Marinated Flank Steak with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Tiffany's Pinto Beans that Rock!

Marinated Flank Steak with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Pinto Beans that Rock!

My dear husband is a bona fide world traveler!  A week ago he explored the Pacific Rim, stopping in Shanghai, Qingdao, Seoul, Osaka, Singapore, Shenzen and Taipei, to name a few.  He flew his own chariot out of Anchorage, AK, but not before he sent me some amazing, envy-provoking shots of his mouthwatering meals from a little place called the Glacier Brewhouse.  I think his co-workers thought he was a bit odd shooting his meals and sending them home to me, but I feel like I almost lived through every bite.  Fresh Blackened Alaskan Salmon, Macadamia Crusted Halibut and some sort of decadent Brownie Sundae all made the photo line-up, and also made me extraordinarily envious!

Macadamia Crusted Halibut with Mango Salsa from the Glacier Bay Brewhouse in Anchorage, AK

On to Asia he enjoyed numerous restaurants serving a plethora of fresh sushi in addition to a highly regarded German Pub featuring the best Schnitzel he's ever tasted.  iChat became our communication, and he would occasionally face the computer camera out of his hotel windows, almost making me feel like I was there.  This trip had him visiting Seoul, South Korea where he took advantage of a fascinating excursion to the DMZ, exploring the third of four North Korean-dug tunnels discovered by the South under the DMZ... he was physically <170 meters from North Korea!  Another stop had him viewing the Olympic Torches in Qingdao (the site of the yachting and rowing competitions for the 2008 Olympics), and the next shopping in Shanghai.  Liv was thrilled with his return and a special bag full of Japanese and Korean sweets!

Singapore soared to the 2nd spot on his favorite cities list!

Qingdao, China - Olympic torch and flags (site of yachting and rowing competitions in the '08 Olympics)

Shot of the bridge to Kansai Airport, Japan (built entirely on a man-made island!)

Heading home after 14 days on the road had him carrying all of his wonderful new experiences, but also craving a good steak.  One of our favorites, an all American meal, is Cooking Light's Bourbon and Brown Sugar Flank Steak with good old Garlic Mashed Potatoes.  Flavorful steak is tenderized with a bourbon laced marinade which combines beautifully with fluffy, garlicky mashed potatoes.  

As the steak soaked in its marinade, I stumbled across the perfect side dish in Tiffany's (I Don't Cook, But my Boyfriend Does) Pinto Beans that Rock.  And rock they did!  The comment that got me was, "Or, you can make these amazing pinto beans that your guest will not only remember, but rave about during the meal, and even better, quietly ask you for the coveted recipe."   

I can't find the words to adequately describe these extraordinarily tasty beans, but they totally made our meal.  Spicy with hot peppers, bursting with flavor from a few slices of crumbled bacon and seasoned to perfection with a simple dose of thyme and cumin, these beans are a keeper for sure. With an amazing photo to match the amazing flavor of these beans, I'm going to send you to her site for the recipe for Pinto Beans that Rock and I will post our old time favorite steak marinade recipe below.

Bourbon and Brown Sugar Flank Steak with Garlic Mashed Potatoes

adapted from Cooking Light

Steak:

2 Tbs  packed dark brown sugar

1/4  cup  minced onions

1/4  cup  bourbon

1/4  cup  low-sodium soy sauce

2 Tbs  spicy mustard

1/2  tsp  freshly ground black pepper

1/4  tsp  Worcestershire sauce

1  (2-pound) flank steak, trimmed

Cooking spray

1/2  teaspoon  cornstarch

Potatoes:

3  pounds  small red potatoes

6  garlic cloves, peeled

1/2  cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/3  cup milk

2 1/2  Tbs  butter

1  tsp salt

1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

2 - 3 Tbs  chopped fresh chives or green onions

Garnish:

8  fresh chives, cut into 1-inch pieces

To prepare steak, combine first 7 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; add steak. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 8 hours or overnight, turning bag occasionally. Remove steak from bag, reserving marinade.

Prepare grill.

Place steak on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut diagonally across grain into thin slices.

Combine reserved marinade and cornstarch in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

To prepare potatoes, place potatoes and garlic in a large Dutch oven; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 30 minutes or until tender. Drain.

Return potatoes and garlic to pan, and place over medium heat. Add sour cream, milk, butter, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mash potato mixture to desired consistency with a potato masher. Stir in chopped chives. Mound 3/4 cup potatoes on each of 8 plates; arrange 3 ounces steak around each serving of potatoes. Drizzle 1 tablespoon sauce on each plate; sprinkle with chive pieces, if desired.

Lightning over Hong Kong