7 If your steak is wet, pat it dry with a paper towel, otherwise it will
struggle to form a decent crust and can pick up some unpleasant boiled-meat
flavours. And then, just before you cook it, season the meat well. More than
you probably think sensible. It will help build up a delicious salty crust.
Some say that you shouldn’t season the steak until after you’ve cooked it.
We think they’re wrong. We season with a mix of 45 per cent Maldon sea salt,
45 per cent smoked Maldon sea salt and 10 per cent coarsely ground black
pepper.
Bake in a 400 degree oven on the middle rack (place a cookie sheet on the bottom rack to catch drips) for about 20-30 minutes until crust turns a light brown and the cobbler is bubbling.
9 Stick the steak on. Leave it for a couple of minutes and then flip. Carry on
turning every couple of minutes until it’s the way you like it. If the heat
is as fierce as our charcoal grill you may need to turn more regularly to
avoid burning. Most people say you should only turn your steak once, but we
side with the food scientist Harold McGee, who advocates frequent flips –
the key is for the heat source to be hot enough to produce that delicious
crust. Don’t overcrowd the grill or the pan – make sure there’s plenty of
space between each steak.
All this makes me very happy because I’m just crazy about apples. I love this time of year when we go apple picking and I can munch on an apple that was just picked off the tree. The crunch, the taste, the juicy combination of sweet and tart; it’s the perfect flavor punch.
So, it’s probably not a big surprise that I love to cook with apples too. And since apples are plentiful in our area, we can enjoy the many varieties available and create everything from appetizers and entrees, to salads and desserts.
So, take advantage of the season, go apple picking, or visit your favorite farmer’s market, farm stand or grocery store, and enjoy the best of our local fall apples.