Written & photographed by
Stay-At-Home-Chef

As part of my culinary New Year’s resolutions, I have committed to creating each month’s cover recipe from Food & Wine Magazine. Joining me along the way is my fellow blogger Aimée from Food, Je t’Aimée, and our resident wine expert Kendall Harris of Wine2Three who provides us with fantastic wine pairings for each month’s cover.

Want to join in on the fun? We’d love the company! Pick-up a copy of the latest issue of Food & Wine and get cooking. Be sure to send me an email at info@cookthatbook.com to let me know you made the cover recipe, and if you’re a blogger don’t forget to post a link to your post in the comments below.

 

Grilled Skirt Steak with Poblano-Corn Sauce & Salsa

Rating: 4 out of 5 (great flavours, quick & easy entertaining)

Initial Thoughts: Am I having deja-vu? Didn’t we just have a steak cover?! Not that anyone in my family would ever dream of complaining about steak, but so far this year’s covers have been pretty meaty. A crazy dessert. That’s what I’m holding out for…

THE TEST: This month I was once again alone in the kitchen as Aimée from Food, Je t’Aimée was busy putting the finishing touches on her new site, which I am happy to announce is now live! You can check it out here. Luckily Kendall Harris of Wine2Three was able to keep me company with yet another excellent wine pairing! Don’t forget to check out her article at the bottom of this post…her choice of Carmenere went perfectly with the buttery skirt steak.

Mouthwatering would have to be the way I’d describe the photo on this month’s cover. But it wasn’t until I read through the recipe that I realized this particular dish had been developed as part of a 3-ingredient recipe challenge. I immediately became intrigued!

Grilled fresh corn and poblano chile are the star flavours alongside the steak. Half of the vegetable mixture is pureed into a smooth sauce, while the remainder becomes a chunky salsa to spoon over top of the meat. This dish came together quickly and easily…especially with Mr. Spock manning the grill. In terms of entertainment food, this would be a perfect recipe to serve guests as the sauce/salsa can be made beforehand and the steak only needs a quick sear on the grill before dinner is on the table. Serve this up with a couple of quick sides and BAM! (Sorry – couldn’t resist channeling me some Emeril).

THE RESULTS: I must admit that I was skeptical as to how much flavour impact this dish was going to have with only three ingredients, two of which (poblanos and corn) I find to be quite mild in taste. But low and behold, this recipe turned out to be a hit at our house! The corn and pepper held a nice sweetness from the grill that was full flavoured and roasted. Combined with the buttery taste of the skirt steak, this dish was balanced, fresh and exciting. The pureed sauce combined with the chunky salsa gave everything an interesting textural difference.

Yes – I would have liked some cilantro, maybe some lime juice and red pepper flakes – but as far as a 3-ingredient challenge goes this was inspired. I will definitely be playing around with this recipe in the future.

Cover Recipe:
Grilled Skirt Steak with Poblano-Corn Sauce & Salsa 

The mission of Food & Wine Magazine is to find the most exciting places, new experiences, emerging trends and sensations in the culinary and wine industries. From travel and entertaining to luxury and design, this magazine brings an energetic and stylish take on food and wine. For more information on Food & Wine Magazine, please visit www.foodandwine.com

 

Wine Pairing by Kendall Harris of Wine2Three

Carmenere is one of my favorite red wines for grilled meat! Carmenere is famous for being the signature grape of Chile and also famous for its cool life story. It was first grown hundreds of years ago in the famous French region of Bordeaux, and was pretty much wiped out during the late 1800’s when the Phylloxera epidemic hit Europe and destroyed most of its vineyards. Luckily, it had been exported to Chile where it was thriving but the Chileans assumed it was the Merlot grape. Until…in 1994 a French Professor of Oenology corrected everyone: this Chilean grape was not Merlot, but long lost Carmenere! So in a sense, Carmenere is a relatively NEW discovery and the pride and joy of Chile.

Carmenere is a red wine that is characterized by its deep crimson color and its aromas and flavours of red fruits and berries. It often holds a pleasing spiciness which makes it pair wonderfully with grilled meats. The best Carmenere comes from Chilean producers like Concha y Toro, who not only vinify it on its own but also blend it with other grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to make some interesting blends. This is a wine varietal to get to know, and one that can be enjoyed at some very excellent prices as well! Enjoy your taste of Chile!

Kendall Harris is a wine blogger who shares her adventures in the wine world as Wine2three on Twitter & Facebook. She has an Advanced Certificate from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) and is passionate about sharing her wine knowledge with others. “Like” her page on Facebook for fun, informative wine posts!