Older Bolder Life

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the Older Bolder Life Salad Sunday 22 July: Ring the Bell (Pepper) Salad

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Here’s another incredible offering from the kitchen of our catering chef buddy Libby in Austin – her Ring the Bell (Pepper) Salad.

Great looking bell peppers are available in abundance right now; she (and we) like to use orange, yellow, and red peppers as they make for a stunning presentation with the onion and herbs, and they simply taste great.

It’s easy as pie to stir together, and you can sub in whatever herbs float your boat, though this is the original recipe as written from Libby. She occasionally crumbles in some feta or Cotija cheese (my wife prefers the feta), and we like it best with a really good avocado oil drizzled in…

2 orange bell peppers, thinly sliced into rings
2 yellow bell peppers, thinly sliced into rings
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced into rings
1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
3 tbsp red wine vinegar (or Sherry vinegar)
Good salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1/3 cup fresh chives, chopped
1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/3 cup fresh parsley (flat leaf), chopped
1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped
Optional: 1 tsp fresh thyme
2-3 tbsp EVOO or good avocado oil

Optional: Crumble in some good feta or Cotija cheese just before serving

This one couldn’t be easier to put together. Wash and slice the bell peppers, then combine with the sliced red onion. Sprinkle with the vinegar, salt, and pepper, toss to coat, then let them sit for 15-20 minutes to soften and absorb a bit of the vinegar.

When ready to serve, add the herbs and oil, toss to coat, and go to it.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Salad Wednesday 18 July: Quick Chinese Cucumber Salad

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Here’s another quick and easy salad featuring one of the stars of summer – fresh cucumbers – and some of our clan’s favorite flavors from the orient.

The black rice vinegar provides a great counterpoint to the spice of the chili oil and the earthy nuttiness of the toasted sesame oil, and the bundle of flavors play incredibly well with the cucumbers (and the herbal cilantro).

We enjoy it more with a bit more spice, hence the recommendation for the pinch of red pepper flakes or a seeded and chopped serrano (or your favorite pepper), try it with and without to see which suits you better.

6 kirby or Persian cucumbers, or 2 big English cucumbers
2 tbsp Chinkiang (Chinese black rice) vinegar
2-3 tsp good, spicy chili oil
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp good salt, more to taste
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
4 tbsp cilantro leaves
4 tbsp roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped

Optional: 1 tsp turbinado sugar, pinch of red pepper flakes or a fresh pepper, chopped

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, chili oil, sesame oil, salt, and red pepper flakes/sugar if using, set aside once the salt and sugar have dissolved.

Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise, seed if desired (certainly the English cucs if using), the lay flat on a your cutting board and either whack with a rolling pin or press down on them with the blade of a large chef’s knife to crack the cucumbers in several places. Now cut the cucs (crosswise) into approximately 1/2-inch slices (like a little half-moon).

Add the cucumbers (and fresh peppers if using) to the dressing mix, toss gently, and serve, topping each serving with a bit of the toasted sesame seeds, cilantro, and peanuts.

Cheers.

the Older Bolder Life Salsa Sunday 15 July: Libby’s Creamy Avocado

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Here’s another nifty, avocado-based, dip slash topping slash table salsa slash magic sauce from our compadre Chef Libby down in Austin – Libby’s Creamy Avocado (or Avocado Crema as she likes to prepare it).

Avocados, packed with healthy fats and little soluble carbohydrate baggage, and most importantly, bursting with incredible flavor, end up on the menu around our camp just about every day, even more so during these blistering days of high summer.

Libby serves this not only as a dip (and not just for chips, think for a cold, crispy crudite plate too) but a topping on a spicy grilled chicken breast she often preps for her catering gigs; we’ve just had it on a tropically-spiced, sautéed (grilled would be awesome too) mahi fillet here at home in the past week too.

For those looking to up the game a bit, try sourcing (or making) some genuine crema to sub in for the sour cream…

2 firm-ripe avocados, flesh only
1/2 cup full-fat sour cream (maybe a touch more…) OR genuine crema
2 tbsp good, extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp good apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp + 2 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, rough chopped
2 tbsp fennel fronds, chopped fine, optional more for serving
Good salt to taste
Juice from one big lime quarter

Optional – add 1/2 to 1 stemmed and seeded serrano

Into your trusty food processor goes the avocado flesh, sour cream, EVOO, apple cider vinegar, first two tbsp cilantro, and first two tbsp fennel fronds.

Process until smooth; if not thick enough to suit you, add a bit of sour cream, if too thick, add a bit of EVOO or vinegar.

Season to taste with salt; pour into your serving bowl, sprinkle with the additional cilantro and fennel, spritz with the lime juice, and go to it.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast 13 July: Lemony Spiced Salmon Kabobs

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Years ago, living and working in the Salt Lake City valley, we befriended a couple who, among a bevy of interesting quirks, were partners with another guy in a small Alaskan fishing business.

This ‘other guy’ had a boat and spent a fair part of every summer up there and fished (commercially); he sold some of his take to the big canneries, but some, he packed up on ice in coolers, threw on a direct Delta flight, and were then sold by our friends out of their garage, most often 24 hours or less out of the water. And at prices far, far less than local fish markets (there weren’t multiple hands clamoring to take a cut out of the pie).

The halibut was amazing, but the salmon was simply stunning.

I’ll share in the next few weeks our all time favorite fresh salmon marinade (thanks, Judy!), but these kabobs are also one of our favorites (we just did a batch last week).

The kabobs are delicious and Instagram worthy as written, even more so with some thinly sliced vegetables threaded on the skewers, but a tip from a chef friend now has us grilling separate vegetable skewers as cook times differ a bit…

For the spice mix
2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano (or 1 T dried)
2 tsp white sesame seeds
1.5 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp good smoked paprika
1 tsp good pink or kosher salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 lemons, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced
2 tbsp EVOO or avocado oil

1 and 1/2 pounds skinless salmon fillet, cut into approx. 1.5 inch pieces

Optional: Thinly sliced baby zucchini, summer squash, red bell pepper squares, etc

For the spice mix, we find it easier to dump all the spice mix ingredients into a mini-processor and whirl them together.

Onto pairs of skewers thread salmon and half-slices of lemon (alternating of course); if you choose to throw some vegetables into the mix, either artfully thread them onto the skewers with the lemon and salmon, or construct several vegetable only skewers.

Brush each skewer with the oil, dust generously with the spice mix, and grill, rotating every 1-2 minutes, until the fish is done to your liking.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Vegetable Wednesday 11 July: Grilled Leeks

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We’re huge fans of the lovely leek around our camp, and love it when big bundles show up stacked in ice at our favorite Central Market here in the metro.

Leeks play well in so many different recipes, but one of our absolute favorite preps is to grill them, though given their size they can be a challenge to cook through on the grill without burning the outer leaves (pending your fire and degree of attention nursing them along, some might take as long as 30 minutes to cook through).

Our friend Chef Libby in Austin showed us this trick a few years back of starting the cook with a quick (no more than 5 minutes!) par-boil, followed by a shock in cold water, then followed by a much more reasonable, olive-oil-basted, 6-10 minutes on the grill.

Don’t forget to prep your leeks carefully, the coarse greens must be trimmed, the body of the leek split and the layers washed thoroughly to remove all the sand they grow in. It’s worth the extra couple of  minutes to do this right.

And a sprinkling of good salt really makes these sing hot off the grill…

4-6 large leeks, trimmed and prepped (see above)
Kosher salt
2 tbsp good EVOO or avocado oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Prep your leeks are detailed above; while you’re doing so bring a large pot or skillet of salted water to a boil. Now gently boil the leeks for just three to five minutes; you’re looking for them to soften a bit but you don’t want their bright green color to fade.

Immediately plunge into an ice water bath; keep the leeks in the cool water until they’re cool, then remove and pat dry.

Fire the grill, brush the leeks with your oil of choice, and grill over direct heat for 3-5 minutes per side. We like ours to crisp up and brown a bit with nice grill marks.

Pull the leeks, and season to taste with good salt, fresh ground pepper, and perhaps even another drizzle of good oil.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Salad Sunday 8 July: Smashed Cucumber Salad

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Summer brings to mind a host of things, but say the word summer around our camp and before too long we’ll be talking about grilling various proteins and lining up our favorite salads and fresh vegetable sides to accompany them.

A couple of years ago I’d picked up my wife from a long day at her work and dropped into one of our favorite eateries in the DFW metro – Smoke – alas unfortunately now closed; it was there that we first tasted this unique salad.

They featured (back in the day) a fusion of Tex-Mex and old school, low and slow barbeque, and offered up an astounding array of sides, one of which was this Smashed Cucumber Salad.

We’ve tweaked it around the edges a bit, but keep coming back to this version of the recipe; simple, minimal prep, and very tasty make it a winner any time of year.

1 pound English (or Persian) cucumbers
3-4 green onions (scallions), sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 serrano pepper, stemmed, seeded, sliced into thin rounds (optional)
1 tsp good salt
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp EVOO or avocado oil
1 tsp toasted black sesame seeds
1-2 tbsp chile oil (optional)

Here’s the fun part (after washing and trimming the cucumbers) – grab your rolling pin and (gently) whack the cucumbers until they begin to fracture and break apart. With your hands tear the cucumber pieces into bite-sized chunks, drop them into a colander and sprinkle with the salt.

After resting for 10-15 minutes, shake any remaining water out but don’t rinse the cucumbers. Now pour into a medium bowl and add the rice vinegar, EVOO/avocado oil, green onions, and the serrano pepper pieces (if using), then stir well to combine.

Taste for salt and adjust as needed, hold covered in the fridge for a short time if needed. When serving, drizzle with a good dollop of chile oil and go to it.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast 6 July: Columbian Marinated Flank Steaks

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Flank steak has been a workhorse beef choice of discerning home grilling enthusiasts for decades, and for good reason.

It’s readily available, won’t break the bank, offers a rich, beefy flavor, is relatively quick to cook, and has a great tooth when not overcooked, rested, and then sliced thinly across the grain.

A super-simple teriyaki flank was one of the first grilling recipes I was ever able to reproduce consistently, though these Columbian Marinated Flank Steaks have become one of our favorites during the past decade.

I honestly can’t remember, but it seems like the first version of this popular preparation we ever cooked was featured in the Wall Street Journal of all places (they do have a great food section), and the cumin, oregano, dark beer, and Worcestershire work magic on an otherwise good but oft unadorned cut of beef.

To our way of thinking this prep needs to come of the grill medium-rare, rested, then thinly sliced and served with whatever version of a great salsa verde you’re good at (chimichurri is the Argentinian version, though try Columbia’s ahi sauce sometime too – we’ll post a recipe in the next few weeks…).

You’ll come back to this one…

Trimmed flank, approx. 2 and 1/2 pounds
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp good coarse salt (or more)
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup EVOO or avocado oil
6-8 green onions, trimmed, then thinly sliced
1/4 to 1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 bottle dark beer

Chimichurri sauce, Quick Columbian Guacamole, Tomatillo Avocado Salsa, or your favorite

Mix together the cumin, oregano, salt, and fresh ground pepper (we use as much pepper as salt) in a small bowl.

Trim your flank steaks as needed, then lightly score them on both sides in a crisscross pattern (only an eighth of an inch or so deep) roughly 1/2-inch apart. Now dust both sides of the steaks with the spice mixture, drizzle with the olive oil, and rub it in with your hands, working the spice mixture and oil into the score marks and making sure the steaks are well-covered.

Drop the rubbed steaks into your marinating container, add the Worcestershire, beer, parsley, and green onions, then cover and throw in the fridge for a minimum of four hours; overnight is better.

When ready to cook, fire the grill and grill these over medium-high heat, taking care not to overcook. We’re medium-rare folks around our camp, and pending the size of your steaks and the heat of your fire, you could easily be at the medium-rare point in only 3 minutes per side.

Pull the steaks, let them rest for at least 5 minutes, then (as always with flank) thinly slice across the grain. We love this served with chimichurri (and yes, I know that’s Argentinian) or Columbia’s version – Ahi sauce, or a great creamy guacamole (see links above).

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Vegetable Wednesday 4 July: Grill-Charred Green Beans with Homemade Harissa

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We have a friend down in Austin, an uber-talented chef by the name of Libby (she runs a very popular catering business down there); we actually met Libby one summer given the confluence of a couple of passions we share: cooking great food and fly fishing.

Libby bestows on we mere mortals great recipes now and again – like this Grill Charred Green Beans with Homemade Harissa she sent us a few years back.

We happen to share another passion with Libby, that being a love of interesting and spicy foods from other cultures; this quick and easy riff on harissa paste that you can whip up at home quite easily is a great example.

Green beans are a great side year round and this has become one of our favorite preps; seemingly everybody we’ve ever served it to has pestered us for the recipe.

And if you don’t have a grill basket yet, this recipe may be the very excuse you need to pick one up…

1 medium red bell pepper
3 medium Fresno chiles
1 medium jalapeno chile
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp kosher salt
1 + 2 tbsp good olive or avocado oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground cumin (or more)
1/2 tsp ground coriander (or more)
Good salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

2 lb fresh green beans, tipped and trimmed

Start by roasting/charring the peppers on the grill, under the broiler, or over a gas flame until soft and charred. Throw the peppers in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let them steam for 12-15 minutes.

When they’ve steamed, peel off the charred skins, stem and seed, then chop coarsely and drop into your trusty food processor along with the minced garlic, and 1 tsp salt. Pulse into a coarse paste and scrape down the bowl.

Now add the the oil, lemon juice, coriander, and cumin until smooth; season to taste with salt and fresh ground pepper.

Toss the trimmed beans into a bowl, drizzle with the remaining 2 tbsp of oil and stir to coat all the beans. We like to now grill (in a grill basket) over fire on the grill, though you can also char in a cast-iron skillet (or other heavy skillet) on the stove top. The objective is to grill the beans, picking up some char and blistering, until they’re perfectly crisp-tender.

When the beans are done, toss them back in the bowl you drizzled them with oil in, drizzle the harissa over and mix well. These are great warm or at room temperature too.

Enjoy.