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steak & stone fruit salad

no way around it. today, and every september eleventh for the rest of my life, will have a somber tone. seventeen years ago, i woke to my radio (back before we woke up to cell phones) and news of the first plane hitting the tower. i spent the morning with my parents watching the second plane hit, and both towers fall. i was a a sophomore in high school and it was the first time in my life i remember experiencing a national tragedy.

lucky for me, none of my nyc family was harmed, but our next door neighbors brother died in one of the towers. even on the other side of the country, it all felt VERY close to home. and every year when they play the coverage i feel that same burning in my chest as i well with tears.

but the older i get, the more i realize that the best way to honor the dead is to LIVE. and one of mine and wes’s BEST friends has a birthday today. i took a moment of silence today with my yoga students, but for the rest of the day i’m celebrating those i love with steak and cake. i encourage you to do the same!

steak & stone fruit salad

prep time: 10 minutes

active time: 15 minutes

total time: 25 minutes

ingredients: 8 oz flank or flap meat steak (note that flap meat will be a bit thinner than flank and will take less time to cook). 6 cups arugula. 3 small or 2 medium plums, sliced into wedges. 1 medium yellow onion, halved and sliced into .5 inch thick slices. 3 tbs olive oil. 1 tbs kosher salt. 1 tsp freshly ground pepper. 1 tsp cumin. .25 cup mayonnaise. 2 tbs greek yogurt. 2 tbs lemon juice. 2 tbs orange juice. 2 garlic cloves, minced. 1 tbs finely chopped italian parsley. grill pan or large heavy pan. aluminum foil.

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start by preheating your grill pan or pan to a medium high heat. combine the olive oil, salt, pepper and cumin in a small bowl and whisk together till combined.

drizzle two-thirds of the oil over the meat and brush the meat till it is evenly coated with oil and seasoning.

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while your grill pan is getting nice and hot, combine the rest of of the oil & seasonings with the mayo, greek yogurt, both citrus juices, the garlic and parsley.

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whisk it together till well combined and set aside.

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when your pan is nice and hot, add the meat to the pan. flank and flap meat are both very thin, so you are just looking to get a really good brown on both sides and your meat will be pretty much done. about 4-5 minutes a side. if you prefer a more well done cut, you will want to give your meat an extra minute or two each side. while your meat is cooking, add your onions to the pan and start to let them brown.

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while your meat is cooking, toss your plums in with your arugula till they are well combined. when your meat is done, remove it to a clean platter or plate and cover with aluminum foil to rest. allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes before slicing the meat against the grain into .5 inch strips.

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when the meat has come off the grill, spread your onions out and allow them to soak up any bits of meat from the pan. cook the onions till they are soft and browned. when the onions are done, place them right onto your arugula. add your sliced steak to the salad.

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lightly dress the salad.

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toss and serve.

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xo, a

steak & stone fruit salad

prep time: 10 minutes

active time: 15 minutes

total time: 25 minutes

ingredients: 8 oz flank or flap meat steak (note that flap meat will be a bit thinner than flank and will take less time to cook). 6 cups arugula. 3 small or 2 medium plums, sliced into wedges. 1 medium yellow onion, halved and sliced into .5 inch thick slices. 3 tbs olive oil. 1 tbs kosher salt. 1 tsp freshly ground pepper. 1 tsp cumin. .25 cup mayonnaise. 2 tbs greek yogurt. 2 tbs lemon juice. 2 tbs orange juice. 2 garlic cloves, minced. 1 tbs finely chopped italian parsley. grill pan or large heavy pan. aluminum foil.

start by preheating your grill pan or pan to a medium high heat. combine the olive oil, salt, pepper and cumin in a small bowl and whisk together till combined. drizzle two-thirds of the oil over the meat and brush the meat till it is evenly coated with oil and seasoning. while your grill pan is getting nice and hot, combine the rest of of the oil & seasonings with the mayo, greek yogurt, both citrus juices, the garlic and parsley. whisk it together till well combined and set aside. when your pan is nice and hot, add the meat to the pan. flank and flap meat are both very thin, so you are just looking to get a really good brown on both sides and your meat will be pretty much done. about 4-5 minutes a side. if you prefer a more well done cut, you will want to give your meat an extra minute or two each side. while your meat is cooking, add your onions to the pan and start to let them brown. while your meat is cooking, toss your plums in with your arugula till they are well combined. when your meat is done, remove it to a clean platter or plate and cover with aluminum foil to rest. allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes before slicing the meat against the grain into .5 inch strips. when the meat has come off the grill, spread your onions out and allow them to soak up any bits of meat from the pan. cook the onions till they are soft and browned. when the onions are done, place them right onto your arugula. add your sliced steak to the salad. lightly dress the salad. toss and serve.

roasted butternut squash soup

finally, socal has had a string of less than scorching weather. in fact, i even wore a sweater to our friendsgiving celebration on sunday. i mean, it was very thin in weight, had cut out shoulders and a lace back, but i wore a sweater dammit. and boots. boom. 

you know how us warm weather folk roll. the second it drops below seventy, we grab the boots and sweaters and make soup. and i'm just as basic as the rest, so of course we are talking about soup today. 

while potato leek soup will always have a special place in my heart, this roasted butternut squash soup is what i make for people i want to impress. yeah, soup doesn't really seem very impressive, but this soup is so bright in color and bold in flavor that people always go back for more. crispy croutons and tangy, creamy goat cheese make the deep flavors of roasted butternut squash sing. make it for a group, or store it in smaller jars in the fridge or freezer for single servings when you need something quick and delicious. 

roasted butternut squash soup
serves: 8 servings
prep time: 15 minutes
roast time: 45 minutes
active time: 30 minutes
total time: 1.5 hours
ingredients: 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 3lbs or 6ish cups). if you hate cutting the butternut squash yourself, you can usually find precut in your produce section and that will save you most of the prep time. 4 tbs olive oil, divided. 2 tbs brown sugar. 1tbs salt. 1 tsp pepper. 1.5 cup diced shallots (about 4 shallots). 3 garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped. .5 cup marsala wine. 10 medium sized sage leaves cut chiffonade style (long thin ribbons) + 2 extra for garnish. 6 cups chicken stock. seasoned croutons and goat cheese for serving. baking sheet. large heavy pot. immersion blender, blender or food processor. 

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start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees f. for easy cleaning, line your baking sheet with parchment or aluminum. spread out your squash in an even layer and drizzle with 2 tbs of olive oil. season with half the salt and pepper and all the brown sugar and toss well till all the squash is lightly coated. 

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roast for 45 minutes, or until the edges of the squash are starting to brown. 

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when your squash is about 10 minutes from finishing up, heat the rest of the olive oil over medium high heat. when the oil is hot (if you drop in a shallot it should sizzle) and then add in shallots and garlic and half of the remaining salt and pepper. cook until the shallots are translucent and starting to lightly brown. let a bit of brown bits accumulate on the bottom of your pan. about 5-7 minutes. 

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pour in the marsala and use the liquid to scrape up any browned bits. 

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cook until the liquid is almost completely evaporated, add in the now finished butternut squash and the sage. stir till everything is well combined.

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pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a boil. about 10 minutes. allow the soup to simmer for 5-10 minutes. remove the soup from the heat and allow it to cool slightly. 

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use your immersion blender (get one, you will NOT regret it) or use your food processor or blender (you will likely have to do these in batches depending on the size of your tool) to completely blend the soup till smooth. 

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serve soup hot topped with seasoned croutons, a dollop of goat cheese and some fresh sage. 

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xo, a

roasted butternut squash soup
serves: 8 servings
prep time: 15 minutes
roast time: 45 minutes
active time: 30 minutes
total time: 1.5 hours
ingredients: 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 3lbs or 6ish cups). if you hate cutting the butternut squash yourself, you can usually find precut in your produce section and that will save you most of the prep time. 4 tbs olive oil, divided. 2 tbs brown sugar. 1tbs salt. 1 tsp pepper. 1.5 cup diced shallots (about 4 shallots). 3 garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped. .5 cup marsala wine. 10 medium sized sage leaves cut chiffonade style (long thin ribbons) + 2 extra for garnish. 6 cups chicken stock. seasoned croutons and goat cheese for serving. baking sheet. large heavy pot. immersion blender, blender or food processor.
start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees f. for easy cleaning, line your baking sheet with parchment or aluminum. spread out your squash in an even layer and drizzle with 2 tbs of olive oil. season with half the salt and pepper and all the brown sugar and toss well till all the squash is lightly coated. roast for 45 minutes, or until the edges of the squash are starting to brown. when your squash is about 10 minutes from finishing up, heat the rest of the olive oil over medium high heat. when the oil is hot (if you drop in a shallot it should sizzle) and then add in shallots and garlic and half of the remaining salt and pepper. cook until the shallots are translucent and starting to lightly brown. let a bit of brown bits accumulate on the bottom of your pan. about 5-7 minutes. pour in the marsala and use the liquid to scrape up any browned bits. cook until the liquid is almost completely evaporated, add in the now finished butternut squash and the sage. stir till everything is well combined. pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a boil. about 10 minutes. allow the soup to simmer for 5-10 minutes. remove the soup from the heat and allow it to cool slightly. use your immersion blender (get one, you will NOT regret it) or use your food processor or blender (you will likely have to do these in batches depending on the size of your tool) to completely blend the soup till smooth. serve soup hot topped with seasoned croutons, a dollop of goat cheese and some fresh sage.