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Category: Kristen Cooks

Food / Kristen Cooks

Authentic Pho

I love the broad variety and depth of flavors that you get from many of the ingredients used in Asian recipes. This authentic Pho (I say authentic, trusting the many recipes that I used to combine and create) is not for the staunch 5 ingredient fix fans (I am a fan there, as well, but sometimes love a more complicated challenge), but if you can work with a few more ingredients, this recipe pays its’ weight in gold! If you are a straight 5 ingredient type of cook, try Jamie Oliver’s 5 ingredient recipes for free on his site. You will not be disappointed, but you will not be making Pho! hahaha

Making use of the ingredients

I have had so many people mention to me that they do not want to test into these types of recipes because once they buy the ingredients, they just sit and go bad in the refrigerator or cabinet. To that, I say, look for more recipes that will excite you to use those ingredients up! Planning ahead is key.

My advice: if you are planning to buy x amount of new ingredients and you are not sure you will use them, dig around on Allrecipes or on another recipe app first, searching by ingredients. You will find other recipes with that some of the same ingredients to see if you may be able to re-use for something else. If nothing appeals to you…move on. You will find something else in your wheelhouse! If you can find 2-3 recipes you can make within the next 10 -20 days that use some of the same, new, exciting stuff you are buying, go for it! I am not about waste, so only buy, if you feel you will actually use!

Why try to cook Pho from scratch?

Well, why not? It is not something that you can get easily in the area that we live in in New Hampshire, so recreating something I tried in Boston, Amsterdam or some other cosmo city seems to make sense! What is better than a bowl of deliciously flavored broth, with rice noodles, vegetables and super thinly cut and very tender beef? Here is where I will put a disclaimer that this will, in no way, be a dish that can be converted to a vegetarian or vegan dish. The flavor and heart of this dish is in the flavor that you get out of the beef bones, collagen, marrow and all. And, if you are a beef eater, this is something that will have you smiling weirdly, smacking your lips, and even dancing…the sprinkler maybe or for those with more flexibility, perhaps there is a twerking session with noodle spoon in hand! Send pics please!!

Another disclaimer here…this recipe will take between 6-8 hours, based on how you decide to cook it. The time invested is worth it…stay with me on this one!!

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Ingredients

  • 4 pounds soup bones

  • 1.5 Vidalia or white onion

  • 1 inch of fresh ginger, sliced

  • 1 Tbsp. kosher salt

  • 2 pods star anise

  • 2.5 Tbsp. fish sauce

  • 4 quarts water

  • 12-16 ounce dried rice noodles (extra noodles can be reused in other recipes)

  • 1.5 lbs. flank steak or sirloin – thicker cut of meat, sliced almost paper thin https://www.crowdcow.com/ranch/pastures-cattle-co—pasture-raised

  • 1 .5 cups bean sprouts

  • .25 cup hoisin sauce

  • .25 cup Sriracha sauce

  • Handful of cilantro

  • Sliced green onion

  • Various radishes for garnish – red, daikon, etc.

  • Jalapeno, serrano or other hot chili – sliced

Instruction

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
  • Place the beef bones onto 1-2 baking sheets and roast for 1-2 hours, or until all show signs of the marrow being just about melted
  • With 45 mins left on the bone roast, place onion halves onto sheet and brush with oil. Continue to roast
  • Put both the bones and the onions into a large pot. Add the ginger, star anise, salt, fish sauce and water
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce and let simmer on lowest heat for 6-8 hours
  • Strain the broth in fine sieve
  • Place noodles in a large bowl and pour boiling kettle water over to cover. Let sit for 4 mins and then drain in a sieve. Rinse and set aside
  • Place noodles in bowls with the thinly sliced beef. Ladle the super hot broth over top and stir until thinly sliced beef is cooked through
  • Garnish with cilantro, green onion, hot chili pepper, hoisin, bean sprouts, sriracha and any other desired vegetable or condiment! Bok choy or thinly sliced savoy cabbage would be awesome as well!

If you cook, save this recipe and plan to wow a loved one. If you do not cook, send this to the one you want to cook for you and make their plan easier, by knowing what you want! Either way, ENJOY!

Note:

If you like this recipe, try my recipe for Vietnamese Caramel Chicken. This is something that will blow your wig off!!

Food / Kristen Cooks

Basil, onion salad

Spring has sprung and I am enjoying all of the posts with folks using spring vegetables in their kitchens and getting into the dirt in their gardens. This is the best part of the spring in New Hampshire. Those weeks after the real “mud season” has passed and the weather is teasing the upcoming summer days!

Basil is the craze

I have been noticing a lot of posts out there having to do with basil; how to grow it, how to trim, and when to water it. Personally, I think this herb is used mostly as garnish, and that is a shame. It is a bigger, bad ass of an herb than that! In thinking on using basil in a bold way, I remembered a recipe for basil salad that I had seen months ago on a Nigella Lawson show, that I knew would be a hit with my husband, John. And it was! He loved it as much as I did!

If you do not follow Nigella on social media, take a look. She cooks simply, but turns out stunning food.

Check out this Instagram post about how to grow basil. This woman knows her stuff! Also, check out the author, @cookiterica, she has some amazing recipes and content!

About the recipe

The best thing about this recipe that you will not need to look up, search or commit it to the home recipe book. It is super simple and so flexible in the amount of ingredients, based on your own preference, that you can make it completely your own. Here is my take:

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Ingredients

  • 3 large red onions – diced into eighths

  • 1 large bunch of basil (think whole bunch with large leaves) – large stems removed

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 tsp. fennel seeds

  • 2 tsp. coarse sea salt

  • Good quality balsamic vinegar for drizzling

Instruction

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Put cut onions into roasting pan, preferably sized to keep the onions snug

Cover onions with the olive oil and sprinkle with the fennel seeds and salt. Toss to coat

Roast for 60 mins, tossing occasionally. Set aside once done and let cool until just warm

Toss basil with onions and drizzle with balsamic to your taste

Voila! Salad is served!

Note: I could envision adding prosciutto or cheese to pump this up into a heartier dish.

Food Hack / Kristen Cooks

Mason jar fruit

I have dozens of mason jars. I use them for everything. Storage of sugars, rice, spice mixes etc. Most every year, I can something, whether it is fruit jam or tomatillos to be used throughout the winter for salsa verde.

I have noticed lately that mason jars are being used not just for canning and jarring to store on the shelf, but also for fresh fruits and veg. The claim is that the produce keeps quite well, if washed, dried and then stored in the airtight mason jar.

The verdict:

I have tested storing mason jar fruit and am 1.5 weeks in, ate a jar today (grapes, blackberries and strawberries) that was still fresh, with no sign of browning or mold growth. So, this food hack has my gold star! It appears to be completely legit! And, not only does the fruit stay fresh, but the presentation is amazing! I love the idea of grabbing the jar out of the refrigerator and grabbing a seat on the deck, fork in hand, with this beautifully colored sweet treat! I selected monotone colored fruit, but could imagine mandarins, gooseberries or other fruits adding absolute WOW factor! Give this hack ago!

If you like this hack, you may also like my post about making fruit trays pleasing to the eye here!

Food / Kristen Cooks

Tunisian stuffed bell peppers

Over the years, I have had the pleasure of working with many colleagues from the country of Tunisia. Some of my best working experiences and friendships have this lovely country to thank. Tunisians, in my experience are authentic and persistent in the best of ways. They are passionate about their culture, and that of other North African countries, and fiercely proud of their food. Visiting Tunis in 2022, I was not surprised to be welcomed warmly and to enjoy every meal shared, both for the amazing food, but also the amazing company.

Ya Amna

Back in 2021, I went on a search to find a cookbook that would allow me to learn a bit more about Tunisian cooking. I stumbled on a book called Ya Amna, From Djerba to Israel. It is more than just a cookbook, but a story of a woman born in Djerba, a Tunisian island, who grows up in Israel. Her mother (Amna) manages to keep their Tunisian heritage alive by keeping the aromas and tastes of their Tunisian food ever present in their home. The book is a beautiful journey for its’ author and has been a challenge for me to try new dishes and flavors. Djerba has a rich history worth reading about, and is on my list of places to see, as I am told the best Tunisian food and beaches are on the island of Djerba.

What makes these stuffed peppers different?

I have made stuffed peppers many, many times over the years. There is always rice and beef and some sort of tomato involved, baked in the oven. These peppers amp the flavor by using numerous vegetables, herbs and spices, and are cooked on the stovetop in a sauce. I was not sure about this method, but they came out amazing! I made a few recipe tweaks, but this will be my go-to stuffed pepper recipe for evermore!

Stuffed Peppers (Felfel Mahshi)

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Ingredients

  • For the filling

  • 2.5 cups uncooked rice

  • 2 carrots grated

  • 2 zucchinis grated

  • 2 onions chopped

  • 1 bunch parsley and 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

  • 1.2 bunch mint, finely chopped

  • 1 lb. ground beef *(see note below)

  • 1/2 tbsp. each, sweet paprika and cinnamon

  • 1 Tbsp. salt

  • 2 Tsp. black pepper

  • 1/2 cup oil

  • 2 tomatoes, diced

  • For the sauce

  • 4 Tbsp. tomato paste

  • 4 garlic cloves, sliced thinly

  • 1 Tsp. salt

  • 3 cups water + more, if needed

Instructions

Soak rice for 1 hour and drain

Combine carrots, zucchini, onion, herbs and tomato in large bowl. Add in the rice, beef, oil and spices and combine thoroughly, without overworking the mixture

Cut tops off the pepper, remove seeds and large veins from inside

Fill the pepper with rice/beef mixture, leaving 1/2 inch at top for expansion. Rest top of pepper back on top

Arrange peppers tightly in large pot

Prepare the sauce, by mixing last 4 ingredients and pour over the peppers. Add additional water, if necessary to just cover the peppers

Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a low simmer. Cook until most of the water has been absorbed and beef and rice mix is cooked through, roughly 45-60 mins

Tips

The original recipe called for 1/2 pound of beef. I upped this to a full pound, to get a beefier mixture. The recipe also called for 3/4 cup of oil, which I reduced to 1/2 cup with success. Add until you think the mixture looks homogenous.

I used 7 bell peppers, because that was all I could fit in the Dutch oven that I used. Recipe calls for 10 peppers. Note that once stuffed, because I used fewer peppers, and also added a 1/2 lb. more beef, I had mixture left. I put aside and used to stuff grape leaves on another day.

I used a food processor to “grate” the zucchini and carrot and then squeezed a lot of the moisture out before adding to the rest of the ingredients. Likewise, the onion and other herbs can be chopped in the processor together to make quick work of it.

ENJOY! If you like this recipe you might also like my recipe for Polish Stuffed Cabbage

Food / Kristen Cooks

Homemade, Chewy, Chunky Brownies

I am not a super sweets fan, so when I go through the trouble to bake or make something sweet, I have great expectations! A couple months ago, I made a triple chocolate mousse cake that was an absolute stunner! Will share that in the coming days. After that recipe, what I was left with was a larger appreciation for the work that bakers and other cooks put into the perfecting of bakery items, but also a cabinet full of Dutch Cocoa, espresso powder, and various chocolate bars, not meant to be directly consumed, but cooked with. This led me to a search for a chocolatey recipe that would use my ingredients, challenge my skills and ultimately, make my husband happy. He has a true sweet tooth!

Behold, the Brownie

After digging through numerous cookbooks, I settled on what America’s Test Kitchen (ATK) calls “Chewy Brownies” and decided this was the recipe to tackle. Truth be told, I did not grow up a brownie fan, but after having ordered a brownie fudge sundae with friends at a local Irish Pub some years ago, I realized that there is something about a chewy brownie with some crunchy edge that cannot be matched. This recipe pulls out the stops, in that not only is it chewy with amazing crunch at the edges, but within, some of the chocolate is left as 1/2 inch chunks, lending some inner crunch. It is perfection!!

Ingredient list

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Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup Dutch processed cocoa – preferably Droste

  • 1.5 tsp espresso powder – this is optional, but I highly recommend

  • 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. boiling water

  • 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped or shaved

  • 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

  • 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. vegetable oil

  • 2 large eggs + 2 large egg yolks

  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract

  • 1.5 cups white sugar

  • 1.75 cups all purpose flour

  • .75 tsp. salt

  • 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate cut into 1/2 inch chunks

Instructions for Cooking

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Set the oven rack to the lowest position. The original ATK recipe indicates to use a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. I chose to use a a smaller glass pan, which was 11.5 x 8.5, because I wanted a little bit taller brownie in the end. Create a foil sling by setting foil in into the pan in both directions with at least a few inches of excess hanging over the edge of pan. This is in order to be able to lift the brownies out of the pan, once they out of oven. Push the foil into corners of pan firmly and grease liberally. You can do this easily with canola spray or baking spray, if you do not want to hassle with a stick of butter melting in your hands!

Whisk the cocoa and expresso powder and then pour in the boiling water. Whisk until combined. Add the unsweetened chocolate and whisk until it is fully melted. Add the butter and the oil, whisking while you go. Once fully combined, add the eggs and yolks, as well as vanilla. Note that my eggs were not what I would consider large, so I went ahead and added in an additional yolk.

Add in the sugar and whisk until fully combined. And in the salt and grab a rubber spatula. Begin slowly incorporating the flour until is is totally combined. Fold in the bittersweet chocolate pieces until spread throughout the batter. This is the magic bit of this recipe!!

Scrape the brownie batter into the prepared pan and get it into the oven. Original recipe indicates that the cook time will be 30-35 mins. Because my pan was glass (conducts heat really well) and the pan was smaller, creating a thicker brownie, my cook time was roughly 50 mins in the end. Be prepared to begin checking at 30 mins, either way, to ensure you do not overcook. You will be looking to insert a toothpick, not in the center, but about half between the edge and the middle, with only a bit of moist crumbs on the toothpick when removed.

Cooling

When brownies are done, lift brownies out using the foil sling and place on a wire rack. Let cool for 1 hour. Note that foil may appear to stick a bit to bottom of the brownies. Be patient and slowly peel the foil back. It will come away with no issue if managed carefully.

Serving

I love something creamy to cut the intense chocolatiness of these brownies. I opted for Talenti Coffee Chocolate Chip gelato and some berries!

Tips

As mentioned, I used a smaller pan to get a higher rise on the brownies. This takes a little bit of watch and see, as you need to make sure you check once you hit the 35 min mark (they will be undercooked at this point), to make sure you know how far you are from done and then check periodically until done.

It seems a bit scary putting the bittersweet in at the end in chunk form. If you are the type to not want chips in your ice cream or brownie, I would recommend shaving these more fine. Otherwise, these chunks, in my, and my husband John’s opinions, make this brownie damn remarkable! Moist, chewy, chunky and chocolaty!

Go for the Droste Cocoa Powder. It does not disappoint. I have spent years over the course of my life in the Netherlands and can bona fide recommend their chocolates as well! If you stumble on them, or are a chocolate fan, get an order in for those babies!

Food / Kristen Cooks

Vietnamese Caramel Chicken

I am always looking to add culturally interesting recipes to my bag of tricks. This is one that intrigued me, just based on the name, Vietnamese Caramel Chicken. I had seen it on Christopher Kimball’s PBS show, “Milk Street” and was able to find the full recipe on his Milk Street website.

What I love about this recipe

Personally, I am very interested in trying new Asian recipes. This has been the case for years, and probably started with watching Anthony Bourdain traipse around Vietnam, falling in love with the country, the people and the food. He spoke so emphatically about the fact that the country, and the food, in particular, has been influenced by many foreign cultures, while keeping it’s own sense of unique identity. That sounds complicated and interesting, making Vietnamese cuisine immediately appealing to me. I also liked the fact that a bowl of noodles with broth could have numerous additional elements, such as pork meatballs, and dipping sauces, lettuces and other vegetables to personally add as each eater wants. The making of a perfect meal for all.

Of course, I also remember Bourdain having an instance where he could not figure what was in his bowl, only to find that it was porcupine. I will leave that recipe, and others of that nature for someone else to share!

The ingredients

This chicken recipe combines heat and sweet and that, to me, is a perfect combination in a dish. So, the name, Vietnamese Caramel Chicken, spoke to me about what I could expect and what some of the ingredients might be. Not surprisingly, chilis, lemon grass, ginger, fish sauce and lime are included in this Vietnamese recipe. Sugar, of course, is the element that makes the caramel sauce and therefore the name.

Tips

This recipe calls for boneless chicken thighs. I had breast on hand, so used it. It will turn out a lighter looking dish than on the Milk Street site, but was still delicious.

Two serrano chilis are used, which sounds like it would be extremely hot, but it ends up pretty balanced, based on the amount of sugar used. So, if you like a little heat, avoid the desire to cut it back. Rather, you can rinse them lightly in a sieve, which will remove just a bit of the seeds

When cooking the caramel, the 12″ skillet seemed too large and the caramel spread too thin before it had a chance to become the desired mahogany color. I tipped the pan and tried to concentrate it to one end to get the right consistency and color

Once the chicken was back into the pan, with the caramel sauce, I continued to stir, which slowed the process. Once I let it do its’ thing and only occasionally stirred to coat, things really came together!

Access the full recipe on the Milk Street site here. If you are not already a fan, take a run through the site. Christopher Kimball was a co-founder and editor of America’s Test Kitchen before he started his Milk Street gig. The show turns out some amazing recipes and a lot of them are available online.

I served up with coconut rice and salad. For the coconut rice, I had leftover basmati from earlier in the week. I simply heated it in a pan with a can of light coconut milk, a few cloves and one star anise until warmed through. Drain and serve.

If you are an Anthony Bourdain fan, and/or a lover of Asian or Vietnamese cuisine, check out this site, that outlines his travels through Vietnam (and other countries) throughout his career as a travel writer and traveler. Very cool site!

Food / Kristen Cooks

Weeknight Dinner – Warm Venetian Salad

During the week, I like to have some easy, but fun recipes in my back pocket. This salad checks all of the boxes…lots of greens, cheese, bread, nuts, fruit and protein. I originally saw this in a Rick Stein cookbook, called, “Rick Stein, from Venice to Istanbul”. I tweaked the cooking method for the chicken, as well as the dressing and a few of the ingredients, but the concept of variety and the element of the warm chicken remains.

The ingredients

2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts – pounded on thicker end to create uniform size, if needed

Salt and Black Pepper

2 Tbsp. Olive or Grapeseed oil – divided

2 cloves garlic

2 green onions, or 1/2 small onion diced

2 slices of hefty sourdough bread – cut to 1 inch cubes

4 slices prosciutto cotto – cut into strips

6 ounce of leafy greens. This Tanimura & Antle Artisan lettuce is great, as it comes in 4 heads of varied types. Local is always, best, but this brand has not disappointed me

2 Tbsp. pine nuts – toasted

4 ounce Mozzarella pearls – My grocery store typically has the Galbani pearls in water

1 ripe pear or alternatively peach, plum or apple

Instructions

Salt and pepper the chicken breasts liberally. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in sauté pan. When oil begins to shimmer, cook the chicken for 4 or so mins per side. Both sides should be nicely browned and the inner temp, with a thermometer, should be about 155. It will continue to cook once out of the pan, so will hit > 160 degrees. The key is not to overcook so you have super, juicy, delicious chicken!

While chicken is cooking, toast pine nuts in dry pan until browned and fragrant. Keep an eye here, they burn quickly

Assemble the greens, nuts, pear, prosciutto, and mozzarella pearls

Once chicken is out of the pan, add the remaining Tbsp. of oil, garlic and onion. Sauté until just soft. Add in the sourdough and coat with the garlic, onion mixture. Allow the bread to get nicely toasted, as you’d expect a crouton to be. Add additional oil, if necessary

Add bread to salad and toss. Slice chicken and set over or to side of the salad. Serve with additional olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Voila!

Appetizer / Kristen Cooks

Heirloom tomato parmesan bites

This is a quick and easy appetizer for any time of the day! I was inspired by the bright red and yellow tomatoes at the grocery store and could not help but buy them. I decided to make use of some items that I already had on hand to put together some yummy snacks and ended up with these heirloom tomato parmesan bites.

  • Heirloom tomatoes. I ended up using only 2
  • Basil plant on hand
  • 2 ounce parmesan grated finely
  • 2 tbsp. panko bread crumbs
  • 2-3 cloves garlic (per your taste) finely diced
  • Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Slice tomatoes in half inch thick slices. Mix bread crumbs, oil, and garlic. Line a tray with aluminum foil. Divide mixture to top 6-8 tomato slices. Broil until parmesan mixture is crispy and garlic smells delicious! Top each with a basil leaf and salt and pepper, to your liking!

This would be a great dish to serve alongside the Easy, Amazing Pizza recipe here https://watchusdostuff.com/easy-amazing-pizza/, to add a bit of a lighter option or companion option.

Food / Kristen Cooks

Stuffed cabbage (golabki)

Growing up, I was an incredibly picky eater. So, some of the Polish and Lithuanian dishes that my grandmother made were enjoyed by all but me. Thankfully, over the years, I became far more food adventurous. These days, one of the true treats is getting together with my sisters and mom and having the pleasure of making and enjoying some Golabkis. For years making them seemed to be a daunting task. However, these days, I love the simplicity of the ingredients and the mantra of the roll & tuck of the cabbage leaves.

Stuffed cabbage means something different to everyone, and most cultures have some version of it. Check out this wiki page that lists some of the many versions existing across the world! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage_roll

Just a note that this recipe is not for the faint of heart. It is simple and delicious, but it does not cut corners in terms of fat and calories. A special occasion, splurge kind of meal!

The ingredients

1.25 cups uncooked rice, cooked per brand instructions. I use basmati and rinse thoroughly before cooking. However standard white rice is more traditional

2 large heads of green, red or savoy cabbage, cored

12 oz. packaging of salt pork, rinsed thoroughly and cut to small cubes

2 large Vidalia or yellow onions, diced

4 cloves of garlic. I am pretty certain this is not typical, but I love the addition

3.5 lbs. 80/20 ground beef

Kosher Salt and Black ground Pepper

Note: You will need a large roasting pan with a lid. If you were to half the recipe, a Dutch oven would be a great, smaller option

Instructions

Prepping the cabbage

Fill very large pot of water and bring to boil. Core the cabbage by using a sharp knife to remove enough of the binding core that the leaves will separate once they are softened in the boiling water. Using a long pair of tongs, remove the layers, as they begin to separate from the head. Note that the longer the outer layers remain in the boil, the softer they get. It is key to get them out as they are still solid, but pliable. Too soft will result in tears and holes as you roll.

Onion and Garlic sauté

Sauté the salt pork in a skillet until it is crispy and browned. Remove all pieces of pork from the pan and set aside. There will be a lot of rendered oil left behind after pork is rendered. Collect 1/3 cup of the pork fat/oil and set aside. Add the onions to the rest of the fat and sauté until soft and lightly browned. Create an open spot in middle of pan and add in the garlic. Continue to stir until garlic is fragrant. Spread out mixture on a sheet pan to cool.

Assembling the mixture

Spread the beef out around the edges of a large bowl and sprinkle a tablespoon of black pepper and 2 tsp. salt around. Add the cooled onion mixture and half the rice into center and begin to combine. Add more rice until you have your desired ratio of beef to rice. I prefer a bit more meat than rice (perhaps 65/35), but have seen other recipes were exactly the opposite. Suit to your liking.

Rolling and getting into the oven

At this point, spread roughly of half of the pork fat that you put aside into the bottom of your roasting pan. Sprinkle in a third of the retained pork bits. This will be the base layer and will allow the bottom layer to have a browned bottom. And then you get rolling! For each cabbage leaf, you will cut a V at the base to remove the thick remaining bit of the core. Then, spoon in a reasonable amount of beef mixture, that will allow you to roll the bottom up, tuck in the sides and roll. It takes a few times to get the amount of fill and the rolling down, but once you get it, you are good to go. Place the seam of the cabbage roll bottom down in the pan. Tuck them in tight. This recipe made just about 2 full layers in a large roasting pot. When the first layer is full, pour another third of the pork fat and bits over and proceed to the second layer. Remaining fat and bit on top and into a 350 degree oven for 40 mins. Remove lid and allow to brown 10-15 mins more. Be sure to check that the beef is cooked through, using one of the larger rolls.

Some recipes serve with tomato sauce, vinegar or with sour cream. My family has always eaten them straight up with some additional salt or pepper to taste. Enjoy!!!

Kristen Cooks

Carne Asada lettuce wraps

One of my favorite cuts of beef is the flank steak. Properly marinated, this is a versatile option for eating as the star of a lunch or dinner dish, in a taco, burrito, or on a crusty baguette. The key is in the marinade used and how the steak is cut, once it is rested.

The marinade

I have tried dozens of different marinades and have yet to find one that disappointed. My favorite marinades for carne asada have the same core ingredients: citrus, oil, garlic and herbs. However, recipes can vary, some containing soy sauce, red wine, hot chilis and other ingredients that add acid, beyond what the citrus naturally adds.

I can recommend a couple differing recipes here that I have found in my recipe hunting. Both resulted in an amazingly flavored flank steak: https://www.crowdcow.com/recipe/aayi5sgk0/marinated-flank-steak and https://thestayathomechef.com/authentic-carne-asada/ The first is from Crowd Cow, which is an amazing meat and seafood delivery company and the second a fellow food blogger that based her recipe on one originally from world renowned chef, Rick Bayless. Note the Pro Tip in the second recipe: Be sure to always cut a flank steak against the grain to ensure it is served tender.

Grilling or Broiling

You will note in the above recipes that you can grill or, alternatively, broil the steak in the oven. I prefer to broil, mainly because I know my oven and can predict how long to cook on each side for a 1 pound steak (3-4 mins/side). The oven is ripping hot when broiling, which leaves the outside with beautiful sear and the inside medium and juicy. However, this is just a preference.

Serving

This is the easy part. Serve with whatever floats your boat! One of my favorite ways to serve Carne Asada is very simple. Butter lettuce, salsa, sautéed peppers and onion and some fresh, crunchy veg. In this case, sliced cucumbers for me and habaneros for John, who loves the heat.

Of course, tortillas, beans, cilantro and other typical Mexican sides would also be amazing.

My personal pro tip: Always top with a bit of course, crunchy sea salt!