Volume 8, Issue 087 - May 3, 2005

Hello Recipe Club,

How to pick your steaks.

Leaner cuts (less marbling) have more flavor but tend to be a bit tougher if cooked past medium. The sirloin, New York, round and flank fall into this category.

The most marbled cut is the rib-eye. Often called a cowboy steak. It is cut from the same piece of meat as the prime rib. It has flavor and tenderness but has more fat in it. It remains a good steak even cooked well done.

The most tender but not necessarily the most flavorful steak is the tenderloin. It is a muscle that is hardly used by the animal, so it eats very soft. It has little marbling but remains tender because of the fine muscle texture. A prized piece of meat and the most expensive cut of beef. Best if ordered up to medium but remains tender, although slightly dry if ordered well done.

Most Flavor: Sirloin and New York
Most Tender: Rib-Eye and Tenderloin

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Charlie Trotter's Grilled Beef Tenderloin Cobb Salad

This has to be one of my all-time favorite salads, because of the unrestrained variety of flavors and textures. Traditionally a cobb salad is made with chicken, but I use grilled beef because I prefer a little more substance.

I lay out the ingredients in the traditional manner, in rows on a bed of lettuce. You can, of course, toss everything together and not bother with this special presentation. The flavors and textures would certainly be the same, but sometimes the striking composition of a finished dish is reward enough for the extra trouble.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 shallot, minced
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
1 1/3 cups peeled and diced red and yellow tomatoes
8 cups mesclun mix
8 slices proscuitto, julienned
16 quail eggs, soft-boiled, peeled and quartered
8 ounces beef tenderloin, grilled, cooled and diced
1 1/3 cups diced avocado
1 1/3 cups crumbled blue cheese
12 grilled scallions, chilled and chopped
4 tablespoons 1-inch pieces chives

Preparation:

To prepare the vinaigrette:
Place the shallot and lemon juice in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil, fold in the chopped chives and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To prepare the tomatoes:
Toss the diced tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To prepare the greens:
Toss the mesclun mix with half of the vinaigrette and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Assembly:

Arrange some of the mesclun greens to create a bed in the center of each plate. Arrange some of the proscuitto in a vertical line along the far left side of the greens. Next to the proscuitto, arrange some of the quail eggs, avocado, tomatoes, beef tenderloin, blue cheese and scallions, each in individual vertical lines to completely cover the mesclun mix. Top with freshly ground black pepper and sprinkle with the chive pieces. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the salad.

Wine Notes:

This is a fun salad to eat and requires a fun wine. Strict flavor pairing is not always needed; sometimes eating and drinking for pure enjoyment is in order. Try a fruit forward style of Merlot like Robert Sinskey Vineyards or Cuvaison, both from the Napa Valley.

Copyright ©1999 Charlie Trotter's

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Grilled Soft-shell Crabs with Jicama Salad

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 medium jicama, peeled and julienned
3 medium cucumbers, peeled and seeded
1 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 tablespoons fresh lime juice
salt to taste
8 soft-shell crabs, cleaned
4 lime wedges
4 sprigs cilantro

Preparation:

Julienne the cucumbers and combine with jicama and 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro in a medium bowl. Dress with 4 tablespoons olive oil and 4 tablespoons lime juice. Season to taste with salt, mix well and set aside.

Lightly brush a hot grill or grill pan with 1 tablespoon oil. Brush crabs with remaining oil, then place on grill and cook until firm, about 2 minutes per side.

To serve, divide jicama salad among 4 plates and top with 2 grilled crabs each. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

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Garlicky Grilled Red Potato Salad

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound small red potatoes, scrubbed
4 large cloves garlic, unpeeled
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
cooking spray
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Preparation:

Prepare grill to very hot.

Cut potatoes into pieces no larger than 1 1/2 inches. Combine potatoes, garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt in medium-size bowl and toss until potatoes are well coated.

Make a cooking tray from heavy-duty aluminum foil by folding foil over for double strength and folding sides up. Poke holes in bottom. Spray tray with cooking spray. Spoon potato mixture onto foil tray, keeping potatoes in single layer. Top with rosemary sprigs.

Grill 4 or 5 inches from medium-hot coals, turning as necessary, 30 minutes or until tender and crispy browned.

Meanwhile, whisk together vinegar, mustard, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper in medium-size bowl. Gradually whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Discard woody rosemary stems from grilling tray. Squeeze grilled garlic cloves from skins into bowl. Mash slightly into dressing. Add potatoes and green onions. Serve warm.