Stuffed Sirloin Steak

Instructions, one steak per person:

Butterfly fillet a thick-cut (1”+) Angus sirloin steak: cut it in half through the middle, leaving a meat hinge between 2 pieces of ½” steak. Grind a bit of fresh pepper over both sides, and sprinkle on ½ tsp of ground lemon grass.

Layer onto one side of the opened steak:

• 2 or 3 fresh basil leaves.
• 2 strips cooked & drained thick cut bacon. Leave it just a little chewey.
• 3 or 4 rings of freshly grilled onions.
• 1 tsp crumbled bleu cheese.
• A few julienned sun-dried tomatoes

On the other side of the opened steak:

• Drizzle 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar.

Close the steak, enclosing the bacon and other ingredients. Tie the steak shut with a couple of pieces of food-safe twine.

  

Brush both sides of the steak with olive oil. Grind a little fresh pepper on one side, and place the steak, seasoned side down on a hot grille, immediately lowering the flame to medium or medium low.

When it’s ready to turn, re-apply a little olive oil to the top, grind a little fresh pepper onto it, and flip that side down. You should only have to turn the steak once. Depending on how hot your grille is, five minutes a side may be enough.

Serve with a good stout or Belgian beer. Share with good friends. 

Gremlin-Free Corn Muffins / Pancakes

(Wheat-free and dairy-free)
 

Use the whole recipe for pancakes for 4 or 6. Double it for a large batch of muffins. Halve it for Personal Pancakes.

½ C finely ground yellow cornmeal

¼ C corn masa (white corn flour) (or more yellow cornmeal?)

⅓ C white rice flour (not brown rice flour)

2 TBSP cornstarch

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

½ C vegetable oil

¼ C soy/hemp/rice milk

2 eggs

¼ C honey

butter or bacon grease to fry in. (Margarine will work if you're desperate.)

Optional:

½ C fresh or frozen blueberries or banana slices, quartered.

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a more modest bowl, whisk the liquid ingredients together (today, honey is a liquid). Stir the wet mix into the dry mix. Add the fruit last if you add fruit.

Pancakes: heat a cast iron frying pan. When it’s fully heated, add 1 tsp butter (or bacon grease) and ⅓ cup batter. Flip when bubbles begin to form on top (earlier than you would with traditional flour pancakes). Serve with peanut butter & honey or syrup. Or serve with bacon and fried eggs. Or both.

Muffins: preheat oven to 400°; position rack in lower third of oven. Coat the muffin pan with butter or oil and lightly dust with rice flour, knocking out excess. Fill each cup ¾ full. Bake until tops are domed and springy, about 15 minutes. Check with toothpick. Let cool in the pan for at least 5 minutes, then cool on a wire rack. Enjoy with honey, jam, or friends.