So, it's been gross here again... days near 100, and nights in the 80s. Didn't this just happen a few weeks ago? Anyway... I've come to believe totally in the wisdom of folks in the hotter parts of the world in that when it's really hot... eat food that makes you sweat. Ergo...
I had some gorgeous beef that was given to me by a friend... about half a pound of tenderloin cubes. Not enough to load the grill with charcoal... hmmm... what to do? So... I went into the yard, pulled up 4 stalks of lemongrass, picked some Thai basil and some mint... In the processor, I buzzed garlic, galangal (I only had the powdered version... fresh is tough to find!), 2 of the lemongrass bulbs (bottom ¼ smashed and chopped fine), a spoonful of peanut butter (natural, chunky, unsweetened) and some chicken stock.
In the meanwhile, I marinated the beef cubes in EVOO, a bit of salt, the mint (roughly chopped) and some of my vinegary Habañero Hot Sauce. Then, after marinating it for about an hour, I seared the beef... but didn't cook it completely, added the sauce from the processor, heated it through, splashed in some fish sauce and soy sauce, shredded the basil... but only added it at the last second to keep it flavorful, fresh, and green... and served it over rice.
Though I'll admit our eyes were popping out of our heads, and the sweat was pouring... it felt great and tasted even better. And another example of how easy dinner is if you grow things. Think of the yard (or windowsill) as another "wing" of your pantry...