Recipes from 'Eat This Book'
(CNN) -- Here are some of the recipes mentioned in the article "Sinful tastes, healthy eating" from Tyler Florence's "Eat This Book":
Grilled steak salad with peaches and lime dressing
3 lbs. skirt or flank steak, trimmed of excess fat
1 recipe ancho chili powder (below)
Extra-virgin olive oil
6 ripe but firm peaches, halved and pitted
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 limes, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
4 cups micro greens or baby mixed greens
1 cup toasted pecans
First lay the steak out onto a large platter or piece of plastic wrap and rub both sides with the chili powder. Put it in the refrigerator and let it marinate for about an hour so the flavors really can get into the meat.
While you're waiting, place a large grill pan on two burners over medium high heat or preheat an outdoor gas or charcoal grill and get it very hot. Take a few paper towels and fold them several times to make a thick square. Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towels. Then carefully and quickly wipe the hot grates of the grill to make a nonstick grilling surface. Rub the peaches all over with oil and season with salt and pepper. Put the lime slices and peaches, cut side down on the grill and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until the flesh softens a little and caramelizes to bring out the sweetness of the fruit. Remove the limes to a platter. Turn the peaches over with tongs and grill the other side for 3 minutes to char the skin; put those on the platter, too.
Now you're ready to cook the steak. Rub it all over with oil and season both sides with salt and pepper. Put the steak on the grill pan or the hottest part of the grill so that it develops a good crust, and grill for 4 minutes per side, until well-charred. Transfer to a cutting board and let it rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. (This will give the juices a chance to redistribute throughout the meat.) Cut the meat across the grain on an angle.
To assemble the salad, put the greens on a clean serving platter and arrange the peach halves, lime slices and steak on top. Sprinkle with pecans and drizzle with olive oil, and you're done.
Ancho chili powder
3 ancho chiles, seeded and hand-torn into pieces
1/4 cup chili powder
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
In a dry skillet, toast the ancho chile pieces over low heat until fragrant, shaking the pan so they don't scorch. Put the chiles in a mini food processor and pulse to a powder. Add the remaining ingredients and buzz again to combine. Use immediately or store in a sealed jar for up to 2 months.
Summer bean salad with creamy lemon dressing
1 pound mixed summer beans, such as sugar snap peas, hericot verts or green beans, yellow wax beans or runner beans, stems trimmed
1 1/2 shallots, finely chopped
1/2 cup walnut halves and pieces, toasted
1 handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
1 tablespoon hot water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup crème fresh or sour cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add all of the beans and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 to 5 minutes (they'll all be done roughly at the same time). Drain, transfer to a bowl of salted ice water to stop the cooking, and drain well. Transfer to a mixing bowl and toss in the shallots, walnuts and parsley.
In a jar, combine the mustard, water, sugar, lemon juice, oil, crème fresh, salt and pepper. Put the cap on and shake vigorously to emulsify. Just before you serve the salad, pour the dressing over the beans and toss well to coat with the dressing.
Note: I toast walnuts on a baking sheet in a 375-degree oven for 7 to 8 minutes, until fragrant.
