Culinary Salute To Spring, On A Shoestring

New York Chef Kerry Heffernan Tries To Make Seasonal, Veggie-Packed Meal On Only $35

(CBS) 

Grilled Hanger Steak with Fresh Asparagus and Sweet Onions

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound cleaned Hanger steak
1 pound pencil asparagus, trimmed 2 inches from bottom
1 pound spring onions, peeled and sliced horizontally into ½ inch rounds
1 bunch scallions trimmed of roots and washed
1 bunch parsley, stems removed
1 bunch Sage, stems removed
2 ounces canola oil
Zest of ¼ of an orange
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon chili flakes

METHOD:

Heat grill to medium/high.

Make a quick herb puree, by blending first garlic, orange rind parsley and canola oil in blender (not food processor) with salt and pepper and blending at progressively higher speeds until bright green but still slightly rough. Taste, correct seasoning and add sage and blend further at high speed until well chopped and combined. Reserve.

Season onions, scallions and asparagus well with salt pepper and canola oil
Cook vegetables on grill, in this order, onions first then asparagus and scallions, until well marked and just about cooked (they will continue to cook off the grill). Reserve on an attractive platter.

Turn grill up to high, clean off any remaining bits of vegetables. Season steak very will on each side and grill steak to desired doneness, remove from grill and allow to "rest" at least 7 minutes so that the juices can recede back into the flesh.

Slice meat and arrange over and around vegetables and serve sauce on the side.


Vanilla Ice Cream with Homemade Rhubarb Syrup and Crumbled Butter Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound fresh rhubarb
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 pods green cardamom
1/2 cup Sugar
1/4 cup water
Pinch salt
1 pint ice cream
4 butter cookies (such as Pepperidge farms Bordeaux) roughly crumbled

METHOD:

Wash and trim rhubarb into 3 inch lengths in a sauce pan large enough to accommodate rhubarb in one layer. Bring sugar, water, salt, and cardamom pods to a boil, simmer one minute then add Rhubarb, and vanilla (if you prefer you can do it in 2 batches but it should not exceed one even layer on the bottom surface area).

Cook over medium heat until just before rhubarb is tender (it will go to mush very quickly!), remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Scoop Ice Cream into glasses and layer in poached rhubarb and some of its syrup and crumbled butter cookies over top.

So, how did Heffernan do with our $35 budget?

Gemelli Pasta
pasta $1.19
peas $1.99
tarragon $1.49
heavy cream $1.19
grapeseed oil $3.99
mushrooms $1.99
garlic $.39
shallot $.16
total $12.39

Hanger Steak
hanger steak $4.29
asparagus $1.69
spring onions $1.49
scallions $.69
parsley $.99
sage $1.49
orange zest $.39
chilies $.16
total $11.19

Rhubarb Ice Cream
rhubarb $2.99
Cardamom $4.69
butter cookies $2.00
ice cream $.99
total $10.67

Total: $34.25

Top Three so far in our "How Low Can You Go" competition:

1. Scott Peacock $32.60
Watershed Restaurant

2. Patrick Connolly $33.32
Bobo Restaurant

3. Bill Poirier $33.35
Sonsie Restaurant

[mswolfestock]

This segment is so unrealistic and out of touch with the reality of unemployment, foreclosure, and uncertainty.

I've said it before, but here is my own favorite challenge to these chefs.

GO TO THE LOCAL FOOD BANK AND CREATE A MEAL OUT OF THE INGREDIENTS YOU ARE GIVEN. Your food bank creations might not be palatable but I expect y'all will get a huge serving of reality. Or maybe these chefs would "get it" if they had been laid off for about six months.

[ademeyer]

Do people actually like this segment? $35 dollars is my food budget for the week. But,I am sure you have heard that a million times, and every week we learn how to make one dinner for $35.00.