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Steak with Pink Peppercorn Sauce

7 · · 35 Comments

Like many couples starting out, Dave and I felt a lot of pressure to go out and get a fancy meal on our first Valentine’s Day. We had a multi-course set meal at a nice place, but honestly, it disappointed. Since then we’ve often opted to stay at home and cook something special together. We really love steak but don’t have it very often so this kind of occasion is perfect to indulge and buy the nicest steak we can.

This time I’ve made it with a really rich, pink peppercorn cream sauce. It isn’t too complicated to throw together and has only a handful of ingredients. The bright peppery flavor and color of the pink peppercorns make it a little different and special, and the cream makes it nice and rich.  You see it served here with a light salad but you could easily up the ante with some creamy mashed potatoes or a butternut squash gratin. This meal will never disappoint and it will be a small fraction of the cost of a restaurant meal.

This post is part of the Second Annual Good Cookies Food Bloggers’ Valentine’s Event. We are raising money to benefit Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, an organization that raises money for childhood cancer research. We have all donated to this great cause, and we are asking you to do the same to help make a difference in the fight against pediatric cancer.

Cancer is the #1 cause of death of children by disease in the U.S. Currently, there are 40,000 U.S. children actively battling cancer. With less than 4% of the National Cancer Institute’s budget going to all childhood cancer combined, it’s important for all of us to get involved.

Help us make a difference by donating to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer! Our goal was to raise at least $3000. Thanks to blogger participation, we have reached that goal with these three companies matching our donations up to $3000: Dixie Crystals, Mediavine and OXO. However, we can still raise more for this great cause, with 100% going straight to this great organization.

Donate here.

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Steak with Pink Peppercorn Sauce
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Servings: 2
Ingredients
Steak
  • 1 NY strip steak at least 1 inch thick, 12-16 ounces
  • kosher salt
Pink Peppercorn Sauce
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp shallot, minced
  • 1/4 cup brandy or cognac
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp pink peppercorns, lightly crushed
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Pat the steak dry and salt heavily with kosher salt.

  2. Place the steak in the skillet and sear for about a minute. Flip once the steak easily releases from the skillet and sear on the other side for about one minute. Cook for about six minutes, flipping every minute or so until the steak is cooked to your liking (medium-rare is about 125-130 degrees).

  3. Set the steak in a oven proof dish in the oven. Pour off any excess fat from the skillet and lower the heat to medium. Add the butter and cook the shallots a few minutes until soft and golden.

  4. Add the brandy (or cognac) off the heat to deglaze the pan, scraping up the brown bits. Cook until it just glazes the pan. Add the cream, peppercorns, and salt. Reduce by half.

  5. Add any juices that have accumulated from the steak to the sauce. Slice the steak and top with sauce.

Recipe Notes
  • I recommend searing the steak in a cast iron skillet (affiliate link).
  • If you get nervous about cooking your steak to the right temperature, I recommend a digital meat thermometer (affiliate link). 
  • You can find pink peppercorns at most fine grocery stores or online (affiliate link).

 

For all the other wonderful recipes for this event:

Yellow Heart-Shaped Rainbow Funfetti Cookies from Julie of The Little Kitchen
Peanut Butter Cookie Cake from Julie of Julie Blanner
Cherry Coconut Macaroons from Miranda of Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt
Brownie Cookies from Mel of Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
No-Bake Chocolate Candy Cookies from Debi of Life Currents
Double Dark Chocolate Chery Black Forest Cookies from Jamie of Southern Revivals
White Chocolate Valentine Madeleine Cookies from Marlynn of Urban Bliss Life
Pillowy Soft Sugar Cookies from Stephie of Stephie Cooks
Creamy Beet Risotto from Rachel of Copper & Verdigris
Valentine’s Day Chocolate Sugar Cookies from Denise of Chez Us
Red Velvet Donuts from Gwynn of Swirls of Flavor
S’mores Brown Butter Panbanging Cookies from Marybeth of babysavers
Gluten-Free Chocolate Kiss Cookies from Audrey of Mama Knows Gluten Free
Gluten-Free Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies from Brianna of Flippin’ Delicious
Rose Meringue Cookies from Kirsten of Comfortably Domestic
Raspberry Chipotle Chicken Curry from Shashi of Savory Spin
Double Chocolate Meringue Cookies from Dee of Meatloaf and Melodrama
White Chocolate Raspberry Smoothie from Sarah of Sarah Cooks the Books
Cream Wafer Cookies from Kelly of Live Laugh Rowe
White Chocolate and Raspberry Cookies from Wanda of My Sweet Zepol
Raspberry Fudge Cookies from Jessica of A Kitchen Addiction
Raspberry Cookies from Courtney of Know Your Produce
Syltkakor Raspberry Jam Cookies from Megan of Stetted
No-Bake Chocolate Tart from Rachel of Rachel Cooks
Heart-Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookies from Angela of About a Mom
Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies from Lisa of TasteCookSip
Chai Latte Shortbread Hearts from Sue of It’s Okay to Eat the Cupcake
Soft and Sweet Sugar Cookie Bars from Carlee of Cooking With Carlee
Strawberry and Cream Cookies from Ashley of A Cup of Charming
Cherry Cream Cheese Cookies from Lisa of Blogghetti
Galete Waffle Cookies from Shaina of Food for My Family
Almond Shortbread Cookies from Denise of addicted 2 recipes
Easy Strawberry Fudge from Chrysa of Thrifty Jinxy
Valentine’s Day Mug Hug Cookies from Aimee of Southern From Scratch
Doughnut Sandwich Cookies from Bree of Baked Bree
Chocolate Nutella Cookies from Melissa of Modern Honey
Easy Crinkle Cookies from Amy of The Nifty Foodie
Chocolate Sugar Cookies from Becca of The Salted Cookie
Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies from Sara of Confectionary Tales
Meringue Cookies from Sara of My Imperfect Kitchen
Rose White Hot Chocolate from Susannah of Feast + West
Gluten Free Lavendar Shortbread Cookies from Carolann of Apron Warrior
Fruit Filled Chocolate Waffle Cones from Nicole of For the Love of Food
Chocolate and Vanilla Sweetheart Cookies from Sheila of Life, Love, and Good Food
Raspberry Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies from Nancy of The Bitter Side of Sweet
Chai Spiced Snickerdoodle Cookies from Ashley of Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen
Heart Happy Valentine Cookie Chocolate Cheesecake from TammyJo of The Chocolate Cult
Persian rice cookies from Caroline of Caroline’s Cooking
Chocolate Dipped Espresso Shortbread Cookies from Julianne of Beyond Frosting
Fudgy Chocolate Sixlets Cookies from Barbara of Barbara Bakes
Bake Chocolate Donuts with Cherry Glaze from Deb of Taste & Tell

 

Pomelo and Shrimp Salad

4 · · 5 Comments

After my wedding last month we went on a three week honeymoon to Vietnam and Hong Kong. It was the longest trip I’d ever been on besides long stays in Korea to visit family as a kid. Luckily we passed our first marital test with flying colors! We decided to start our trip on the island of Phu Quoc so that we could stay at a resort and relax for a few days to recover from wedding madness and the extensive traveling we had to do to get to Asia (14 hours to Seoul and then 5.5 hours to Ho Chi Minh City then an hour to Phu Quoc Island). It was there that I was first introduced to pomelo and shrimp salad.

The island is off the southern coast of Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand and is famous for its black pepper and fish sauce. The resort we stayed at offered a cooking class and we decided to take it to learn how to make a few Vietnamese dishes. We started our day at the local market with Chef Hung and he showed us the abundant seafood caught here and the produce the farmers grow on the island. We returned to the resort with freshly caught scallops and ripe fruit.

We must have cooked at least six different dishes but my favorites were this pomelo salad and the scallops Chef Hung grilled for us over a wood charcoal fire. I couldn’t stop eating this salad-I found it to be so bright, fresh, and interesting. Pomelo is a citrus fruit that is somewhat similar to grapefruit but I find it to be less bitter. It’s pepperiness balances the sweetness of the shrimp and the fish sauce dressing seasons the two main components perfectly. Crispy fried shallots and toasted sesame seeds add texture to the salad and the herbs make it fragrant and fresh. It was difficult to get off the long flight home from such a beautiful and temperate place and step into the middle of the “bomb cyclone” in NYC, but I’m immediately taken back to the beautiful country of Vietnam whenever I eat this salad.

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Shrimp and Pomelo Salad
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
Total Time
32 mins
 
Course: dinner, Salad, Side Dish
Servings: 2
Ingredients
  • 1 pomelo
  • 8 oz shrimp (I cooked them in the shell then peeled and deveined them. If it's easier you can buy them already prepared.)
  • 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
  • 3 tbsp neutral cooking oil
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Dressing
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp hot water
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 chili, minced (You can use a Thai chili or half a serrano chili)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
Instructions

  1. Bring a small saucepan filled 2/3 of the way with water to boil. Prepare a large bowl with ice water. Once the water comes to a rolling boil, drop the shrimp in and cook them for a minute or so, until they turn pink and opaque and curl. Strain them and immediately put them in the ice water. When completely cooled, peel and devein (if not already prepared), and cut into bite sized pieces.

  2. Heat the oil in a small frying pan to medium-low. Press the sliced shallots with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. When the oil is hot drop in the slices of shallots making sure to spread them out. Stir occasionally and cook until golden brown (it will take about 10 minutes). Drain on paper towels and allow to cool to crisp up.

  3. Meanwhile, prepare the pomelo by using a large knife and cutting off both ends (the rind will be quite thick), then cut off the sides. Break the pomelo in half with your hands and take out the segments from the membrane over a bowl. They should easily peel off but you can also use a small paring knife. Break up the segments into bite sized pieces.

  4. Mix together the dressing ingredients. Add the dressing, shrimp, half the shallots, half the sesame seeds, and half the mint and cilantro to the bowl with the pomelo pieces. Mix together and plate it on a serving platter, then top with the remaining shallots, sesame seeds, and herbs.

Recipe Notes
  • I really like Red Boat fish sauce (affiliate link).
  • You can find pomelos in the citrus section of your grocery store. I saw them at Trader Joe's. You will probably also find them at an Asian market. A ripe pomelo feels heavy for its size and will have a grassy, floral scent.

Korean Braised Short Ribs

6 · · 3 Comments

This post is sponsored by Sonoma-Cutrer. A big thank you to the sponsors who make this site possible!

This year’s holiday countdown has overlapped with the countdown to my wedding in early December. It’s a little over thirty days away and I can’t believe it’s already here, much like how I feel at the end of every year when it’s almost time to celebrate Thanksgiving!

Korean braised short ribs (or galbi jjim) are what I think of when I think of cozy, cold weather dishes for celebrations. This is not an everyday dish but something you serve during the holidays or a special occasion like lunar new year, Chuseok, or a birthday.

And speaking of special occasions, a version of this dish was actually served at my parents’ wedding in Korea. My aunt cooked it for the reception for everyone to enjoy and my dad still says it was the best galbi jjim he ever had.

When I have gatherings at my home, I like to offer both red and white wine so that people can drink whatever they prefer. These short ribs are delicious with Sonoma-Cutrer’s 2015 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and their 2014 Les Pierres Chardonnay. The pinot noir’s bright, velvety finish and aromas of cranberry, red cherry, and plum pair perfectly with the richness of the ribs. The chardonnay’s bright citrus aromas and flavors cut through the richness of the beef and the hints of roasted nuts, spice, and mineral notes complement it perfectly. Both of these wines were easy to order off of Sonoma-Cutrer’s website.

These beef short ribs simmer in a salty sweet mixture, mirin, sugar, garlic, ginger, onion, and apple for a few hours until tender and richly flavored. Carrots, daikon, and mushrooms are added for the last thirty minutes and the stew is ready when the vegetables are tender.

I recommend cooking the ribs a day or two before serving- braised dishes always seem better the next day. It also gives you a chance to defat the sauce by letting it cool completely and simply scooping the fat off the top. I don’t mind fat in sauces but in this case the ribs are super rich and make the sauce a bit too greasy if you don’t remove the fat.

 

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Korean Braised Short Ribs
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Total Time
3 hrs
 
This dish is best made a day or two before it is served. The flavors deepen and it also gives you a chance to easily remove the fat by letting it solidify on top. Simply scoop off the fat and reheat slowly over low heat.
Servings: 4
Author: Sonja Bradfield
Ingredients
  • 3 pounds of short ribs
  • 3/4 cup of soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup mirin
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 small onion chopped into big pieces
  • 1 small apple peeled and chopped
  • 10 cloves of garlic peeled
  • 3 inch piece of ginger peeled
  • 1 large carrot peeled and cut into 2 inch large chunks
  • 2 cups of daikon radish cut into 2 inch large chunks
  • 8 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms stems removed and halved if large
Instructions
  1. Soak ribs in cold water for about 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
  2. Meanwhile, take the rest of the ingredients and blend it in a blender or food processor until smooth.
  3. Put the mixture in a large dutch oven, add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil.
  4. Add the ribs and lower to a simmer and cover with a lid for at least two hours until the ribs are tender.
  5. Add carrots, daikon, and mushrooms and simmer for another 30 minutes.
  6. Skim the fat off the top, or use a fat separator for the sauce. You can also cool and store in the fridge overnight and remove the fat off the top. Reheat over low heat.
  7. Serve with steamed white rice and kimchi.

 


Pumpkin Risotto with Sage Brown Butter

8 · · 5 Comments

This post is part of the #VirtualPumpkinParty hosted by Sara of Cake Over Steak. Check out all the amazing recipes that are part of this party!

It’s hard to believe it is nearly the end of October already. It has felt like this whole year has been a nonstop blur ever since we found out that we would have to move to New York City. Back in May, Dave was offered a job and we had to scramble to find an apartment in Brooklyn (no small feat), take a planned vacation, and move all within a three week timespan. Suddenly, our wedding planning went on the back burner and we were trying to settle into a very different life than the one we previously had.

Once the wedding nightmares started in August (showing up to the ceremony with no flowers, a dress that hadn’t been fitted properly, and no music), I realized that we had to focus on finishing up planning our wedding down in Virginia, and things kicked into full gear. Now we are less than 50(!) days away, and I can hardly believe everything we’ve done and still have to do. The things we are focusing on now are fun things though, namely planning our honeymoon to Vietnam and Hong Kong. We’ve traveled a lot but never to Asia together. It’ll also be our first trip that has lasted more than a week- a true and immediate test of our new marriage! 😛

And of course, as with every October, we must celebrate all things fall and pumpkin. This year I’ve contributed a pumpkin risotto with sage brown butter to the Virtual Pumpkin Party. Roasted pumpkin purée has been added to the risotto, and it’s served with cubes of roasted, caramelized pumpkin, and nutty, sage brown butter.

Make sure to check out all the other delicious pumpkin recipes today!

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Pumpkin Risotto with Sage Brown Butter
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 
Servings: 4
Author: Sonja Bradfield
Ingredients
  • 1 small sugar pumpkin about 2.5-3 pounds
  • 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons of olive oil
  • 1 1/4 cup of arborio rice
  • 1/4 cup of dry white wine
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic minced
  • 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
  • 12 fresh sage leaves
  • salt
  • grated parmesan cheese to serve
Instructions
  1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the chicken broth into a small saucepan and set it over low heat.
  2. Chop off the stem of the pumpkin and cut it in half vertically to scoop the seeds out. Take one half of the pumpkin and slice it horizontally, the cut off the orange peel carefully with your knife. Chop the pumpkin flesh into 1/2 inch cubes.
  3. Rub the whole half of the pumpkin with a teaspoon of olive oil and sprinkle a pinch of salt. Toss the cubes of pumpkin with the other teaspoon of oil, salt, and four sage leaves. Cook for about 30 minutes, tossing the cubes after about 15 minutes. Cook until the whole half of the pumpkin is tender enough for a fork to go through it (remove the cubed pumpkin if it finishes before the other half).
  4. When pumpkin is finished roasting, scoop out the flesh from the whole half of the pumpkin and mash or puree until smooth.
  5. While the pumpkin roasts, heat the olive oil over medium low heat in a medium sized saucepan or dutch oven and cook the onion for a few minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the rice and stir until evenly coated with oil. Let it toast for about two minutes.
  6. Add the wine and let it cook until it is mostly evaporated. Add a ladle full of broth to the rice.
  7. Stir frequently, until the broth has been completely absorbed and add another ladle full of broth. Repeat with adding the broth until the rice is cooked (either al dente or a little softer, to your taste). Add about a half teaspoon of salt and stir. Taste to check the seasoning and add more salt if needed. Add a cup of pumpkin mash to the finished risotto.
  8. Melt the butter in a small saucepan with the sage leaves over low heat watching it carefully so it doesn't burn. The foam should subside and the butter should smell nutty and turn a rich, toasted color. Remove the sage leaves.
  9. Serve risotto with cubed, roasted pumpkin cubes, sage brown butter and grated parmesan cheese.

 

Spicy Grilled Shrimp

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I recently moved to New York City. It was a sudden and unexpected move but a very exciting one. I feel very fortunate that we found a great apartment in a neighborhood we love. I’d have to say my favorite thing about my apartment is its patio out back. It’s big enough to grow a modest garden in containers, to have a table and chairs, an area with a little sectional, and a grill. My summer cooking centers around the grill, especially when it’s too hot to turn on the oven.

Our favorite thing to do for dinner after a long day of work is to quickly throw something on the grill. This is an easy shrimp recipe made spicy by a seemingly small half teaspoon of fiery cayenne pepper and flavored with bright lemon zest and juice and minced garlic. I like to let the shrimp marinate for a half hour, skewer and salt them, and throw them on the grill for a few minutes on each side until pink and a little bit charred. For a completely grilled meal serve this with grilled summer vegetables like tomatoes and zucchini (olive oil, salt and pepper, and any herbs you have on hand). These spicy shrimp pair really well with a wine like Cavit Moscato. Its refreshing sweetness pairs well with shrimp and plays off the spiciness of the cayenne. It’s a perfect way to wind down after a long day of work and commuting in the summer heat.

A big thanks to Cavit Wines for sponsoring this post!

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Spicy Grilled Shrimp
Prep Time
35 mins
Cook Time
6 mins
Total Time
41 mins
 
You will need about 6-8 skewers for this recipe if you use two skewers through each shrimp. Using two skewers make it easier to flip on the grill.
Servings: 4
Author: Sonja Bradfield
Ingredients
  • 1 pound of shrimp shelled and deveined
  • 3 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon of paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • juice of half a lemon
  • salt
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl mix all the ingredients except the salt. Let the shrimp marinate in the fridge for about half an hour.
  2. When the shrimp is ready, turn on the grill to high and let it preheat.
  3. Thread the shrimp onto skewers and season them with salt on both sides.
  4. Grill about 3 minutes per side until pink and opaque.