A Most Delicious Skirt Steak Dinner

 

Hello readers! Apologies for being away for so long, we know we've been bad. With the end of the summer coming up there's been quite a bit of travel and visits and other activities keeping us away from the computer, which I suppose is a good thing. But that doesn't mean we've stayed away from the kitchen. In fact, we've developed quite a few delicious recipes that we're very excited to share with you!

The first is what we're calling simply, Skirt Steak alla Bryan. It is not the most creative name, but it is accurate - this is skirt steak in the style of Bryan. It's one of those recipes that came about from having a desire for certain flavors, walking around the store to find the best looking ingredients that would match, and then pulling something together.

I think we've mentioned before that skirt steak is one of our favorite cuts. We marinate it in a deliciously simple rosemary garlic marinade, and then grill it up. We top it with a luscious combination of caramelized mushrooms, bursting cherry tomatoes, and creamy ricotta cheese. Served with a side of whipped potatoes, this is a dish that will leave you feeling sublime after every bite. So read on and learn how to cook it up tonight!

Preparing the Dish

What You'll Need
1 lb skirt steak
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
5 tbsp olive oil
1 pint cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp marsala cooking wine
1/2 cup fresh ricotta cheese
4 - 5 waxy red potatoes
1/4 cup half and half/cream
salt and pepper to taste

Take the salt and pepper and spread it evenly over the steak and let rest for a minute or two while you chop up the rosemary and garlic. Then, rub the rosemary and garlic into the steak, and drizzle over a tablespoon of the olive oil. Rub everything around until all of the herbs are spread around evenly, and let the steak rest  at room temperature for about 20 minutes. If you're using a charcoal fire, start it now.

Get the mushrooms started. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a non stick pan over medium heat. Once it's hot, add in the mushrooms and add in a touch of salt and pepper to taste. Heat the mushrooms until they start to exude their liquid. Once they do, add in the marsala cooking wine, let it boil off slightly, and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the mushrooms cook like this until just about the end, stirring occasionally so they don't burn. You'll want them to get nice and small and caramelized.

Heat up a pot of salted water to a boil. Dice your potatoes and then add them to the water. Let them cook for about 10 minutes until they are fork tender. While the potatoes are cooking, heat the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil in a small pot or pan. Add in the smashed garlic cloves and slowly cook in the oil over low to medium heat, being careful not to let the garlic burn. It should start to be golden and soft. If you cook it low enough for long enough, it will get very soft and sweet. That's what you're going for!

Remove the potatoes from the water and add them to a mixing bowl. Add in the slow cooked garlic and start to mash everything together with your fork. Add in the half and half and continue to mix together until the potatoes get to your desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste, and adjust the amount of cream if needed.

Now you can put on your steak. Grill it for about 4 - 5 minutes per side over direct heat with the lid closed until the steak is fairly firm to the touch but not too tough. Remove from the heat and let rest.

While the steak is resting, add the tomatoes to the mushrooms and raise the heat. At the same time, start to toast the pine nuts in the toaster.

Saute the tomatoes and the mushrooms together until the tomatoes are just starting to burst. Remove from heat. Add in the pine nuts and stir together.

Now, put it all together. Slice the steak agains the grain and ladle on a dollop of ricotta cheese. Place over that the mushrooms, tomato, and pine nuts, and serve a nice big helping of whipped potatoes on the side.









Dig in and enjoy! We guarantee you'll love the creamy texture of the ricotta with the tanginess of the tomatoes and mushrooms and the heartiness of the meat. This is a winner for sure!

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