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Cooking With Rania: Summer Recipes

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Rania Harris is in the Pittsburgh Today Live kitchen making two recipes perfect for summer time.

Pittsburgh Steak Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1-1/2 pounds New York Strip steak, allowed to come to room temperature for about ½ hour
  • 2 tablespoons softened butter
  • Salt & pepper
  • 4 hard-boiled eggs
  • 8 cups mixed greens
  • Shredded carrots
  • Grape tomatoes ~ cut into halves
  • ½ thinly sliced red onion
  • 4 cups prepared frozen "fast food" French fries – baked according to package directions
  • 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
  • Blue Cheese dressing (recipe follows)

Directions:

To make the hard-boiled eggs: Add the eggs to a medium-sized saucepan. Cover with cold water and bring up to a boil over medium heat. Cover with a lid and turn off the heat. Let the eggs sit in the hot water for 14 minutes. Drain and cool under cold running water. Peel the eggs and chop. Reserve.

Prepare the fries according to the recipe or package. I like my fries very crisp.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Meanwhile, preheat a grill pan over high heat. Rub the butter on both sides of the steak then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sear the steak on each side for 2-3 minutes, until a crust forms, then remove the pan from the heat and finish cooking in a preheated 400-degree oven to 125 degree internal temperature, for medium rare.

Thinly slice the steak against the grain.

Divide the greens between four plates. Top with the shredded carrots, sliced red onion, and tomatoes. Then top with the steak, hard boiled eggs, and the fries. Sprinkle the crumbled blue cheese over the top. Serve immediately with the blue cheese dressing.

Serves: 4

Blue Cheese Dressing

  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic, minced fine
  • Dash of Worcestershire sauce
  • ¾ cup crumbled blue cheese
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine all ingredients thoroughly except blue cheese. Fold cheese in gently – so as to keep it lumpy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pasta al Tonno

Ingredients:

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 ounces spaghetti
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • One 10-ounce jar tomato bruschetta topping
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • One 6- to 7-ounce jar Italian tuna in olive oil, drained and flaked
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the spaghetti in a colander.

While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the capers and garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add the bruschetta topping, red pepper flakes and a pinch of black pepper and cook, stirring, until hot, about 4 minutes.

Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet along with the tuna, parsley and about ½ cup of the reserved cooking water. Add more cooking water to loosen if desired and serve.

Serves: 4

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