Taking It Back

See, I don’t like restaurants much. When I go to restaurants, I realize that I either stick to the familiar or I become a nuisance when I try to get adventurous. I ask more questions than the wait staff care to answer about the ingredients in the food, the cooking method, etc. so I’ve decided that if I can make it, I’ll make it at home with the ingredients that I know and to my taste.

A few months ago, I decided to cook a special dinner for my husband on his first day at his job. I opted for cooking instead of going to celebrate at a restaurant because I just love to cook and he loves my cooking and also for the reasons I listed above. I decided to make Steak and Shrimp, Ginger-Infused Rice and oven roasted broccolini and carrots.

For the Steak, I used:

1. Flat Iron Steak
2. Seasonsed Suya Pepper (I got mine from Nigeria but you can get from a local African Store)
3. Almond Oil or Olive Oil

For the Shrimp:

1. Large Raw Wild Caught Shrimp (peeled and de-veined – tail on or tail off)
2. Fresh rosemary stalks
3. Garlic
4. Almond Oil or Olive Oil
5. Salt and Pepper (to taste)
6. Chopped Ginger
7. Honey

Ginger-Infused Rice:

1. Ginger
2. Rice
3. Salt to Taste

Roasted Vegetables:

1. Broccolini
2. Carrots
3. Maple Syrup or Honey
4. Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Directions:

1. Combine ginger, garlic, almond oil or olive oil, honey in a bowl and mix. Add cleaned shrimp and toss to coat.
2. Working with 1 rosemary stalk at a time, hold the leafy end of stalk in 1 hand. Strip leaves off the stalk with the other hand, leaving about 1/2 inch of leaves attached to the leafy end of stalk. Thread shrimp onto rosemary stalks, using 3-4 per skewer, depending on the shrimp size. Marinate in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to an hour.
3. While shrimp marinates, peel fresh ginger and blend with water. Strain.
4. Using a rice cooker or stove top, cook rice using ginger juice instead of water. Salt to taste.I use a rice cooker and follow the cooking instructions from the cooker.
5. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
6. While rice cooks, Rinse steak and pat dry using power towels. Coat both sides of steak with almond oil or olive oil (this will allow the suya spice to stick to the meat). Rub both sides of steak with suya spice and place on an oven-safe cookie sheet  then place cookie sheet on a baking pan. Bake for about 15 minutes or until steak is cooked to your preference.
7. While the Steak in the oven is cooking away, cut broccolini and carrots. Arrange on single layer of baking sheet and drizzle with some maple syrup or honey. Season with Salt and Pepper to taste.
8. Place Shrimp Skewers on a baking sheet.
9. Place Shrimp and Vegetables in oven after the Steak has cooked for about 10 minutes. Cook Shrimp and Vegetables for about 5 to 7 minutes.
10. Serve

Don’t mind the background clutter **face palm**. Lol!