Well, hate to tell you, but this is going to be a pretty low-drama Friday food, compared to last week's. The finger is healing well, and has been a good parental disciplinary tool--as in, "You kids do what I tell you or I'll REMOVE THE DRESSING AND MAKE YOU LOOK AT MY WOUND!" Whatever works, right?
Today's recipe is kind of a two-fer, and both parts are seriously yummy. As in, everyone in the family loved them. OK, maybe Teen 1 was iffy on the rice, but otherwise, 100% approval rating.
The thing is, it's a dull set of recipes to photograph. So bear with me and take my word for it. I'm no food stylist, that's for sure.
First, the meat. I had some nice top round in the freezer, courtesy of our friends at Cub Foods, who had a two-for-one sale recently.
OK. Can we talk about Cub Foods for a minute? You know what I think of that store? This is not very nice of me. I think of it as the store where the stupid people shop. And the whole basis for that opinion is the astonishingly large number of times that someone has blocked the aisle with their cart while others--me, for example--would like to get through, and we say things like, "Excuse me" and "Pardon me" and "If you don't mind, I'll just slide by here" and "Ha! Ha! Aisles just aren't big enough, are they?" Which, frankly? The aisles are huge. You can easily have two carts pass each other by. If you don't park your cart cross-wise and then fill in the rest of the space with your body, as you stand reading ingredients lists on chicken broth cans. Of which there are many varieties.
I'm not totally hard-hearted. I'll cut slack to people who appear to be from other countries and may not speak English and therefore have no idea what I'm chirping at them. But the Minnesota folks? With the cell phones in their ears? Speaking in perfect Midwestern English? I'm talking about YOU. Move the damn cart.
Once? Once--this is so annoying--some woman chatting on her cell phone and blocking the aisle kept glancing at me as I was saying "Excuse me" and thinking of ramming her cart. But she wouldn't move. So I finally backed out of that aisle, went around the corner, and turned back into the first aisle at the other end. Only to find the same woman now blocking the other end of the aisle.
Gah.
Good thing Cub has two-for-one coupons.
So, yeah. Here's the deal. You take your top round, or flank steak, or whatever you'd like to use for a London broil, and you marinate it in lemon juice, soy sauce, white vinegar, vegetable oil, chopped onion and garlic, bay leaves, coriander seed, and black pepper. Overnight marinating is best.
See? Kinda boring looking. Oh, by the way, the recipe is here. It's simple, and it's a good weeknight option, since once it's marinated, it cooks super fast.
While reading the user comments on the recipe, someone mentioned pairing the meat with this recipe: Vinegared Rice. The idea looked simple enough, and intriguing. First you take some long-grain rice and rinse repeatedly in cold water until the water runs clear. This takes several repeats.
I think it took 10 or 11 times to get the water to run clear. Then you cook the rice. While it's cooking, you mix together some rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan, heating until the sugar dissolves, then let it cool a bit. Once the rice is done, you stir in the vinegar mixture in little bits, mixing thoroughly.
Of course, you're also cooking your meat. The recipe calls for it to be grilled. Given that my outdoor grill is covered in snow, I went with my trusty George Foreman indoor contact grill. It took maybe 10 minutes. You could broil it too.
Because the rice itself isn't boring looking enough, I added some cauliflower to the mix. Not an exciting plate to behold, I realize, but so, so, so good. Oh my. This is definitely a combo that goes into my regular rotation.
Even if I do have to buy top round at Cub Foods.
Oh, yum. Looks awesome.
Funny, but the Stupid People shop in Milwaukee, too. I wonder if they go around on a bus or something, and conspire about which community they'll piss off next.
And? They drive cars, too.
Posted by: Nora | March 01, 2009 at 06:47 AM
Yes, that's one of the reasons I can't stand shopping at Cub, and will go there only in emergency situations. They're just as dumb in the parking lot, too.
Posted by: Miss T | February 28, 2009 at 08:50 AM
As rudee said it is the recipe for sushi rice, only you use a short grain starchier rice for it (which is the reason for all the rinsing). I'd never thought to have it as a side dish...
Looked yummy. But sorry, I wanted drama. You've raised the bar with the finger incident, you know!
Posted by: kate | February 28, 2009 at 12:31 AM
Having blocked my share of aisles due to girth (and moving FAST out of peoples' way so as to avoid the dirty looks), I get frustrated when people (fat OR skinny) apparently lose their personal radar and awareness that the planet was not created solely for THEIR @#$%ing convenience. Grr.
With you on that.
I think your abstract shapes, tonal contrasts and colors maximized the attractiveness of admittedly challenging culinary subjects. Press on. Maybe there will be lobsters soon.
Posted by: PainterWoman | February 27, 2009 at 05:03 PM
If someone is rude enough to ignore my "Excuse me.", "Pardon me." or "Could you please move your cart?" They have lost their right to personal space. After I carefully park my cart to the side and out of the way (and I keep my purse hanging across my body so no one can steal it from my cart should I need to wander), I will move their cart, look them in the face and say, "I need to get past you." As I walk away muttering obscenities under my breath. Hah!
Also, there are many more reasons to hate Cub, but that one is very valid.
Also? Yum.
Posted by: Guinifer | February 27, 2009 at 04:43 PM
Oh YUM!
I get the occasional cart drama but I don't think there's a store left in CA that actually has wide enough aisles for two carts. If there is, they throw some delicately balanced display in the way.
Your poor finger! The adobe looked excellent though. Triumph over adversity. :)
Ah, to be a teen again and know everything. Although actualy, I do still know it all. I'm sure it's just as endearing.
Posted by: Carrie K | February 27, 2009 at 03:19 PM
I can't go to the grocery store with my husband any more because he gets so frustrated with the carts blocking the aisle that he will move them himself. Even if there's a purse in the basket which, as every woman knows, is a violation of personal space. Then he'll shoot dirty looks right back at the person whose cart he just moved. He's right, of course, but since I understand where she's coming from with the "stay 10 feet away from my purse" attitude, it makes me uncomfortable.
Posted by: elizabeth | February 27, 2009 at 02:45 PM
Sounds tasty! But I was really hoping for more drama today. ;)
Posted by: Chris | February 27, 2009 at 01:59 PM
First, let me just say that people in metro Detroit sound just like your description of stupid. I wonder, do you think they could be related?
Second, isn't that sushi rice with the vinegar in it? I like it myself, but my family isn't so thrilled. My friend makes huge pots of this and stores it in an airtight container on the counter top. SHe swears it doesn't spoil. Hmmm. Sushi chefs store their prepared rice like this too. I think I'd need a petri dish test first to see if it really doesn't grow cooties.
Posted by: rudee | February 27, 2009 at 01:40 PM