Steak + Gobs of Salt = Good Steak?

This just seems totally weird - but (like putting vodka in pie crust) something I totally need to try.

Steak Recipe: Massively salt your steaks 15 min – 1 hour before grilling.

Notice that I didn’t say, “sprinkle liberally” or even “season generously.” I’m talking about literally coating your meat until you can’t see red. It should resemble a salt lick.

Read the whole thing at Steamy Kitchen. Freaky.

Still, wouldn't hurt to try. I mean, it says start with cheap steak, right?

(H/t Good blog)

Emergency Pasta

The other day I did something I haven't done in about two months.

I cooked dinner in the kitchen:

The kitchen... she is done!!    Ahhhhhhhh...

Wasn't even much of a meal - but weeks of deprivation made it taste a lot better. E and the boy were the first ones to use the kitchen for real. They made pumpkin muffins, something the boy has been jonesing for for awhile.

They were pretty solid, too. Our new oven is a double oven - so you can just heat up this small oven to bake things. Seems to heat up faster. Slick.

For the first dinner, I went with what's at hand. I call this recipie Emergency Pasta, because the ingredients last damn near forever - so you can always have it ready to go in case, well - in case you need dinner in a hurry.

It's also a rolling recipie - meaning very little needs to be prepared en masse. Most stuff goes in in a series. So you put something in the pan and while it's cooking - you prep the next ingredient.

Emergency Pasta - Puttanesca

2 tablespoons of olive oil (I just pour until I coat the bottom of the pan)

2 oz anchovies, chopped (You can skip chopping these, they will just take a bit longer to dissolve in the oil)

2-3 garlic cloves, chopped

28 oz can of imported tomatoes. (There may be a good domestic brand, but I'm not willing to spend the money to find it. Buy Italian)

Splash of dry red wine

6 black olives, pitted and sliced

6 Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

1 lb pasta (spaghetti, spaghetti rigatti, or linguine)

1-2 tablespoons of capers

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese

1. Pour the olive oil into a saucepan on medium heat
2. Dump the anchovy oil into the pan and then chop up the anchovies and put them in as well.
3. After the anchovies have dissolved into the oil, add the garlic and be ready to add the tomatoes after 30 seconds.
4. Add the tomatoes, wine and let the pan simmer for at least 20 minutes (until the sauce reduces and thickens)
5. Salt and pepper the tomatoes (go easy on the salt, you put in some anchovies - remember?)
6. Chop the olives, measure out the capers and oregano and put them in a cup
7. Start the pasta water
8. Salt the water
9. About the time the pasta water's rolling, the sauce should be reducing nicely.
10. Boil the pasta, add the olives, capers and oregano to the saucepan
11. Grate the cheese
12. When the noodles are done, turn the sauce off.
13. Drain the pasta
14. Combine the pasta & sauce, mix well
15. Dump the Parmesan over the top 
16. Eat

No bells, no whistles - just a nice easy meal.

Ahhhhhh.

Late edit: I added garlic to the recipe. One of those things you throw in without thinking, but should probably write down.