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County Faretasty fresh Grilled steak the best it can be By Lauren Chattman Newsday (MCT) harvested spinach at the Sag Harbor Farmers Market recently, my first thought was that if I steamed or sauteed an entire bushel, maybe I'd wind up with enough to feed my immediate fami- ly. That's the problem with spinach: No matter how much you buy (and no matter how much you spend), you are left with almost nothing after you cook it. MCT photo By Susan M. Selasky Detroit Free Press (MCT) I'll bet there are plenty of juicy steaks being tossed on the grill this summer. And when it comes to grilling steaks, my preference is to marinate them. It helps add flavor and tenderize the meat. There are scores of bottled marinades now available in a myriad of flavors. But it's just as easy to make your own. Marinades are simply made up of an acid (wine, vinegar, citrus juice), an oil (just about any kind will do; you don't need a pricey olive oil) and any kind of seasoning. Try not to use too much oil because it will cause flare-ups. Other liquids like beer or soy sauce also can be used. You can marinate steaks for an hour or up to 12 hours, depend- ing on the size and cut. (You can place steaks in a marinade and freeze them, too.) benefit from longer marinating. Cuts like skirt steak (used for making fajitas) need a longer marinating time so they become tender. Big, less tender cuts of meat, such as briskets and roasts, Marinades do not penetrate all the way through the steak. But try not to marinate them too long because the meat could turn mushy. Marinating steaks (or other foods) in a plastic sealable bag works best because the marinade com- pletely covers them. The bag also takes up less room in the refrigerator. & Spinach salad with strawberry-rhubarb dressing Eyeing some freshly add great flavor. Then puree the mixture and, while it's still warm, pour over your washed and dried leaves. 10 cups young, tender spinach leaves, washed and dried chopped rhubarb MCT photo When you're ready to grill, remove the steak from the marinade and discard. Unless you boil it for at least 3 to 5 minutes, n ever reuse marinade that has come in contact with raw meat. Let the excess marinade drip off the steak and then grill it as desired. It's best to start the steak off on medium-high heat to achieve a nice crusty sear. Once seared, move it to a cooler part of the grill to finish cooking. George R.R. Martin has been called, among other things, the American Tolkien. Tastes of the Seven Kingdoms (MCT)— Thanks to the "Song of Ice and Fire" saga, But when you look at the culinary side of his books or the ingenious compilation of recipes in "A Feast of Ice & Fire: The Official Companion Cookbook" (Bantam: 225 pp., $35), you realize another moniker that's just as apt for the stocky little fantasy master from New Mexico: the medieval Dr. Atkins. Waging battles requires lots of protein, and there's plen- ty of beef, pork and fowl (even a frog or two) to be found in many of the stories. "Feast" creators Chelsea Monroe-Cas- sel and Sariann Lehrer have zeroed in on many of the meals — like the salad of chickpeas and spinach eaten at Castle Black, the poached pears of Highgarden and the roasted aurochs eaten by the Starks of Winterfell — to give readers a taste of what it would be like to be a denizen of the great continent of Westeros. These are real recipes, including menus for all occasions: a simple dinner, a feast after joust- ing and what to serve for a royal wedding. Just be forewarned: The book covers the entire saga thus far, and if you're behind on your reading and don't want to be surprised, epigraphs to some recipes might spill hints about plot twists you probably don't want to know. The solution, of course, is to skip the cooking entirely. Ten cups (about 1 pound) of fresh spinach will yield about 1 cup cooked. Skip the cooking and this quantity will fill a large salad bowl. Even better, pour a warm dressing over the raw spinach just before serving. Warming up the leaves will wilt them slightly and mellow their earthy flavor with- out causing them to shrivel into a watery lit- tle pile. You will see both flat-leaf and savoyed varieties at the market. Both are delicious, but the slightly crinkly savoyed leaves are espe- cially good for salads, because they can catch and hold dressing in their folds. Whatever you do, don't try to make a salad with a bag of spinach packed in a plastic bag and shipped to Long Island from an industrial farm in Cana- da or California. Instead, look for bunch- es of whole, crisp, unblemished leaves grown closer to home. Dark green, tender leaves no longer than 6 inches are best. Larger leaves may be tough and difficult to eat neatly. After removing the stems, wash thoroughly; spinach can be sandy. Spinach stands up well to rich and assertively flavored dressings and can sup- port heavier salad ingre- dients such as hard- cooked eggs, cheese and bacon. Making a warm dressing is as easy as heating up some oil (or bacon drippings) in a skillet and adding vine- gar and seasonings. Here are a few variations I enjoy this time of year: Warm Bacon Dressing Spinach salad with warm strawberry-rhubarb dressing. The classic spinach salad dressing. Saute six strips of bacon, remove the bacon and crumble (this becomes your garnish), cook some minced garlic in the bacon grease, stir in 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, season with salt and pepper, and pour over spinach and some quartered, hard-cooked eggs. Warm Dijon Vinai- grette Saute 2 sliced shallots in 1/4 cup olive oil, stir in vinegar and some Dijon mustard, sea- son with salt and pepper, and pour over spinach. This dressing works well on plain spinach but also can be used on a spinach "chef's salad," with some sliced turkey, ham and Cheddar cheese. Honey or Maple Dressing In addition to the mustard, add a table- spoon of honey or maple syrup to the pan for a sweet-and-tangy salad. This dressing works well with the addition of some cubed, cooked chicken breast. vinegar 6 strips bacon 1 shallot, finely 1 cup strawberries, stemmed and chopped 1 cup chopped 1/4 cup water 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons cider 2 ounces crumbled feta or goat cheese (optional) The Poached-Egg Approach Toss spinach with a little oil and vine- gar. Top each portion with a warm poached egg and let the warm yolk further dress the greens. If you'd like, add some seasoned croutons to the mix. RHUBARB DRESSING Warm bacon dressing is the classic choice for spinach. Last week, I couldn't resist throwing a couple of other seasonal ingredients into the mix. Local strawberries and rhubarb are available now, but not for long, so pick them up when you buy spinach. Cook the chopped strawberries and rhubarb in bacon drippings to soften and SPINACH SALAD WITH WARM STRAWBERRY- large bowl. Heat bacon in a skillet over medium- high until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to cool before crumbling. 1. Place spinach in a 2. Add shallot to skil- let with bacon fat and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add straw- berries, rhubarb, water and sugar, and bring to a boil. Stir in vinegar, lower heat and simmer until fruit is soft and falling apart, about five minutes. Puree in a blender or food proces- sor and season with salt and pepper. 3. Toss about 1/2 cup of the warm dressing with spinach. Divide among serving plates and sprinkle with bacon and cheese, if desired. Serve immediately with extra dressing on the side. Makes 4 to 6 servings. 384-1563 We appreciate your business - and we show it! 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