minutes and then turn them over.  Cook for another 3 minutes to achieve medium rare steaks.  Remove the steaks and brush with chipotle butter.  Rest the stakes under a foil tent for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. 

That sounds simple right?  Well, it is and it isn’t.  When it comes to grilling meat to a desired level of doneness, there are many factors to consider.  Grilling for 3 minutes on each side will probably produce a good, medium rare steak but my preferred method for checking doneness is by pushing on the meat with a finger.  Assuming that the steak is one inch thick, or more, I give it 3 minutes on the first side, at high heat.  This produces a good char and thoroughly cooks the meat on that side.  Then, after flipping the steak over, I let it go for about 2 minutes and then press the center portion of the steak with my finger of side of my thumb.  If the meat yields easily and feels soft or mushy, it is still rare.  When I push down and feel a slight resistance and the meat returns to its form, like a mattress would, I know that it is medium rare. 

If you are in doubt, pull the steak.  You can always pop it in the oven or put it on a skillet to finish.  You can’t un-cook a steak. 

Serve family style on a large platter with grilled corn on the cob and baked potatoes. 

Grilled Corn on the Cob and Baked Potatoes

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I like to grill corn on the cob in the husk but, since I could only find corn cobs with the husks already removed, I used heavy duty aluminum foil to prevent the corn from burning.

Ingredients for the corn:

4 corn cobs

4 Tbs softened butter

1 tsp salt

½ tsp chili powder

¼ tsp cumin powder

Directions:

Wash the corn and remove any corn silk.  Allow the corn to dry.  Combine the butter, chili powder and cumin powder until it forms a paste.  Smear the corn cobs with the buttery mixture.  Wrap each corn cob tightly in heavy duty aluminum foil.

Place the corn on a hot grill and grill for about 20 minutes, giving the corn a quarter turn every five minutes.  Keep the corn in the foil until ready to serve.  Leaving the corn in the foil will allow the corn to continue steaming.

Baked Potatoes (on the grill)

As I see it, there are two types of people.  Those who eat the potato skins and those who don’t.  Baking them on the grill allows for both options.  Coating the potatoes with oil and salt and wrapping them in foil will produce a baked potato with a soft skin, or jacket, if you prefer.

Ingredients for the potatoes:

4 large baking potatoes (I’m only making 3 this time)

1 Tbs olive oil

1 ½ Tbs kosher salt

Directions:

Wash potatoes and let them air-dry.  Rub the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle each one generously with salt.  Wrap tightly in heavy duty aluminum foil and place on a hot grill. 

Bake on the grill for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the potatoes yield when gently squeezed.  Use an oven mitt when squeezing the potatoes. 

Corn and Potatoes…ready to come off the grill

London Broil

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If hearing someone say “London broil” conjures up mental images of a rustic steak house in merry old England I have some disappointing news for you.  London broil is an American concoction, used to describe a method of preparing lean and tough cuts of beef.  Specifically, flank steak or top round.  Now, there’s nothing wrong with lean or tough cuts of meat and one of the best methods to overcome the challenges that lean meat presents is to cook it at a very high temperature and for a very short period of time, hence, the appeal of broiling.  If broiling is not an option, a smoking hot cast iron skillet will work just as well.  In fact, one of the advantages to using a hot skillet rather than a broiler is that you can see and test the meat for doneness while it cooks.  If you prefer your steak cooked well done, don’t bother cooking a London broil.  You’ll wind up with something akin to leather.

So, I wanted steak tonight but I didn’t want to pay top dollar for a steak dinner.  Enter the London broil.  This recipe will feed up to 4 people, but I’m making it for 3.

Ingredients:

2 lbs London broil (top round steak)

1 Tbs coarse salt

1 Tsp finely ground salt

A pinch of cayenne powder

1 Tbs coarse black pepper

5 russet potatoes – wedge cut

2 cups cooking oil (I use canola oil)

1 lb fresh green beans

1/2 sweet onion – julienne cut

steak sauce (about 1/4 cup) – see recipe below

Directions:

Fill a skillet with oil, nearly half way and turn on the heat to low/medium.

Wash the potatoes and cut into long wedges.  Add potatoes to the skillet and cook for about 1/2 hour, turning the potatoes occasionally, to avoid burning.  When the fries are golden brown, strain the oil, sprinkle with salt and a pinch of cayenne, and arrange them on a large oven-proof serving platter.  Keep warm in a 225° oven.

While the fries are cooking, let’s prepare the steak sauce and green beans.

For the steak sauce:

Mix the following items together:

2 Tbs ketchup

1 Tbs softened butter

1 Tbs Dijon mustard

1 tsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp hot sauce

a pinch of brown sugar

For the green beans:

Steam green beans for about 15 minutes, or until they begin to soften.  Stage in a warm place.

On a clean cutting board, cut the raw steak into serving sized portions and remove any large, white portions of fat.  Sprinkle coarse salt and black pepper on each side of the pieces.

Heat a cast iron skillet on the stove to medium/high.  Add 1 Tbs oil.  When the skillet begins to smoke, it’s ready for the steaks.  Carefully add the steaks to the hot skillet.  Turn steaks over after 2 or 2 ½ minutes.  Cook for another 2 minutes, or until meat tests medium rare.  Turn the heat off and leave the residual steak juices in the skillet.

Pull the fries out of the oven and arrange the steaks on the platter, along with the fries.  Baste the steaks with the steak sauce.  Don’t worry about getting some of the sauce on the fries…your family and friends will thank you.

Turn the heat back on to low and add 1 Tbs of butter and the onions to the skillet and stir until the onions are softened.  Add the green beans and stir.  Once they are done, transfer to a serving dish.

For those of you still clinging to the mental picture of a merry old England, you might consider calling this dish London Broil and Chips.

Cheers, mate!