Brian in the Kitchen Recipes
BRIAN IN THE KITCHEN brought to you by Stittsworth Meats
July 22 2009
PORTUGUESE PIRI PIRI BEEF ON A STICK WITH CILANTRO POTATO SALAD
1/2 cup Piri Piri, prepared at least a week ahead
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 pounds sirloin or other lean, tender beef, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes (about 20 cubes)
Cilantro Potato Salad
1 loaf crusty peasant bread, preferably Portuguese
4 long wooden skewers
Combine the Piri Piri with the cilantro and kosher salt in a bowl, and marinate the meat in this mixture for 3 or 4 hours in your refrigerator.
About an hour before removing the marinade from the refrigerator, prepare the Cilantro Potato Salad, cover, and refrigerate.
Preheat the broiler and set the broiler rack 3 inches from the flame.
Thread the meat on the skewers, using 5 cubes of meat per skewer. Rest the skewers across a rack set in a pan and baste the meat with the Piri Piri marinade. Broil for 8 minutes, turn the skewers of meat over, baste, and broil for 5 minutes.
To serve, push the meat from the skewers onto the bread and eat sandwich-style with a generous cup of the Cilantro Potato Salad.
Yield: 4 main-course servings
PIRI PIRI
1 1/2 cups olive oil
4 fresh jalapeņo peppers, coarsely chopped, stems, seeds
2 fresh poblano peppers, coarsely chopped, stems, seeds
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon salt
8 turns freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Combine all of the ingredients except the garlic in a saucepan over high hear. Cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, remove from the heat, and allow to cool to room temperature.
When the mixture is cool, pour it into the bowl of a food processor and pulse 16 times. Pour the sauce through a funnel into a clean wine or other bottle and cover with a piece of plastic wrap. Allow to sit for 7 days before using. Keeps up to 2 months at room temperature.
Yield: about 5 cups
CILANTRO POTATO SALAD
1 large egg
3/4 cup whole fresh cilantro leaves
3/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
7 turns freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds cooked unpeeled new potatoes, halved if small or quartered if large
1/3 cup finely minced onions
Place the egg and cilantro in a food processor or blender. Start processing and slowly stream in 1/2 cup of the oil. Add the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 4 turns of the pepper, and stream in the remaining 1/4 cup of the oil. Process until thoroughly emulsified into a mayonnaise.
Pour the mayonnaise into a large bowl and add the potatoes, onions, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3 turns pepper. Toss to combine thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Yield: about 5 1/2 cup, 5 generous salad servings