Naked Dinner

Having a garden full of fresh summer veggies and herbs has made me crave even more the true essence of food.  Don't mask the flavor, don't hide it behind butter.  Instead, underscore it with a little salt or marry to a compatible partner.  As in the movie Ratatouille, cheese has a musical and graphic flavor, so does strawberry.  When you marry the two you get a colorful symphony of squiggles and shapes.

I don't boil anything anymore.  I roast corn in its husk, untouched, unpeeled, without even peaking inside to see if all the kernels are there.   I steam my artichokes.  I make ratatouille a lot.  A tablespoon of oil becomes the flavor canvas for true unaltered onion, garlic, eggplant, pepper and tomato, aka summer in a pot.  Basil or thyme blend, like a cotton ball over pastel.

Steak seasoning has its place, but not on any great cut of meat.  A sprinkling of salt and a couple turns from the pepper mill is all it needs.  The steak sits at room temperature for half an hour, softening, warming up, taking in the seasoning, so that it can surrender it's tender umami and rich juices after a light grilling. 

Tonight we're grilling filet mignon with a side of ratatouille and roasted corn on the cob.  We're starting with steamed artichokes, no clarified butter, no dressing, just pure creamy nutty artichoke pleasure.