Thai Grilled Flank Steak Salad and Cinnamon-Coconut Grilled Pineapple

Talk about flavor explosion...this Thai Grilled Flank Steak Salad has so many layers of flavor going on it's ridiculous! First I marinated 2 1/2 pounds of flank steak in soy sauce, ground black peppercorns, and sliced lemongrass for an hour. I couldn't find lemongrass in the produce section and was bummed because I knew this ingredient was key but then I did find some already sliced lemongrass in a jar in the ethnic foods aisle. It turns out that was so much more convenient anyway! While the steak was marinating I started heating up the charcoal in the chimney starter. I also sliced the ingredients for the sauce. I grilled the steaks directly over high heat until slightly charred on the outside but still pink inside. While the flank steak rested I made the "salad" sauce in a large wok. I combined some fresh lime juice, Thai fish sauce (nam pla....I know it sounds weird but it has a wonderful flavor....I grew up eating rice, peas, and fried egg with fish sauce as a snack!) Back to the sauce, I also added a little crushed red pepper sugar, and some more sliced lemongrass. After the steak has rested...slice it against the grain and add to the wok. Then add some sliced shallots, a huge handful of mint (I grow a ton of mint in my garden...it spreads like a weed) and a small handfull of cilantro. You don't even have to chop the mint or cilantro....just throw it right in with the steak. Unbelievable flavors going on in your mouth...waking up all your taste buds...spicy-hot-citrusy-sweet-sour-mint-grilled meat-salt-smoky-clean-delicious flavors!!!

I got the recipe from Food & Wine Magazine (June 2009) from the article "Thai Grilling Temple". There are other yummy sounding recipes for grilled unpeeled jumbo shrimp with a citrus sauce, grilled salted Tilapia, and honey-glazed ribs. There is so much grilling done in Thailand; "Ping" is the Thai word for grilled. They also grill lizards, insects and snakes but I'm so not ready for all that.

For dessert I made a delish grilled Pineapple a la Caveman: Sliced fresh pineapple dipped in Thai coconut milk and then sprinkled (generously now) with cinnamon sugar. Unbelievable flavor and the smell is ridiculous...heavenly!

Grilled Peaches and Pork

I wasn't sure if I was going to like the grilled peaches but this combination is delicious. I marinated boneless American-cut pork chops in: balsamic vinegar, fresh lime juice, salt, and pepper for about an hour. While the chops were marinating I cut up several large peaches and drizzled some balsamic vinegar on the cut side. I grilled the peaches on a very hot grill, starting with the cut side down...at first I thought I ruined them because they were so blackened but after I took off the charred skins and the really charred edges....the peaches were actually cooked perfectly. It took a couple minutes on each side. When the chops were ready I first seared them using direct heat for a couple of minutes on each side and then finished them on the cooler side of the grill, covered with a vent half-way open. I cooked them for another five minutes using indirect heat.

When we ate the pork and the grilled peaches in the same bite it was outstanding. The peaches were caramelized but really juicy inside (kinda tasted like a really good apple sauce but peachy!) and the pork was crisp on the outside and so unbelievably juicy on the inside. This is def a do-again dinner. The pork chops were so inexpensive also, it only cost about $1 a chop at Jewel this week.

Enjoy the flavors!

Ravinia Picnic #2

I didn't have much time to cook and I just wanted a relaxing, delicious low-key picnic. My Caprese Skewers were perfect picnic food. It takes a little while to assemble but then the serving is so easy and as you can see they are bright, colorful and neat to eat. I started with a sweet grape tomato, then sweet purple basil from my garden (purple tastes the same as green but visually it is more interesting...ok maybe the purple tastes a little sweeter.) I truly believe we eat with all our senses so the purple may seem sweeter because visually purple looks sweeter than green. Anyway, I buy marinated mozzarella balls from Trader Joe's...so tasty and already perfectly seasoned! After the cheese I add a layer of sweet green Italian basil from my garden and another grape tomato. It's worth it to have a pot of basil in your garden or even on your windowsill vs. buying fresh basil from the store. It's cheaper, it's a natural mosquito repellant, it's a beautiful plant to look at and it smells divine.

To round out the picnic I bought some other quick and easy appetizers from Trader Joe's. I bought pita chips and a four-flavor pack of hummus (original, roasted red pepper, roasted garlic and herbs, and green onion and herbs) I also bought some mini-toasts, Turino x-tra thin bread sticks and assorted crackers to eat with goat-brie, morbier, and soft creamy goat cheese from France (found at Whole Foods). Some juicy crispy green and red grapes for a healthy and mouth-watering dessert. To drink we had Trader Joe's pink lemonade. (no I don't work for Trader Joe's but I should get some kind of kick-back from them for this post!)

Enjoy!

Grilled Baby Back Ribs (Rubbed, mopped, and sauced...Oh my!)

Yeah baby! Let me tell you about the best bbq ribs I have ever eaten. I usually braise my ribs on the stovetop for an hour and then grill them with the sauce for about 10 minutes on the gas grill. I've been wanting to try slow-cooking the ribs completely on a charcoal grill for a long time but I just didn't know how. I finally got a hold of a great recipe from a friend...I couldn't wait to experiment!

First I made my homemade bbq sauce (sorry it's a secret...in fact I might try to sell it). Homemade sauce is so good, so much healthier than bottled sauce which usually has a lot of high fructose corn syrup in them, and it really only takes about 15 minutes to whip up a batch.

I then made the "mop" sauce: butter, apple cider, soy sauce, and a splash of apple cider vinegar(or you could use Bourbon). The recipe said to remove the membrane from the underside of the ribs but when I went to do it I realized my butcher had already removed the membranes from all three slabs...so nice!

Next I rubbed both sides of the ribs with a mix of: sea salt, ground black peppercorns, brown sugar, sweet paprika, dry mustard, and celery seed. Then I wrapped the ribs in cling wrap and put it in the fridge while I got my grill ready.

I grilled the ribs using indirect heat, putting applewood chips on top of the charcoal. While the ribs cooked for an hour or so I would mop them every 15 minutes with the mop sauce on both sides. Finally, I put the bbq sauce on and grilled both sides over direct heat for another 10 minutes until the ribs were nicely carmelized.

These grilled ribs were absolutely delicious...heavenly! They were so finger-lickin', lip-smackin' good. I will never ever ever go back to making ribs on the stove-gas grill again!

Insalata Caprese and Greek Salad Skewers

My contribution to the Father's Day bbq last night was salad on a stick. I made two different types of skewers: greek salad and caprese salad.

For the greek salad I layered wooden skewers with a grape tomato, a cube of firm feta cheese, a pitted Kalamata olive, a thin layer of red onion, and finally another grape tomato. I made a vinagrette out of equal parts: freshly squeezed lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar and added a little sugar, salt, pepper, and fresh oregano from my garden. Just before serving the greek salad skewers I drizzled them with the greek vinagrette.

For the Caprese skewers I used grape tomatoes, marinated fresh mozzarella balls, fresh green and purple Italian basil from my garden, and another layer of tomato. Since the mozzarella was marinated they didn't really need any dressing so I just seasoned them with a little sea salt and some black pepper.

The skewers were a big hit at the party...even with the little kids who usually don't eat salad! They were also really elegant and appetizing with the bright colors and easy-to-eat portions...no utensils needed. I forgot to take pictures of this dish so I'm going to have to make them again sometime soon!

Buon appetito!

Yes Siam in Lakeview (lol)

Before a night at the theater I decided to check out a Thai restaurant in the hip Lakeview neighborhood. I decided to try Thai Bistro Sura (btw "Sura" means liquor in Thai...hmm) This place has daily drink specials (they seem to like Jack here) and a good wine list. The table next to us had their share of beer and sake! Their beer was presented in a cool, foot-long glass dispenser.

It was a beautiful sunny day today in the Chi so we decided to sit outside and check out all the activity on Broadway. The inside of the restaurant looked really funky and modern...very minimalist...lots of white with splashes of bright colors and trendy furniture with clean lines and funky shapes.

The service was excellent; our waitress was extremely friendly; quick, and helpful with my order. We started the meal with two appetizers: Heaven Beef and Lotus Special. The Heaven Beef (beef marinated in Thai whiskey, coriander, and Thai chili sauce) was tasty but a little chewy. The Lotus Special was excellent...lots of mango, fried vegetable and creamy cheese (not so much authentic Thai but it tasted good). Sura's menu was extensive and looked like they were trying to be creative with Thai fusion/tapas type dishes. I ordered the Tom Yum soup which I usually love for its fresh flavors. This one is actually made with coconut milk (so really it should really be called Tom Kha because of the coconut milk but they also had a Tom Kha soup on the menu that really sounded like Tom Yum...are you following me?) so I didn't love it but I did enjoy the large juicy blue-Prawns in the soup. The soup also had cherry tomatoes and enoki mushrooms. I thought the tomatoes in this Thai soup were strange and did not fit with the other flavors so much. For my entree I ordered the Basil Dish with Beef (beef stir-fried with basil, spinach, bell pepper, and toasted chili paste.) The dish was tasty and semi-spicy but I could hardly taste the basil because it was overwhelmed by the spinach. I also like my Thai food really spicy and none of these dishes were spicy enough. The rice was served in a cool pyramid shape with a sprinkle of black sesame seeds on the top, in a separate plate. The rice was delicious and all the food looked wonderful - good presentation.

I decided to rate the Thai Restaurants I review with baht (Thai currency) instead of stars. I need to figure out how to find the symbol for baht for my blog. :P

Thai Bistro Sura in Lakeview: 2 out of 4 baht

Mai Thai in Milwaukee: 3.5 out of 4 baht

Ruby of Siam in Evanston: 3 out of 4 baht

Siam Pasta in Evanston: 2 out of 4 baht

Sawadee ka!

Grilled T-Bone Steaks and Potatoes with Broccoli

Today I used the charcoal grill for the first time since Thanksgiving. As soon as I lit the charcoal briquettes in the chimney starter I was happy. The smell of the coals on fire was so much more interesting than the lit gas grill. I grilled some Idaho potatoes (first cooked in the microwave for 10 minutes, then rubbed in extra-virgin olive oil and sea salt) and red onions. After 10 minutes they were done and I put some Pane Turano bread on the grill for an appetizer. Finally, I put the t-bone steaks on the grill (I had marinated them for a few minutes in extra virgin olive oil, fresh rosemary from the garden, sea salt, and coarse black pepper. The steaks only took about 15 minues total. The flavor of the steaks was incredibly delicious!!!

Grilled Flatbread with Mascarpone, Gorgonzola, Carmelized Onions, and Red Grapes

It was a rainy day but that didn't stop me from trying new recipes on the grill. For an appetizer I made a sweet and savory grilled flatbread. This recipe is fast and delish...the only time consuming part is cutting each tiny red grape in half. You also need to carmelize three large red onions in olive oil and a little sugar for about 20 minutes on low-heat. Store-bought flatbreads of any kind can be lightly brushed with olive oil and thrown on a medium hot grill for a couple minutes on each side. After taking the flatbreads off the grill, while they are still warm, spread them with mascarpone cheese (a soft, creamy Italian cheese), crumble the gorgonzola on top, spread the carmelized onions over it and sprinkle with halved-crispy red grapes. The contrast of the textures of the chewy bread, creamy cheeses, soft onions, and cold-crisp juicy grapes is so yummy.

Buon appetito!

Ravinia Festival Picnic

Last night I went to Ravinia to see Steve Martin play banjo with the Steep Canyon Rangers. Steve Martin wrote all the music himself - creative, interesting melodies and crisp, clean banjo playing. Of course he couldn't help also telling jokes in between songs. His voice is strong and confident in his joke-telling and his singing. He is still hilarious as ever...ending the concert with "King Tut."

I love to plan menus for picnics and entertaining but sometimes life gets in the way and there is no time for that luxury. We had a graduation party yesterday afternoon so we didn't have much time to plan. I packed some French Lemonade and flavored ice teas(Republic of Tea Pomegranate and Acai green teas - yum). At the last minute we bought Italian pastries: Lobster Tails (custard and whip-cream filled layered-paperthin-buttery pastry) and giant Cannoli (made with fresh ricotta cheese, sugar, citron, chocolate chips, candied orange peel and vanilla) from Maria's Bakery in Highwood, IL. We didn't have time to cook the entree so we just picked up some good ol' KFC (orignal recipe and crispy) chicken pieces and headed to the festival. It might be cheating but fried chicken always makes good picnic food-it was still good after an hour in the car and a 15-minute walk from our parking space. The chicken was finger-licking good and the sparkling french lemonade (original and pink) paired really well. The lemonad cut through the greasiness of the chicken. The desserts were absolutely decadent and heavenly. Not the healthiest picnic but everyone was happy, stomachs were content, and the night was beautiful.

BBQ Baby Back Ribs - Grilled Asparagus and Red Onion

I just finished grilling awesome baby back ribs that I braised first in water, salt, pepper, fresh rosemary, oregano and thyme (all from my garden), dried bay leaves, fresh garlic cloves and red onion slices. The ribs were braised for one hour and then grilled for 10 minutes with a baste of my homemade Asian-barbeque sauce. Delish! I also grilled some fresh asparagus and red onion in extra-virgin olive oil and sea salt....yum!!!

Buon appetito!

Summer Grilling

I love grilling in the summer in Chicago! I would love hints or comments about summer bbq or grilling. Enjoy!

Passion for Thai Food

Hi all,

This is the beginning of my blog expressing my passion for food-both creation and ingestion-starting with a passion for Thai food. I was born in Bangkok, Thailand. My mom is 100% Thai and my dad is 100% Italian. I have always been in love with Italian food but recently have renewed my interest in Thai food and culture.

I have recently been to three Thai restaurants. The first two restaurants are in Evanston, Illinois. Siam Pasta and Ruby of Siam. I enjoyed Ruby of Siam's Som Tum (Papaya salad) and grilled chicken. Siam Pasta has a wonderful outdoor patio on the second floor underneath a Thai pagoda.

The third place is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and it is outstanding. It is called Mai Thai and it is located on the hip boutique-lined Brady Street. Their website is maithaimilwaukee.com. We had the lunch special (one appetizer, one soup, one entree all for $8.95); the service was excellent and the atmosphere was outstanding. The walls are a beautiful Gulf of Siam-turquoise blue and there are beautiful wood benches with silk pillows everywhere. Sheer white curtains divide the tables for privacy and add more sensuality. Gorgeous photographs of Thailand, especially on the water are framed in vibrant red- a great contrast to the tropical blue walls. Our waiter was very attentive - challenging us with the spiciness of our dishes (assuming we couldn't take the heat but he was so wrong!) I had a good hot Thai tea for a drink, then a delicious Tom Yum soup full of lemongrass and lime juice and pepper goodness. I chose the Thai Summer Roll appetizer - it was very crispy flavorful. My entree was an extraordinary Spicy Basil Beef Stir Fry...I asked for a 4 out of 4 spiciness and they prepared it perfectly....there were so many layers of flavor going on in this dish: spicy, savory, sweet, salty ....delish! I would highly recommend this Thai restaurant.

Enjoy your cooking, eating, and thoughts of food!

Tina