Flank Steak with So-Hot-You-Can't-Eat-It Pepper and Watermelon Salad

I pulled this recipe out of Bon Appetit (no surprise) last summer, thinking it sounded pretty good. We never had the chance to make it before grilling season ended, so last week we finally got around to it.

This is an interesting one. Husband doesn't like watermelon much, so the salad was already kind of a miss, but it was so spicy that neither of us ate much, throwing away most of the salad.

The next time we make it, there will be drastic changes:

• The meat marinade wasn't noticeable, even though it sat for nearly 12 hours. I'd use the dressing for the salad as a marinade instead.
• The salad is an interesting concept, but a little too variable in terms of texture and of course it was too spicy. I might leave out the watermelon, halve the quantity of sriracha, and double the honey.
• It needed a starch. I'm making rice with it next time and dealing with it more like a stir fry (hence, no watermelon).

The Original Recipe: Grilled Flank Steak with Spicy Pepper and Watermelon Salad

Flank Steak:
1 1/2 Tbs fresh lime juice
1 Tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tsp sambal oelek (a hot chili paste)
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp honey
1 1/2 lb flank steak

Pepper and Watermelon Salad:
1/4 cup sriracha (hot chili sauce)
1/4 olive oil
3 Tbs seasoned rice vinegar
1 1/4 tsp honey
4 bell peppers of varying color, cut into 1/2-inch squares (2-3 is plenty, really)
2 Tbs minced red jalapeno chiles (we used green, it was fine)
2 cups 1/2-inch cubes of seedless watermelon

Steak Preparation:
Whisk all ingredients together (except steak), pour into a ZipLock bag with the steak and let marinate as long as possible, ideally 4 hours up to 1 day (chill, obviously). Bring to room temperature before grilling.

Salad Preparation:
Whisk sriracha, oil, vinegar, and honey in a small bowl; season dressing with salt and pepper. Place peppers and chiles in large bowl. Toss with 6 Tbs dressing. Let marinate 2 hours at room temperature.

Prepare barbecue (high heat). Grill steak until cooked to desired doneness. Transfer to work surface; let rest 10 minutes. Thinly slice steak against the grain. Drizzle with some of the remaining dressing from the salad.

Toss watermelon into pepper salad. Serve flank steak and salad with remaining dressing alongside.

***

When we make this again, I'll post the new recipe and let you know how it goes.

Coffee-Rubbed Cheeseburgers with Texas Barbecue Sauce

An instant crowd pleaser, this was the most-requested recipe at our last BBQ! It sounds a little strange, but is absolutely delicious. The coffee rub and barbecue sauce could be used on many other meats.

Coffee Rub
1 Tbs freshly ground coffee
2 tsp (packed) brown sugar
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt

Burgers
8 slices bacon (applewood smoked is preferred, but not necessary)
2 lbs ground beef
8 slices smoked provolone
8 hamburger buns (we used onion rolls from Sunflour Bakehaus in Farmington)
8 slices red onion
8 slices tomato
Texas Barbecue Sauce

For the Rub:
Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Can be done up to one week ahead. Store at room temperature.

For the Burgers:
Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Break in half.

Form ground beef into 8 patties. Using thumb, make a slight indentation in the center of each burger. Burgers and bacon can be prepped up to 8 hours ahead. Chill.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Sprinkle 1 tsp of coffee rub on top side of each burger. Place burgers, rub side down, on grill rack. Grill until slightly charred, about 4 minutes; turn.

Place 2 bacon halves atop each burger. Cook 3 minutes. Top each with 1 cheese slice. Cover and cook until cheese melts. Place burgers atop bottom halves of buns. Top with onion and tomato slices. Spoon on Texas Barbecue Sauce. Cover with bun tops and serve.

Texas Barbecue Sauce

A great standard BBQ sauce to use with Coffee-Rubbed Cheeseburgers, BBQ Chicken Pizza, or any other standard summer fare.

1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup (packed) brown sugar
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 chipotle chile from canned chipotle chiles in adobo, minced with seeds
1/4 tsp ground cayenne

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; stir 30 seconds. Stir in all remaining ingredients.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until reduced to 1 1/3 cups, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Penne with Hazelnut Gremolata and Roasted Broccolini

This was a very tasty side we made with the Roasted Duck Breast (I think it would be good even if you used pork). Can't find broccolini? I'd say you can substitute broccoli, but cut it in to small florets. We might even try making a pesto instead of a gremolata with all the herbs and hazelnuts. It can also be a little dry, so don’t be afraid to use the olive oil (plus some).

1/2 lb broccolini or broccoli
3 Tbs olive oil, divided
2 Tbs hazelnuts, toasted, finely chopped
2 Tbs finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tsp finely grated lemon peel
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/2 lb penne

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place broccolini on a large rimmed baking sheet (lined with parchment paper). Drizzle with 2 Tbs olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss, then spread in an even layer.

Roast broccolini until tender and golden brown around edges, tossing occasionally, about 18 minutes. Cool. Chop coarsely.

Mix hazelnuts, chopped parsley, finely grated lemon peel, and garlic in a small bowl.

Cook pasta until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain; return to saucepan.

Add broccolini and toss over medium heat to rewarm, if necessary. Add gremolata and remaining oil (plus some if dry); toss to distribute evenly. Season with salt and pepper.

Seared Duck Breast with Cherries and Port Sauce

I’ve only had duck a handful of times in my life, but this is one of the tastiest. It is also a plus to make it when Michigan cherries are in season. Our only complaint: duck is rather expensive; when we made this last week, we decided that the next time, it would be very easy to substitute a pork chop, or maybe a chicken thigh. Originally from Bon Appetit.

2 5- to 6-oz. duck breast halves, or 2 pork chops
2 Tbs chilled butter, divided
1/2 cup finely chopped shallot
1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
16 halved, pitted sweet red cherries
4 Tbs tawny Port
2 Tbs honey

Place duck breast halves between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Pound lightly to even thickness (about 1/2 to 3/4 inch). Discard plastic wrap. Using sharp knife, score skin in 3/4 inch diamond pattern (do not cut flesh).

Melt 1 Tbs butter in heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle duck with salt and pepper. Add duck, skin side down, to skillet and cook until skin is browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Turn duck breasts over, reduce heat to medium, and cook until browned and cooked to desired doneness, about 4-8 minutes. Transfer to work surface, tent with foil to keep warm, and let rest 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour off all but 2 Tbs drippings from skillet. Add shallot to skillet and stir over medium heat 30 seconds. Add broth, cherries, Port, and honey. Increase heat to high and boil until sauce is reduced to a glaze, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Whisk in 1 Tbs cold butter. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Thinly slice duck. Fan slices out on plates. Spoon sauce over and serve.