NY Strip with Madeira

1 t sea salt
1 t fresh ground black pepper
1/2 t ground allspice
3 1/2 lb New York strip
1 tb canola oil
2 med shallots
2/3 c high-quality Madeira
2 c chicken broth
1/4 c unsalted butter

Cut butter into 1/2” cubes & freeze.
Trim NY strip. Mince shallots.
Mix salt, pepper & allspice in bowl.
Sprinkle over meat and let stand 1hr.
Preheat oven to 375.
Heat oil in lg ovenproof skillet on med-
high. Add meat to skillet. Cook 3-4m.
Turn & then transfer skillet to oven.
Roast until instant-read thermometer says
130. Transfer to platter & let rest.
Pour off all but 2 tb drippings & heat on
med-high. Add shallots & saute 3m.
Add Madeira; boil until reduced by 1/3.
Add juices from meat to skillet & boil
1m longer. Turn off heat & add frozen
butter. Swirl skillet until blended, then
season w/salt & pepper.
Yield: 8

Fried Halibut with Remoulade

I know that some claim that halibut is the most endangered Atlantic fish. I'm just not sure.

1/4 c flour
1/4 c panko
1 lg egg white
12 oz skinless halibut fillets
1/4 t salt
1/4 t garlic powder
1 tb canola oil
2 lemon wedges

Put flour and panko in 2 shallow bowls.
Put egg white in 3rd bowl.
Sprinkle fish evenly w/salt & pepper.
Dredge fillets in flour, then egg white,
then press panko in. Set aside.
Heat lg skillet over med-high. Add oil
and then fish; reduce heat to med.
Cook 4m each side or until browned.
Serve with Remoulade, below.

Remoulade Sauce
1 tb fresh parsley
2 tb mayonnaise
1 t capers
1 t Dijon whole-grain mustard
1/2 t garlic
1/2 t lemon juice

Chop parsley & capers. Mince garlic.
Combine all ingredients well.

Yield: 2

Chimichurri Steak

a lot like I order at the Border Cafe:

2/3 c fresh parsley
2 tb scallions
2 tb water
1 tb prepared horseradish
1 tb red wine vinegar
2 t olive oil
1/8 t salt
1 garlic clove
1 lb flank steak
1 t cumin
1 t salt
1/4 t black pepper

Combine first 8 ingredients (only ½ the
olive oil) in food processor until smooth.
Rub steak with cumin, salt & pepper.
Heat olive oil over med-high in large
skillet. Add steak and cook 3m on
each side.
Remove from pan, let stand 5m.
Cut diagonally across grain and serve
with chimichurri.
Yield: 3

Dark Chocolate "Flourless" Cake

Only 3 tbs of flour!

1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter
7 oz dark chocolate
2/3 c brown sugar-Splenda blend
5 lg eggs, cold
3 tb flour
1/4 t salt

Preheat oven to 400. Chop chocolate.
Generously butter 9” cake pan & dust
w/flour.
Melt butter & chocolate in heavy pan
over very low heat.
Remove from heat & whisk in sugar &
eggs, 1 by 1. Stir vigorously 2-3x,
then gently whisk in flour & salt.
Pour batter into pan & rap 1x against
counter.
Bake 20m or until knife in center comes
out clean.
Cool 10m, then unmold.
Yield: 10

Creme Caramel Bread Pudding

1 1/4 c dark brown sugar
4 1/2 c cubes crustless egg bread
7 lg eggs
2 c whipping cream
1 c whole milk
2 tb sugar
2 t vanilla
1/4 t whole nutmeg
1/4 salt

Grate nutmeg. Cube challah or brioche.
Spread brown sugar evenly in bottom of
8x8x2 baking dish. Sprinkle cubes over
top.
Combine eggs, cream, milk, sugar, va-
nilla, nutmeg & salt in lg bowl. Whisk.
Pour through sieve over bread.
Let stand 30m, pressing bread down
at intervals.
Preheat to 350 w/rack in center of oven.
Put baking dish in roasting pan. Pour
lukewarm water to 1/2way up sides.
Bake about 75m, till knife in center
comes out clean. Cool 20m.
Serve pudding still warm.
Yield: 8

Dinghy

We go to the Rocky Neck beach, from which we launch our dinghy, every so often to make sure that the dinghy is present, unharmed, etc. On its back we installed wheels, which make moving it up and down the beach SOO much easier; thus we don't want it to disappear on us.

One of the recent times that we visited, Vic said, "We really should paint it." Now I grant you, it certainly looks like it's been put to hard use, but I like that about it. I said, "No."

I guess I should have thought twice. Vic went today, and some idiot had spray-painted his name on OUR dinghy! If it had been in our yard for a paint job, well...

We haven't sailed in a few years now, but that's due to a host of factors including the theft of a motor (right off our sailboat, on its mooring), our decision to trade boats, and so on. However, I don't care if we haven't used it in three months, two years, or TEN years -- YOU do not get to CLAIM it, "Dom Nesta"!

Vic packed it into his van and brought it home. The NERVE of some people!

Shipwreck!

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2010/07/passenger_vesse.html