There is nothing better than the relaxed commotion of a morning filled with laughter, pajamas, and Aunt Jemima syrup. I adore my apartment (even more) when there are people filling it.
Chris's friend Tim is out from Ontario visiting, and to herald the occasion, they decided to make an enormous breakfast. My lovely roommate, helped by her wonderful sister and adoring boyfriend, set herself to breaking their nightime fast with copious amounts of meat, french toast, and fruit - with sides of silliness, indie music and smiles. It was the perfect thing to wake up to.
Friendship. There is nothing like it.
And the day continued in entente cordiale. My friend Gord (one of us Powell-River-enthusiasts) came over, and we meandered (of course stopping for my pseudo obsession - 25 cent candy machine jelly beans) to Save-On-Foods to grab food for a BBQ at Anne's house.
And, not only following the traditions of friendship, but also of gender, the boys hung out while we girls made dinner.
It's been argued that friendship in the modern Western world is dying. But in my life, I beg to differ. Those who know me, realize how dang small my family really is. In all actuality, it consists of my mom and me (and a dog and a recently-deceased cat who can spray all he likes in heaven, but not on earth in my mom's house). My friends, therefore, are my family. They rejoice with me through joy and grieve with me in sorrow. Every moment spent with a friend is never a moment wasted.
So to celebrate friendship, we brought over four steaks. All marinated at my house so they had a good couple of hours to absorb the flavor. In the end, we only ended up using three because Josh is a burger connoisseur, but the thought was there.
I feel as if I have been writing quite a bit concerning BBQs lately, but it's summer. In winter, trust me, there will be many posts about soup. My favorite dish during the summer is one that comprises of fresh crisp veggies, with a slivered slab of meat on the side. And I take my hat off to the Mexican's and their use of simple, yet powerful ingredients to accomplish this..
Lime juice becomes a tenderizer for meat. The acid acts to break down the protein naturally, through denaturalizing - hence why when its left on too long, it can make the meat mushy - so watch out! 2-3 hours is the limit for larger cuts of meat, while never marinade seafood for more than 30 mins. Unless you are eating fish raw, such as with cerviche, where the acid actually 'cooks' the meat and makes it safe to eat. Lime in general is just a wonderful flavor, and adds a bit of zest to any dish. It definitely is one of my favorites.
All in all, a good day, with some good food.
Chipotle Lime Steak
4 canned chipotle limes in sauce
1 lime, juiced
1/2 c. honey
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tbs. olive oil
1 steak (take your pick, but definitely go for one with good marbling throughout)
salt and pepper to taste
1. Blend first seven ingredients. Pour into a plastic bag; add steak. Marinade for about four hours.
2. Heat BBQ to high heat (you want a grill that will cook as fast as possible without scorching the surface - if you have a hot BBQ, bring down the temp a bit). Remove steak, place on it. Baste with remaining marinade in the bag (do this frequently). Always err on the side of caution concerning 'doneness' - I don't know how you like your steak, and chances are you know how long to grill it for youself - however, you should rest it under tinfoil for about 5 minutes afterwards, so always be aware that it will cook a bit after you remove it.
3. Pray. Eat. Swat away flies (and moochers) because you are outside at a BBQ and your food is so dang tasty. Enjoy.
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