Welcome back to Cooking with Bwog, you favorite way to ease those pesky Friday afternoon munchies. This week, Matt Powell brings us hanger steak with almond-herb salsa and strawberry basil milkshakes. We bet they’ll bring all the boys to the yard!

This week, I was in desperate need of meat. Sorry, vegetarians and vegans, but sometimes I have cravings, and these cravings need to be satisfied.

Now, I often hear college students complaining that they miss eating a good, home-cooked steak once in a while. Well, why can’t you make it yourself? This week, I decided to make a hanger steak with an almond-herb salsa. But this isn’t your typical salsa. It’s more of a hybrid between pesto and chimichurri. Essentially, it’s delicious.

And of course, after such a heavy meal you need a light dessert: Strawberry Basil Milkshakes. I know, strawberries and basil in a dessert? Before you bash it, try it. Strawberry and basil is a classic savory combo, and it is just as amazing in a dessert.

Hanger Steak with Almond-Herb Salsa

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • ½ C whole almonds, toasted and cooled
  • ½ C fresh flat leaf Italian parsley
  • ¼ C fresh tarragon
  • ¼ C fresh chives
  • 1 medium shallot, peeled
  • 1 garlic clove
  • ½ C olive oil
  • A splash of red wine vinegar
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Olive oil for brushing
  • 2 lbs. trimmed hanger steak

Directions

1. Place toasted almonds in a small food processor, and pulse until ground into a coarse, sandy consistency. Add in fresh herbs, shallot, and garlic. Pulse until combined. Pour in oil and vinegar and pulse again until combined (It should have the same consistency as a pesto). Add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Brush steak with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Place each steak one at a time on the skillet, and cook for 10 minutes, until just pink on the inside.

3. Serve finished steaks with almond-herb salsa, and maybe an arugula salad.

Strawberry Basil Milkshakes

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 2/3 C white wine
  • 1/3 C sugar
  • 1 small bunch of basil
  • 1/2 C whole milk
  • 4 scoops vanilla ice cream
  • 4 scoops strawberry ice cream

Directions

1. In a saucepan, bring white wine and sugar to a boil, and boil until sugar has dissolved. Reduce heat to a simmer, and stir in basil. Remove from heat, and cover the saucepan. Steep for 1-2 hours.

2. Strain out basil leaves, and cool the basil syrup you’ve just made.

3. In a blender, blend the basil syrup, milk, and ice creams together. Pour into glasses and serve with whipped cream on top.

Culinary Events

In the city
The Wine and Food Festival 2010­­––The celebration of food and drink begins this Thursday, October 7th. Food events, cooking demos, book signings, and tours will be happening all over the city. Make sure to check out the site for any remaining tickets and for the list of events that will be taking place in the city. (I’ve personally had my tickets since June.)

At Columbia
Queer Fruits Tasting––In collaboration with QUAM, the Culinary Society is putting together a tasting of exotic fruits. The event will be part educational and all delicious! We will be featuring all sorts of strange fruits that cannot be found at West Side. The event will be Tuesday, October 5th, at 9 pm in the Lerner Ramp Lounge East.