Among the plethora of meats and fish available, I must profess a special fondness for beef. Give me a piece of red meat and I'll rub that sucker with loads of black pepper, garlic and a little Kosher salt, and then I will build a wood or charcoal fire so big it will create its own micro-climate. Next, I'll roast the meat until the red inside just starts turning pink, and then I'll wolf it down with a big, purple wine that will make your lips pucker and your heart sing (and continue to beat too).
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According to my own medical consultant (Dr. Feelgood), wine, especially red, has properties that mitigate the rumored negative consequences of eating red meat on a regular basis. So there.
And while there is nothing better in this whole wide world than any type of meat or even fish on a grill, I must admit (are you listening veggie lovers?) that I do enjoy things that are harvested from the soil, too, particularly the goodies I procure from local farmers at the Capitol Market here in Charleston. For the next six weeks, we will have the opportunity to choose from a cornucopia of the region's most wonderful assortment of vegetables.
I am particularly fond of peppers! Green ones, red ones and especially hot ones. I have prepared peppers in more ways than the normal person can fathom. I roast them, stuff them, fry them, freeze them, can them and, above all, I consume them almost daily. Here is a recipe for a dish I must give credit to my lovely bride for spicing up and improving on one she found in Bon Appetit Magazine a few years back. It combines three of my favorite foods: red meat, peppers and freshly picked corn. And you will need to pair this dish with a substantial red wine like the one suggested below.
While I shop regularly at Johnnies Fresh Meat Market here in Charleston, the beef for this recipe hails from the Monroe Farm Market (www.localfoodmarketplace.com/monroe/). These good folks from Monroe County deliver produce and grass fed, freshly butchered meat weekly to Charleston. Incidentally, Johnnies also has a good selection grass fed beef too. This recipe calls for skirt steak, but you could also use thinly cut flank steak.
Spicy Skirt Steak with Poblano and Corn Salsa (serves four)
Ingredients
Two pounds of skirt steak cut into five inch long pieces
Three medium sized poblano peppers
Three ears of corn shucked
One teaspoon each kosher salt, black pepper, brown sugar and smoked paprika
One-half teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional)
Three ounces of extra virgin olive oil
How To
Light a gas grill or fire up a charcoal grill
Rub the corn and poblanos with olive oil and grill until both are slightly charred
Peel the skin from the poblanos and then dice them finely
Place half the corn and half the poblanos in a food processor with two tablespoons each of olive oil and water
Puree into a chunky salsa and add salt and pepper to taste
Toss remaining corn and poblanos in a small bowl, add remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper
Rub skirt steak with olive and rub then with the mixture of pepper, salt, cayenne, brown sugar and paprika
Grill steaks over high heat, turning two or three times until lightly charred (about 7 minutes)
Remove meat from grill and allow to sit for five minutes
Spoon the sauce onto the plate
Slice meat across the grain and place atop the sauce
Spoon the salsa onto the meat and serve immediately
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You will want to pair this dish with a full-bodied red wine and, as luck would have it, I had the pleasure of meeting a very accomplished Napa Valley wine maker who was visiting Charleston a few weeks back. Peter Franus and his wife Deanne were in town to join chef Richard Arbaugh in hosting a dinner featuring Franus' wines at South Hills Market & Cafe.
While I really enjoyed the 2014 Franus Albarino and 2013 Sauvignon Blanc (both in the $26 to $28 price range), the 2012 Franus Zinfandel Brandlin Vineyard ($45) is the wine to use with the recipe below. Ripe, rich, blackberry and spicy teaberry flavors combine with the full-bodied, moderately tannic texture to make this the perfect accompaniment to the Spicy Skirt Steak recipe.
Enjoy!