Hey, have you guys met Amiel Stanek? He's the editor of our new website, Basically. He's been an editor here at BA for a while though, so you may have seen him around. Amiel also happens to be a pretty fantastic home cook, throwing fun, vibe-y (under $50!) dinner parties and creating easy recipes that taste truly delicious. Lucky for us, he's back with a few more, and since they were part of our Simple Issue, they all use five ingredients or fewer. Check 'em out:
Veggie Italian Hoagie
Sub. Hero. Sandwich. Hoagie. This is a hoagie, and a vegetarian one at that. When the tomatoes are good, we use them any way we can, and Amiel likes to slice them nice and thick for the base of a giardiniera, lettuce, and mayo-coated Italian roll. And let's be honest, when it comes to hoagies, that soft Italian roll is just as important as the August tomatoes.
Green Gazpacho
Amiel tells it like it is: Gazpacho is basically just a savory smoothie. So, why not treat it like one? It's perfect for a quick breakfast or as an accompaniment to a cold glass of rosé on a hotter-than-tolerable summer night. This green version gets it's fresh flavor from arugula, herbs, cucumbers, and garlic.
Pounded Flank Steak with Zucchini Salsa
Amiel refers to this steak as "The Minute Steak," and that's not much of an exaggeration. By pounding out a flank steak before hitting the grill, you reduce cook time (to about four minutes) and increase tenderness (by breaking down muscle fibers). An assist from the zucchini salsa makes a portion of red meat feel a little healthier, and that's the only excuse we need to get the grill fired up.
Fried Whole Fish with Tomatillo Sauce
Is there anything more romantic than a fried fish for two? Amiel thinks not. And it's also a lot easier to pull off than you'd think. The crispiness of this fish and the vibrancy of the tomatillo sauce below is here to inspire love, whether it be in your relationship with a human or, well, a whole fried fish.