Snappy Beef!

    

And much like a Ginger Snap, this next dish has just a little bit of a delicious bite!  Ali Rosen, who wrote the new cookbook Bring It, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her scrumptious Ginger Beef recipe. Ali told Tonia the dish is all about the sauce, and it's a simple sauce to make!  Ali says there's ginger, scallions, soy sauce and balsamic vinegar combined with a seared steak. And that's really all there is to it.  Ali added when people taste it, it'll seem like you spent a lot more time on this than you actually did!  But it's okay for them to think that :)

30 Minutes
1 Day Ahead
Fridge to Table

Makes 4 to 8 servings

• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh ginger
• 2 cups finely chopped scallions
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Dash of salt
• 4 pounds sirloin steak
• 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil

Make the sauce: Combine the ginger, scallions, soy sauce, vinegar, and olive oil. Set it aside. (I think the sauce gets better the longer it sits, but at least let it sit while you cook the steak so it has time to settle together.)

Then make the steaks: Generously salt the steaks on both sides. Place a cast-iron or nonstick pan on very high heat and add the oil (only use half if you are making the steaks in two batches to keep from crowding the pan). Let the oil get hot and cook each steak for 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the size of your steaks and the desired level of doneness. You will want to flip each steak every 30 seconds or so to ensure that it cooks evenly

Remove the steaks and let them rest for at least 5 minutes. Slice off the fat and cut the steaks lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Add the sauce on top and serve.

How to Bring It

This dish is great hot or cold. If you are serving it cold, you can keep both the sauce and the cooked meat in the fridge for a day before serving (the sauce can keep for 3 days). If you are going to refrigerate the meat for later, don’t slice it after cooking: Wait until you are about to serve it so the moisture in the meat stays intact. If you want to serve the meat hot, undercook it a bit when making it and then reheat it from room temperature in an oven at 350 degrees F for a few minutes to get it up to temperature. You can microwave the sauce to get it hot if you like.

Those Small Moments...

...can really help make your holiday table bright. Jessie-Sierra Ross, who wrote the new cookbook Seasons Around the Table, came by Tonia's Kitchen with some ideas about how your holiday table can really stand out! Jessie told Tonia that she wants you in with your guests, instead of stuck to your stove. She adds that perfection at the table doesn't really matter, it's how you try to give everything a slight distinction. Case in point, the chinaware. Jessie says it doesn't have to be completely matched, mix some of your grandmother's set in with more modern plates. Have fun, and remember, it's all about the memories you make

From All of Us at Tonia's Kitchen Happy Thanksgiving!

A Taste of Tradition This Passover

  

This week begins the annual celebration of Passover. And in celebration of the traditional meal, or Seder, Tonia's Kitchen chatted with author Judy Bart Kancigor.  Judy wrote the book Cooking Jewish, and told Tonia about her Yemenite Haroset Truffles.  Haroset, is a ceremonial food eaten during the Seder, and it represents the labor and hardships endured by the Jewish people at the hands of a cruel ancient Egyptian Pharoah. 

To make the truffles, Judy takes dried fruit; things like figs, raisins and apricots.  She then forms the fruit into little balls using orange liqueur, and rolls it in dried almonds.  It makes for a very special holiday treat that doesn't have to be served only at Passover.

















Yemenite Haroset Truffles
Makes 16 to 20

  FOR THE TRUFFLES
⅓ cup (2 ounces) pitted dates
⅓ cup (2 ounces) dried figs
⅓ cup (2 ounces) raisins
⅓ cup (2 ounces) dried apricots
2½ tablespoons honey
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
¾ cup toasted coarsely chopped pecans
¾ cup slivered almonds, toasted
1½ tablespoons orange liqueur

FOR THE COATING
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted and finely ground
1. Combine the dried fruit, honey, and spices in a food processor and
pulse until smooth. Add the pecans, slivered almonds, and orange
liqueur, and process until just combined.
2. Form the mixture into balls 1 to 1½ inches in diameter. Roll them in
the ground almonds, and place them in individual fluted foil or paper
candy cups. Refrigerate, covered, until firm, at least 3 hours. These
will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.