This week's Sunday supper is easy to make and health conscious. With summer just around the corner, I've been focusing on having just protein and vegetables in the evening, instead of my usual side dishes of rice or mash or some other yummy super carbs.
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The steak with melon relish comes via Self Magazine, one of my favorite mags for health and fitness tips. The grilled vegetables comes from an unlikely source, Ron Tarver -- who is an amazing photographer and lucky for me, a close friend of my husband's family. We were having a family potluck and Ron brought these vegetables and there were so good, so crispy and flavorful that it was all I could do not to hoover them down. So here's Ron's recipe, and if you are interested in Ron's artwork, you can check out his stunning series of photographs from Cuba and his series on black cowboys.
Steak with Melon Relish
Ingredients:
1 large cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and diced
1 medium red onion, diced
1 cup Italian parsley, chopped
1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
2 tbsp white balsamic (or cider) vinegar
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 lb flank steaks
2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Toss cantaloupe, onion, parsley, mint, vinegar and oil in a bowl. Set aside. Heat a grill, grill pan or large skillet over high heat. Season steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. Cook 5 to 8 minutes on each side for medium rare, 8 to 10 minutes per side for medium and 10 to 12 minutes per side for well done. Remove from heat and allow to rest on a clean cutting board for 5 to 7 minutes. Cut steak diagonally into 1/8-inch-thick slices and transfer to a platter. Spoon half the relish on top. Serve remaining relish on the side.
Ron Tarver's Grilled Vegetables
Slice a bunch of veggies.
2 large zuchni cut into 3 in. sticks
1/2 bag baby carrots,
4 medium red onions,
1 bunch of asparagus cut in half
3 red and yellow bell peppers cut into 2 in. chunks
12 garlic cloves halved.
Season with:
salt
pepper
about a teaspoon of rosemary
Coat with olive oil, toss thoroughly making sure
the rosemary and oil coat all the veggies
Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 1/2 to an hour
The big secret is the grilling pan which can be purchased at Home Depot
Lowes, B B and Beyond- just about anywhere this time of the year.
It's 12 in. wide and full of holes to let the flames lick the veggies.
You can grill on charcoal which I prefer (hardwood not the brickets) or gas grill in a pinch
(You could also use a stovetop grilling pan.)
Either way keep the flame medium.
Get the pan hot before putting in the veggies and when you do use tongs to place them.
DO NOT POUR THEM FROM THE PAN! If you do the oil will catch fire and flare up. it looks spectacular
but you loose a few arm hairs in the process. But worst of all the veggies get coated black from the flair up.
Not to appitizing.
Take care to shake off as much oil as possible before gently placing them in the pan.
There will still be some flair but just enough to make your friends think your cool.
Fill the pan about a quarter full and stir gently expose the veggies to the flame.
Cook until they get a slighly charred look but remain crunchy.
It will take about 15- 20 min. per pan so I keep the cooked veggies in an earthenware bowl in a 200 degree oven
as I go.
Bon Appetit!
