Summertime is always my favorite time of year – when the sun is always shining, a warm breeze is in the air, and all the flowers, fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables are in full bloom. Everyone is out grilling BBQ, visiting the farmer’s markets, having picnics in the park and enjoying the sunny, lazy days with friends and family. With Summer quickly approaching, I created this great Father’s Day Menu you’ll love: Grilled Rosemary and Garlic Steak with Portabella Mushrooms and Peppers, a Bistro-Style Herbed Potato Salad and a refreshing Watermelon-Strawberry Salad.
This is an easy and delicious recipe for Grilled Rosemary and Garlic Steak with Portabella Mushrooms and Peppers that has a tangy garlic and red wine flavor. Start with Tavern Direct Roasted Garlic Cabernet (or any red-wine and garlic vinaigrette dressing) to marinate the steak and veggies before grilling to give it a tender robust flavor. After grilling, top it all off with Steak Sauce, fresh rosemary and a bit of Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper for a healthy, tasty Summer BBQ!
This Watermelon and Strawberry Salad is a simple combination of fresh watermelon, strawberries and a few blueberries mixed in with a little bit of lemon juice, sugar and water to make a simple refreshing syrup to macerate the fruit. This is how we traditionally make the fruit salad but you can also toss the fruit in a citrus-infused balsamic vinegar for a tangy contrast with the sweet fruit – I recommend Tavern on the Green Citrus Balsamic– a refreshing blend of orange, tangerine and lime essence.
The French-Bistro Herbed Potato Salad is made with salt potatoes and fresh herbs, a lightened up version from the heavier mayonnaise-laden salads from our family picnics of the past. It calls for salt potatoes (red or yellow), shallots, parsley and thyme tossed in an oil, vinegar and Dijon mustard base making it light and tangy. Fresh parsley adds some green…and the sweet shallots mixed with thyme, dill and onions gives it a nice tangy flavor. I added some dried dill (you could also use fresh) and a few chopped green onions for an extra dash of flavor – enjoy!
Ingredients
- 4 steaks (T-bone, NY Strip or Ribeye), about 1 ½ inches thick
- 3 red, yellow & orange peppers, julienned
- 3 Portabellos, stems removed, sliced
- 1 cup Tavern Direct Roasted Garlic Cabernet Marinade (or red-wine vinaigrette dressing)
- Kosher Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Steak Sauce, for serving if desired (Tavern Direct or desired brand)
- A few sprigs of fresh rosemary, snipped
Instructions
- Preheat a charcoal grill or grill pan to medium high. Preheat a separate medium-sized sauté pan over medium heat.
- Place steaks in a baking dish or large freezer bag and pour marinade over steaks, coating evenly. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper and rosemary and let marinate for up to 1 hour at room temperature uncovered.
- Slice bell peppers and Portobello mushrooms and marinate in separate mixing bowls. Sprinkle salt and pepper over both and mix through, marinating for approximately 30-45 minutes.
- Spray the sauté pan with cooking spray or olive oil. Sauté the sliced peppers until soft and slightly browned about 5-7 minutes. Remove and cover with foil.
- Spray the grill or grill pan with cooking spray or olive oil and place Portabella mushrooms on grill. Cook approximately 5-7 minutes per side until soft and grill marks appear. Remove and cover with foil on a separate plate.
- Let the charcoal grill or grill pan heat up to high again. Spray with oil and cook steaks approximately 5 minutes per side (for medium rare), 7-8 minutes per side (for medium).
- Remove steaks from grill and let sit for 5-10 minutes under foil tent to let juices redistribute. Plate and serve steaks with mushrooms and peppers.?Drizzle the Steak Sauce over steak, if desired.
- Sprinkle Kosher salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh rosemary.
- Serves 4.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds salt potatoes, halved (or new potatoes)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper?
- 1/4 cup olive oil (light yellow, not extra virgin)
- 3 tablespoons Dijon or grainy mustard
- 2 tablespoons Champagne or white wine vinegar
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1/2 tablespoons fresh dill
- ½ teaspoon dried Fines herbes
- 1/4 small Vidalia onion, chopped fine
- 1-2 green onions, sliced
Instructions
- Place potatoes in a large pot of cold salted water so that potatoes are covered approximately under 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Cool potatoes under cold water then drain and set aside.
- To make the salad dressing: whisk together oil, mustard, vinegar, shallot, and herbs in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add cooked potatoes and chopped onion and 1/2 of the green onions to the dressing and toss to combine.
- Let salad cool and marinate at room temperature, then garnish with additional green onions and parsley for serving.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 watermelon, cubed
- 3 cups strawberries, halved
- 1/2 pint fresh blueberries
- fresh mint or micro greens, for garnish
Instructions
- To make the simple syrup, bring sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan, let simmer for about 5 minutes and cool.
- Place watermelon, strawberries and blueberries in a large bowl and add the syrup, mixing well. Add a dash of lemon juice and garnish with mint or microgreens.
*Chef’s Note: The only thing missing is dessert and wine to make it a full meal: I recommend a lovely lemon or pistachio gelato for dessert, and a bold Cabernet or hearty red wine to pair with the Steak and salads.
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Find Tavern on the Green Products online at www.taverndirect.com – all their products were designed by Lou Bivona, a Rochester native, in conjunction with the legendary NYC restaurant in Central Park, Tavern on the Green. With every sale, a portion of all proceeds goes to the charity National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
