KOREAN STEAK

Set out bowls of crisp romaine lettuce, rice, green onions, and sesame seeds and let each person assemble his or her own package.

Prep: 40 minutes plus marinating       Grill: 14 minutes

½ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons minced, peeled fresh ginger

2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil

¼ teaspoons ground red pepper (cayenne)

3 garlic cloves, pressed

1½ pounds beef top round or sirloin steak, 1 inch thick

1 cup regular long-grain rice

3 green onions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

1 head romaine lettuce, separated into leaves

1. In large zip-tight plastic bag, combine soy sauce, sugar, ginger, vinegar, sesame oil, ground red pepper, and garlic; add steak, turning to coat. Seal bag, pressing out excess air. Place on plate; refrigerate steak 1 to 4 hours to marinate, turning once.

2. Prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling over medium heat.

3. Just before grilling steak, prepare rice as label directs; keep warm.

4. Remove steak from bag; reserve marinade. Place steak on hot grill rack over medium heat and grill, turning once, 14 to 15 minutes for medium-rare or until desired doneness. Transfer steak to cutting board; let stand 10 minutes to allow juices to set for easier slicing.

5. In 1-quart saucepan, heat reserved marinade and ¼ cup water to boiling over high heat; boil 2 minutes.

6. To serve, thinly slice steak. Let each person place some steak slices, rice, green onions, and sesame seeds on a lettuce leaf, then drizzle with some cooked marinade. Fold side of lettuce leaf over filling to form a packet to eat like a sandwich. Makes 6 servings.

Korean Steak

Each serving: About 370 calories, 30g protein, 35g carbohydrate, 11g total fat (3g saturated), 69mg cholesterol, 960mg sodium.

A SOY SAUCE PRIMER

One of the oldest condiments known, soy sauce originated in China over 2,500 years ago. But it wasn’t until the sixth century, when Buddhism and its meatless principles were embraced, that it began to be used in Japan. The strict vegetarian diet meant giving up traditional meat- and fish-based seasonings. Luckily, a Japanese priest who had studied in China began making a seasoning from fermented soybeans—soy sauce in Japan. After some time, wheat was added to give the sauce a more balanced flavor.

Supermarkets carry two types of soy sauce:

REGULAR SOY SAUCE, which is brewed from wheat, soybeans, water, and salt, is aged for several months to develop its flavor.

REDUCED-SODIUM SOY SAUCE is brewed the same way as regular but contains about 40 percent less sodium.

5 THINGS TO DO WITH . . .
BBQ SAUCE

Grab a bottle of your favorite brand and whip up these five new winners.

CHEDDAR SPREAD: Cut 8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese into 1-inch cubes. In food processor with knife blade attached, pulse Cheddar until crumbly. Add ½ cup barbecue sauce, ¼ cup reduced-fat sour cream, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, and 1 ½ teaspoons chipotle hot sauce. Process 1 minute or until smooth. Spoon into serving bowl. If not serving spread right away, cover and refrigerate up to 1 week. Serve with crackers. Makes 1¾ cups.

APPLE-CABBAGE SLAW:In large bowl, whisk together ⅓ cup barbecue sauce, ⅓ cup reduced-fat sour cream, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon salt. Add 1 bag (16 ounces) shredded cabbage and 1 Red Delicious apple cut into matchstick-thin strips; toss to combine. Serves 6.

SOUTHWESTERN BURGERS: In large bowl, mix 1¼ pounds lean ground beef, ¼ cup barbecue sauce, 2 chopped green onions, 1 tablespoon chopped jalapeño chile, and ½ teaspoon salt just until combined. Shape into four (4-inch) burgers. Place burgers on hot grill grate, and cook on medium 4 minutes. Turn burgers over; brush with ¼ cup barbecue sauce; cook 4 to 6 minutes longer for medium or until desired doneness. Place on grilled buns. Serves 4.

SKILLET BBQ BEANS: In 12-inch skillet, cook 3 slices bacon, chopped, on medium 4 minutes. Add ½ large sweet onion, chopped, and cook 8 minutes or until onion is tender and lightly browned. Add 2 cans (15 to 19 ounces each) rinsed and drained pinto or pink beans, ¾ cup barbecue sauce, ¼ cup water, and 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard. Simmer, uncovered, on medium-low 5 minutes. Serves 4.

ZESTY GRILLED CORN: In small bowl, stir together ½ cup barbecue sauce, 2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives, ½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder, ½ teaspoon grated fresh orange peel, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Place 6 husked ears of corn on hot grill grate and cook on medium 6 to 7 minutes or until lightly charred all over. Brush corn with sauce mixture; grill 2 minutes, turning often. Serves 6.

THE PERFECT BURGER

• For juiciness and flavor, use relatively lean meat but not the very leanest. You need to have a little fat for great burgers.

• Don’t overmix when combining meat and other ingredients, and don’t squeeze or compress the mixture when shaping patties or you’ll end up with dry, tough burgers.

• To prevent sticking, get the grill good and hot before putting on the burgers.

• Never flatten or score burgers with a spatula as they cook or you’ll lose precious juices.

• For safety’s sake, cook thoroughly, until just a trace of pink remains in the center (160°F). Burgers don’t have to be well done, but they should not be rare.

• Keep ground beef refrigerated up to two days in its supermarket wrap. For longer storage, rewrap in freezer wrap and freeze; use within three months.

Tex-Mex Burgers