Sunny's Kitchen (19 page)

s
kip the caprese salad and go straight for the steak! It’s just as simple to put together and requires all of the star ingredients to function at their highest level. So pick some fragrant basil, find a pretty marbled steak, and look for smoked mozzarella; it’s there just waiting to be a star in your kitchen. I call it the smarter mozzarella, because it’s gooey as expected, but smoky too. Any ingredient that brings more than one flavor to the table gets top billing in my kitchen. A layer of it melted over a properly spiced and rubbed steak balances the sweet and tart flavors of quick-roasted Roma tomato slices. Sound easy? It is. Flavor doesn’t always equal work in my kitchen.
SERVES 4

1
Rub and rest the steaks.
In a small bowl, combine the salt, oregano, paprika, garlic powder, pepper, liquid smoke, and oil. Divide the rub equally and rub on all sides of each steak. Allow the steaks to rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

2
Roast the tomato slices.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and set a wire rack on top. Place the tomato slices in a medium bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Toss, then place in one layer on the wire rack. Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast until the edges are shriveled and caramelized, but the center is still moist, about 25 minutes. Remove and allow the tomato slices to cool, then gently chop. Set aside. Remove the wire rack from the baking sheet. Discard the parchment or foil and place the baking sheet back in the oven to await the steaks. Reduce the heat to 375°F.

3
Sear and cook the steaks.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Just as it begins to swirl but before it smokes, add 2 steaks and sear on one side until the steaks release from the pan to reveal a deep
golden brown crust. Transfer to a plate with the uncooked side up. Repeat for the other 2 steaks. Place each steak on the preheated baking sheet with the uncooked side facing down. Cook until about 5°F. from the desired internal temperature (about 10 minutes for rare, 15 minutes for medium rare, and you don’t want it well done, do you? Okay, 20 minutes for well done).

4
Top and broil the steaks.
When the steaks are 5°F. from their desired
internal temperature
, quickly remove the baking sheet from the oven and turn on the broiler. If you don’t have a broiler setting, raise the heat to 500°F. Working quickly, top each steak with tomato and basil. Then layer on the mozzarella slices and quickly place the steaks back in the oven under the broiler on the center rack. When the cheese begins to bubble and brown, 5 to 8 minutes, remove from the oven. Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

 

tip!
Chop up leftovers, add tons of spinach or chopped hearts of romaine, and make a wrap.

e
ating with your hands is fun and relaxes everyone involved. These beef wraps are a quick fix for lunch with friends or a great app for a dinner party. In my old neighborhood of Gravesend, Brooklyn, I lived a block away from a Vietnamese place that made several versions of this wrap. I’d pair my order with some mango bubble tea and sip in bliss after each bite. The heart of this dish is hoisin sauce, a powerful Asian barbecue sauce with a heavy lean on ginger and other seasonings. Not much else is needed to make these lettuce wraps taste delicious, so I keep it simple and only add a few things to punch it up.
SERVES 4 TO 6

1
Cook the beef.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the beef, and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the ginger, scallions, garlic, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and hoisin sauce. Cook to heat all the ingredients, about 4 minutes, then taste and season with a pinch of salt, if needed, and a few grinds of black pepper. Remove the pan from the heat.

2
Assemble the wraps and garnish.
Prepare several sets of double-layered lettuce leaves. Scoop a heaping spoonful of filling into the recessed center of each double-ply lettuce cup. Sprinkle with peanuts and eat by folding in half like a taco or wrapping loosely like a burrito. Serve warm.

w
onton wrappers aren’t just for Asian food; the circles or squares are a great shortcut to homemade ravioli. Fill one and fold it over or use two wrappers to sandwich the filling, then simply boil them a few minutes and create a sauce. Like iced coffee, vodka sauce is something I can’t remember ever having or hearing of until I moved to New York, but it’s on pretty much every Italian menu here. It’s a cross between a tomato and cream sauce with a hint of vodka flavor. The alcohol cooks out, so it’s kid-friendly, but the flavors are still intoxicating. You’ll be surprised how a wonton can make you love Italian food.
SERVES 4 TO 6

1
Mix the filling.
In a medium bowl combine the beef, cheese, garlic, onion pulp, oregano, and salt. Using both hands, mix and squeeze the beef and seasonings together.

2
Fill the wonton wrappers.
Place a small glass of water next to your working area. Lay a few wonton wrappers, flour side up, on a flat surface. Scoop a spoonful of the filling into the center of each. Dip a finger in the water and lightly trace the border of each wonton. Close by folding it in half and pressing the air out to the edges to seal.

3
Cook the ravioli.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Gently drop in the ravioli, one at a time. Cook until they begin to float and a test ravioli cut in half shows it is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon.

4
Make the vodka sauce.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the tomatoes, tomato sauce, onion, and vodka. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Reduce the heat and stir in the heavy cream and cheese. Bring to a simmer again and cook until thickened, about 5 more minutes. Taste and season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Add the cooked ravioli to the sauce for just a minute more to reheat them. Or simply place 4 to 5 ravioli on each plate and scoop sauce on each serving.

 

tips!
Freeze the pasta on a parchment-lined plate or baking sheet for 2 hours with a dusting of flour, then place in a resealable freezer bag. Drop them into boiling water straight from the freezer for a fast meal, no thawing needed.
•
These taste great fried as well—just fill a large straight-sided pan with ½ inch oil and fry when the oil begins to swirl, flipping once.