Finally, it’s high grilling season as the summer bounty trickles in to markets after our prolonged wet and chilly spring. I was in the Mid-Coast yesterday for a day trip and my first stop was Beth’s Farm Market where early strawberries were on magnificent display as well as the farm’s just-dug crop of new potatoes—the red variety, small, velvety and sweet. We probably won’t see those two crops in Portland until July 4th weekend.
Beth’s market in Warren with early strawberries and new potatoes are plentiful now
There was plenty of asparagus and greens, but I went for the baby chard, which looked so good on display.
The farm has 40 acres of strawberrries that fill the season with Beth’s berries through October
My second stop was Curtis Meats, that wonderful butcher shop on a rise overlooking Camden Road (Route 90). The beef from Curtis meats comes from their herd of beef cattle that graze on hundreds of acres on a rise off Route 220, across from Morse’s Sauerkraut and European Deli.
The unassuming exterior at Curtis Meats where luscious displays of beef, pork, poultry and lamb are sold
I wanted one of their 2-inch thick porterhouse steaks but they were out of it after a big run on Saturday. So, I settled for a rib-eye on the bone.
I grilled it simply seasoned with a great spice rub that I use regularly. The mixture is courtesy of Adam Perry Lang, the barbecue expert, and you can find the recipe in his book, Charred and Scruffed. Or here is the link to the recipe in a past post on Chef’s Spices.
The early summer bounty: rib-eye steak from Curtis Meats and strawberries, baby chard and new potatoes from Beth’s
I boiled the new potatoes gently in salted water and slathered them with plenty of butter and snipped scallions. The chard was sautéed in bacon fat with garlic and shallots.
With my stash of the first strawberries of the season I prepared a quick shortcake biscuit (1 1/2 cups self-rising flour or use 4 teaspoons baking powder in al- purpose, 6 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon sugar and 3/4 cup heavy cream) topped with macerated berries and whipped cream.
Grilled Rib-Eye
Ingredients
- 2-pound rib eye steak on the bone or other cut
- 2 tablespoons 4-season spice rub (see recipe link)
- Canola Oil
Instructions
- Heat a grill (gas or charcoal) to very hot. Rub the steak all over with the spice rub. Grill about 5 minutes per side, for rare, turning the steak halfway through at 45 degrees to get crisscross grill marks.
- Either use an instant read thermometer to register 120 to 125 degrees for rare to medium rare or the touch test: the beef should feel firm, not spongy.
- Remove to a platter or board and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving, sliced against the grain. Brush the resting steak with some melted herb butter (thyme and rosemary).
