Front Burner

I'll start out by saying that the reason for the name is that it calls for 4 teaspoons of minced garlic (equal to about 6-8 cloves)... garlic keeps vampires away... hence... Vampire Steak.  This one took me several times reading through it for that thought to finally *click*... sometimes I can be slightly oblivious.  And who knows, maybe you would have gotten it off the bat.  But I thought I'd save you the feeling of idiocy as you wondered who on earth would give a recipe that name and why?  That being said, if you like flank steak, this rub gives it a nice robust flavor that even my kids enjoyed.  Paired with grilled zucchini and Oven Fries (recipe follows) for a nice hearty meal.


Vampire Steak

4 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika (you can use regular, it just won't give it a "smoky" flavor)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 (1 1/2 lb) flank steak, trimmed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine first 4 ingredients.  Score a diamond pattern on both sides of steak (about 1/8 inch deep); rub juice mixture evenly over both sides.  Cover; refrigerate one hour.

Preheat grill to high heat.  Sprinkle both sides of meat with salt and pepper.  Place steak on grill rack; grill 6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.  Remove steak from grill; let stand 5 minutes.  Slice steak across grain into thin slices.

*Courtesy of Cooking Light*

Garlic and Herb Oven Fries

Preheat a roasting pan and oven to 450 degrees.  Cut 2 pounds baking potatoes into 1/4 inch matchsticks; toss with 1 tablespoon canola oil.  Arrange in preheated pan; bake at 450 for 10 minutes.  Turn oven to broil. Broil 10-15 minutes or until browned, turning once.  Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet.  Add 1 minced garlic clove; saute 30 seconds.  Add fries; cook 1 minute.  Toss with 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper.

*Courtesy of Cooking Light*