Spicy Flank Steak With Red Curry Mussels

This week we revive a favorite, the spicy flank steak, and combine it with red-curry mussels for some heated surf and turf. The spices employed here bring flavors of the near east from Turkey and India.

This is a good meal any time of the year, as far as I am concerned. While this blog focuses on the solo eater, the steak in this meal is enough for two. So, you'll have some fun leftovers.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 Flank Steak
- 3 Tbsp Baroody Turkish Hot Sauce
- Crushed Red Pepper
- 3 cloves garlic
- Kosher or sea salt
- Black pepper
- 1 pound mussels
- 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1-2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/4 yellow onion
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- Turbinado sugar
- Red Curry Paste
- 1 large bottle red wine

Pour a glass of wine and get to work .....

Mince garlic and chop onion. Place flank steak in a dish to marinade, and cover with Baroody hot sauce, massaging it into all sides of the steak. Sprinkle crushed red pepper and 1 clove minced garlic over the steak, rubbing it in also. Top with a pinch of the salt and fresh ground pepper. Let sit at room temperature for around 20 minutes.

Heat a large pot, heat sesame oil to medium heat. Add 2 cloves garlic and chopped onion. Saute with a WOODEN spoon for 5-7 minutes. Add coconut milk, a few dashes crushed red pepper, lime juice, and a dash of turbinado sugar (I use the latter two ingredients instead of fish sauce). Stir well, then add curry paste (to taste -- I use at least 1 Tbsp. Stir until paste is dissolved into coconut milk mixture. Cover.

Place steak directly on the an oven rack to broil (range or convection), or place on a grill with the hood up to sear. I recommend cooking rare or medium rare.

While the steak cooks, the curry mixture should be boiling. Remove lid and add mussels in groups directly to mixture. Cover 3-4 minutes to steam each group, placing steamed mussels in a covered container while the rest cook. Discard any that do not open.













When mussels are finished, spoon some of the curry mixture over them.














Remove steak from heat when it is cooked to taste and let sit for 2-4 minutes. Slice and serve alongside mussels. Pour another glass of wine and enjoy.

Tonight's music: Solitude Standing by Suzanne Vega

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