Spanish Senorita

I’m on nights this week and next week, so my schedule is thrown off just a bit.  Hopefully I won’t have to miss too many days of blogging, but we’ll see, I guess.

Tonight’s dinner was fabulous.  First of all, I bought some Spanish Tortas, which in and of themselves are a salty-sweet cracker-like revelation, and spread brie cheese and dates over it for a starter.  We also purchased some creamy & intense Truffle Cheese…more to come about that later this week…hopefully in a Truffles and Cheesey Cauliflower Bake.

For the main entree, I served Brown Butter Green Beans and Spanish Steak!  I have got to share both recipes!  The steak is smoky & spicy from the paprika and cayenne pepper, and the Green Beans have a spicy surprise, as well, with more cayenne.  So so so delicious.

Spanish Steak
1 beef tenderloin or enough sirloin steaks to feed your guests
salt & pepper
1 Tbsp. Smoked Paprika
1 1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 small red onion, sliced
1 large cove garlic, minced
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. cumin
1 red bell pepper, sliced
3/4 c. chicken stock
1 can diced tomatoes

Sprinkle the beef with salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne and let sit for 15 minutes.  In a saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat & brown the beef on all sides.  Remove the beef & let rest; meanwhile, add onions & garlic to the pan & saute for 10 minutes, or until onions are soft.  Then, add the oregano and cumin & saute about 1 minute, or until aromatic.  Add bell peppers, stock & tomatoes; saute about 5 minutes, and transfer all of the onion-pepper-tomato mixture into a crock pot.  Nestle the beef into the tomatoes & cook on medium heat for at least 3 hours.  When beef is very tender, serve in slices with plenty of the sauce on top.  * Is really good with yellow rice!

Brown Butter Green Beans
1 pound fresh green beans
1/2 c. pecans
1/2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. brown or demerara sugar
salt & pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3/4 c. water

Wash, dry, and snap the ends off of your green beans.  Set aside. 

In a medium saute pan, toast pecans about 2 minutes.  Add butter, let it melt & turn golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Add sugar, salt, pepper, and cayenne; saute 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove pecan mixture from pan into a small bowl. 

Add a little olive oil and the green beans into the saute pan; saute for 5 minutes or until slightly browned.  Add water & cover for 5 minutes (to steam them slightly).  When bright green, uncover the beans & allow the rest of the water to evaporate, stirring frequently, about 5 more minutes.  Add the pecan mixture back into the green beans & turn off the heat.  Stir copiously; serve & enjoy!

These are huge winners at our house for outstanding flavor.  Truly outstanding.  I drank an Australian wine because it’s what I have on hand, although I imagine a Malbec or Tempranillo would complement the spices pretty well!

(If I wasn’t on a diet at all…I would have made a Key Lime Pie for dessert…but I am, so I didn’t.  Come on, wave 3!)

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