Sunday Dinner: First Sunday in May!

Many of you may have seen my menu even before I started cooking (yes, thanks to Facebook). Well, if you’re looking for a good May menu, I highly recommend it! For those who didn’t see it—here it is,  with a few additions...

Quickly-plated Steak w/salsita, Pasta with Pistachio Pesto, and Salad 

Mango Sangría

Appetizers:

Brazilian Cheese Puffs

Mango and Cucumber Salsa with Homemade Chips

Crisp Toasts with Roasted Red pepper and Eggplant Spread

Dinner:

Caitlin and Keiko--at the Table! 

Leafy Green Salad with Mango Vinaigrette

Pasta (cellentani) with Pistachio Pesto

Anticuchos Peruanos (actually I didn’t do the usual kabob-thing; I used skirt steak, marinated it in ají amarillo sauce, and grilled it)

Dessert:

Sofia’s Dulce de Leche Oatmeal Cookies, Mango Sorbet, Fresh strawberries

The result? Some happy eaters, for sure!

Here I’m sharing the recipe for the anticuchos (you have the one for the roasted red pepper spread, and the pistachio pesto---the rest to come). Well, actually, these aren’t anticuchos—because those are skewered and usually not made with skirt steak. (Acutally the REAL anticuchos peruanos are made with beef hearts!) But the sauce, made with classic Peruvian yellow pepper, is the same, or at least this is my interpretation of the classic sauce. I made extra marinade and served it on the side as a kind of dipping option (it’s a bit sparky so, for example with my parents, I didn’t even put it on their plates!).  You can adapt this sauce and use it for chicken—and more. (Ah! By the way--I'm sharing my Latin-style recipes and more every Friday on: Latin Twist! It's part of LoHud's fabulous food blog, Small Bites!)

Peruvian-Style Grilled Steak

Adapted from  Mambo Mixers,©2005,   Arlen Gargagliano

 

Serves about 12

2 tablespoons ají amarillo (Peruvian yellow pepper--available in large supermarkets and Latin American markets), or to taste

2 teaspoons ground cumin

4 cloves  garlic, chopped

1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper 

1/4 cup olive oil

Coarse salt to taste

4 pounds skirt steak trimmed of fat  

In a blender, combine the ají, cumin, garlic, vinegar, bell peppers, oil and salt. Place the steak in a large glass bowl or dish, and cover with the marinade. Marinate for at least 1 an hour, and up to 24 hours.

Remove from marinade but reserve it. Heat a grill to medium high. Place meat on the grill, and brush with the marinade. Cook for about 4 minutes on each side, or until browned and the desired doneness is reached. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Keiko, Arlen, and Caitlin--after Dinner--and  Dulce de Leche Cookies!