Where's the Beef?

If beef is even an occasional part of your diet and budget is of any concern at all, my virtual friend Jaden has found the technique for you!

First a little back-story...

I've been on a bit of a genealogy kick since last summer's visit to Salt Lake City. I've wound my way back 7 generations on my father's side and 14 on my mother's. But there are still mysteries. And with both of my parents gone, no one to pass on the stories that breathe life into a pedigree chart.

So when my aunt and uncle volunteered to spend a week going through old pictures, newspaper articles and other assorted documentation and share the stories they remember behind them, I jumped at the chance.

What does this have to do with food? With beef? I'm getting there...

My primary concern around their pending visit was the menu: what to feed them? Between an allergy to most forms of seafood and a disinclination to trying anything too adventurous, I figured chicken, pasta and beef were probably my best bets -- I could stretch them a bit by pushing ingredients they were familiar with in new directions.

From there I turned to one of my most treasured resources for tried-and-true recipes: my blogroll. And for my farewell dinner -- steak and potatoes -- Jaden delivered. I'll let you explore her post for the details, but it's the simplest most straightforward preparation I've ever seen, and it truly makes a silk purse of a sow's ear.

The Cliff's Notes version:
1. remove steak from packaging.
2. rub all sides liberally with salt. LOTS of salt.
3. let steak sit in salt for 15-60 minutes.
4. rinse steak and pat it dry.
5. toss it on grill (or in prepared grill pan) and cook to desired degree of doneness.

For the extended explanation, check out Jaden's post. Go on. I'll wait.

I served the steak with a simple green salad and roasted red potatoes.

The salad was romaine and butter lettuce tossed with diced apples, avocadoes and a honey-mustard vinaigrette. I tossed the potatoes in 3 or four tablespoons of olive oil and a couple of pinches of salt before roasting. When they came out of the oven, I sprinkled on some Penzey's Italian seasoning. That's it.

I'm honored to say that my relatives went home with all three 'recipes'.

Resources used:
choice chuck blade steak on sale at Lunardi's.
red potatoes from Farm Fresh to You CSA.

Technorati Tags: Key Ingredient: Beef