Monday, August 3, 2009

Monday Menu: Grilled & Steamed Veggies, Beef Rib-eye

Steamed peas and carrots, grilled rib-eye, garlic scapes, spring onions, peppers, baby zucchini, and one very small eggplant over white sushi rice.

Take two handfuls of snap peas and a bunch of baby carrots from farmer's market, washed.

Lightly coated in olive oil and salt, and wrap in aluminum foil so they will steam. These will go on the grill for 40 minutes, 20 minutes each side, on a medium grill (cover down).

Steaming veggies in foil is called "camp style" around the household.

Scapes, baby zucchini, spring onions, baby peppers, all the soft-bodied delicate veggies. These will be cooked quickly direct on the grill, after cutting the zukes and eggplant in half the long way.

They were lightly coated in olive oil and salt; on to a medium grill.

It's raining.

There's the carrot/pea foil packet. After the first 5 minutes, I turned it around since I know my grill is hotter toward the front.

I cooked the direct veggies for 3-4 minutes, cover down - and I can hear a sizzle from the foil packet, so all is going according to plan.

Flipped and turned; wilted and charred items are moved to cooler spots on the grill, lesser done and thicker veggies moved to the front where it is hotter. This took an additional 5 minutes with the cover up.

Now that they are done and off the grill, I cranked the left burners up to "high" for the steaks, leaving the foil packet where it is until the meat is done.

Our own well-marbled rib-eyes, 3/4 inch thick (1.7 lbs.) ; coated in olive oil, salt, and pepper.

I kept them on for 7 minutes per side (instead of the usual 5 minutes) because they were still cold from the refrigerator.

I pulled them off the fire, put them under foil and a heavy towel on the counter for 15 minutes for a rare result. The veggie packet was brought inside, also.

It's another jumble on a plate.

I really like both styles of veggies (steamed, charred), and it's easy to do a simple grilled meat without all the fussiness of rubs, marinades, and pastes. (Though, a dish that is hotter and spicier is more to my liking; the carrots and peas were very sweet.) The 2 steaks will serve 2 * sliced over copious amounts of veggies and rice; the large amount of veggies I cooked is meant for Thai wraps or more rice bowls during the week.

*Since I don't consume very much meat; the following morning Dan ate all the leftover steak, cold, for breakfast.