Cooking In Everyday English: The ABCs of Great Flavor at Home

Featured Recipe: Ginger-Soy Skirt Steak

"Loaded with aromatics, this marinade is a perfect match for grilled steaks. Marinate the steak for a few hours to really soak up the flavors, and serve it thinly sliced with my Parsnip Puree (page 113) or Parmigiano-Reggiano Potato Wedges (page 213). We used the marinade with the sliced beef tenderloin on our cover."

Ingredients

• Soy sauce, 1 cup
• Balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup
• Brown sugar, 1/4 cup firmly packed
• Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup
• Sesame oil, 1/4 cup
• Fresh ginger, 3 Tbsp. chopped
• Sriracha sauce, 1 Tbsp.*
• Garlic, 3 cloves chopped
• Skirt steak, 3 lb.
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Whisk together first 8 ingredients and 1 cup water in a large shallow dish or zip-top plastic freezer bag; add steak. Cover or seal, and chill 2 to 6 hours.

2. Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Remove steak from marinade, discarding marinade. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Sprinkle with desired amount of salt and pepper.

3. Grill steak, covered with grill lid, 8 minutes or to desired degree of doneness. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. 6 to 8 servings

*Substitute 1 chopped jalapeño pepper for sriracha sauce.

Featured Recipe: Corn Raita

"The inspiration for this recipe is from the classic Indian condiment, raita. The addition of corn gives it new personality. Toasting the corn draws out its lovely sweetness and lends texture to the spread. Grill the corn whole and then cut the kernels off the cob or as per the instructions below. I keep a batch of this simple recipe on hand in the fridge to add to countless dishes, but I usually end up eating it one spoonful at a time on its own. Try a few spoonfuls on a skirt steak or slathered in a pita sandwich. Nirvana!"

Ingredients

• Fresh corn kernels, 2 cups
• Plain Greek yogurt, 2 cups
• Fresh cilantro leaves, 2 Tbsp. chopped
• Ground cumin, 1 tsp.
• Kosher salt, 1/2 tsp
• Freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 tsp.
• Red onion, 2 Tbsp. finely chopped
• Jalapeño pepper, 1 seeded and minced (optional)

Directions

1. Heat a large well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add corn to pan; cook 1 minute without stirring. Stir and cook 2 more minutes or until corn is beginning to brown. Transfer corn to a plate; cool completely.

2. Stir together yogurt and next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Fold in corn and onion. Add jalapeño pepper, if desired. 3 cups