Recipe(tried): Ginger Flank Steak with Wasabi Smashed Potatoes, Sesame-Soy Green Beans and Peppers, and Spinach Salad with Sesame Seeds

DH and I liked this Asian inspired "meat and potatoes" meal from Rachel Ray. The chopped scallion-cilantro-lime zest garnish was so nice. It really finished the dish. For the Wasabi Smashed Potatoes, all I had was wasabi powder which I mixed with a little water to make a paste. I was worried about how it would taste so I probably used only about a teaspoon or a teaspoon and a half of the paste and then also added some chopped green onions. I also made my Spinach Salad with Sesame Seeds. Next time, I will get Wasabi Paste from Whole Foods since they carry it.

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GINGER FLANK STEAK WITH WASABI SMASHED POTATOES
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray
Yield: 4 servings

2 inches fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
1/4 cup tamari aged soy sauce
2 limes, zested and juiced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, eyeball it
2 tablespoons grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning by McCormick)
2 pounds flank steak
2 1/2 to 3 pounds Idaho potatoes, 4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
Salt
1/4 to 1/3 cup cream
1 to 2 tablespoons wasabi paste - how hot do ya like it?
4 scallions, root end trimmed
Handful cilantro leaves

Preheat a grill pan or indoor/outdoor grill to high.

Combine ginger, tamari, lime juice, oil and grill seasoning in a large sealable plastic bag. Add meat to marinade and coat evenly. Let stand 10 minutes then grill meat 6 to 7 minutes on each side. (I marinated the meat for about 3 hours.)

Place potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, salt the potatoes and cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and add them back to the hot pot. (Let hem dry out a bit over the warm burner of your stove.) Smash the potatoes with a masher to desired consistency with the cream and wasabi. Adjust salt, to taste.

While potatoes and meat cook, finely chop the scallions together with cilantro and lime zest.

Let meat rest 5 minutes then thinly slice on an angle against the grain. Serve meat on mash potato mounds with a garnish of a generous sprinkling of the chopped scallion-cilantro-lime zest.

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SESAME-SOY GREEN BEANS AND PEPPERS
Recipe courtesy Rachel Ray
Yield: 4 servings

3/4 pound green beans - look for trimmed, raw packaged beans in your produce department
Salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons tamari aged soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Cut green beans into 2-inch pieces on an angle. Place in a skillet. Add water, salt, to taste and cook beans 5 minutes, then drain beans. Place the skillet back on stove and add vegetable oil. Heat pan over high heat until oil smokes. Add the beans and red peppers and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add the soy and sesame oil and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve.

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SPINACH SALAD WITH SESAME SEEDS

1 (10 ounce) package fresh spinach, washed. Tear off stems.
2 Tbsp. Sesame seeds (Brown or toast in skillet with no oil. Stir over medium heat about 3 minutes.)
1 chopped hard boiled egg
You can add sliced fresh mushrooms if you like but they are are optional. (My family likes to have the fresh mushrooms in this salad.)

Dressing: Make 1 day ahead

1/4 c. canola oil
2 Tbl. soy sauce
2 Tbl. wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. dround ginger
1 small clove garlic, minced