Steak: So Tasty and So Easy

A steak dinner is about the easiest meal you can put together. Start with high-quality prime meat, and you hardly have to do a thing to it.

I suggest getting a double boneless strip steak, which ends up weighing a little more than 1 pound after being trimmed of most of its fat, for every two diners. Then marinate the meat half an hour and grill it over a hot charcoal fire until rare, 12 to 14 minutes. It’s that simple. And it’s easy to slice.

The rest of the meal can be just as easy. The grilled tangle of spicy-sweet onions is a delicious side dish or topping for the meat. Serve green beans drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar along with a hunk of warm garlic bread.

For dessert, pull out the blender and make R.J. Grunt’s chocolate chocolate shake.

This menu is geared for four, but it’s easily multiplied to accommodate a crowd.

* Mandel’s latest book is “Celebrating the Midwestern Table” (Doubleday & Co., 1996).

GRILLED DOUBLE STRIP STEAKS

Sliced thin, these thick boneless steaks are juicy and flavorful and may serve more than four.

2 (2-inch thick) prime strip steaks, about 1 pound 2 ounces each

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Nonstick cooking spray

Trim steaks of all exterior fat. Wash and blot dry with paper towels. Arrange steaks on platter. Coat both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper on each side. Let rest at room temperature 30 minutes.

Spray barbecue rack with cooking spray. Prepare hot fire with few chunks water-soaked mesquite wood.

Grill steaks until crusty on outside but rare, about 12 to 14 minutes, turning once after 7 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes, covered with foil, before serving. Thinly slice meat across grain. Serve hot.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

413 calories; 693 mg sodium; 119 mg cholesterol; 27 grams fat; 0 grams carbohydrates; 40 grams protein; 0 fiber.

GRILLED TANGLE OF SWEET AND SPICY ONIONS

These onions are best grilled on a perforated grilling tray designed for small items so they don’t fall into the coals.

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1 jalapen~o chile, seeded and minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt

Scant 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

3 large Vidalia onions, peeled, cored, cut into 1/3-inch slices

Nonstick cooking spray

Combine garlic, jalapen~o, olive oil, salt, cumin and Worcestershire in small dish. Pour over onion slices in large bowl. Toss to coat as evenly as possible. Let rest at room temperature 30 minutes.

Spray small perforated grilling tray with nonstick spray. Set grilling tray on hot grill stoked with water-soaked chunks of mesquite wood, but not over hottest part of grill. Spread onion slices evenly on tray. Grill until softened and scorched only on edges, about 12 to 15 minutes, turning often with tongs. As much as possible, keep onions in slices.

To serve, separate slices into rings. Serve hot with sliced steak.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

98 calories; 338 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.74 gram fiber.

R.J. GRUNT’S CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE SHAKE

This shake is served at Chicago’s 25-year-old R.J. Grunt’s. Use low-fat chocolate ice cream or frozen yogurt if you wish, but Grunts’ uses real ice cream. The restaurant also uses Hershey’s syrup.

1 1/2 cups chocolate ice cream (about 8 scoops)

1/3 cup chocolate syrup

1 cup 2% milk, chilled

Mix ice cream, chocolate syrup and milk in blender. Serve in chilled tall, narrow glasses with straws and long-handled spoons.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

199 calories; 107 mg sodium; 21 mg cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 33 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.30 gram fiber.

* Dinnerware and flowerpot holder from Pallets of Plates, South Paadena.