Along with being a chef, baker and bread baker extraordinaire, Ann, by personal email, has taught me how to pre-salt meat for extra flavor. In particular, we have been pre-salting steaks for several weeks now. What a difference this makes.
It just takes a little planning. We generously salt a piece of meat and wrap in cellophane and refrigerator for a day. The next day, unwrap and let the meat air dry in the refrigerator for a day. Then, grill!! Oh yes, it really does make a difference. Unless short on time, I can't imagine cooking steak any other way.
We had a pre-salted Porterhouse (a favorite cut of mine), grilled Romaine salad, and mushrooms with thyme.
This recipe was adapted from the New York Times. Followed pretty closely, but the changes follow.
Grilled Caesar Salad
adapted from The New York Times
Dressing:
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
4 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced
3 egg yolks
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon lime zest
1 lime, juiced
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Salad:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 head romaine lettuce, tops and bottoms trimmed neatly, the heads cut lengthwise into quarters
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese.
We prepared the Caesar dressing in a small food processor and set it aside.
We did not make the vinaigrette because I felt it was over-top dressing and not necessary. We did not miss it.
Drizzle olive oil over the lettuce and grill 15-20 seconds on each side. Place on a platter and brush the Caesar dressing on the lettuce. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and grill covered for 30 seconds.
It was perfect and delicious. At this point, the recipe called for drizzling the vinaigrette over the grilled romaine. Try this if you like, but honestly, it is not necessary. This turned out to be a quick and very tasty salad.
