Pink Himalayan Salt Block-Grilled Top Sirloin Steak and Scrumptious Crab Cakes

Sorry about the brief hiatus. Here I promised you my deeeelish recipe for cooking on a Himalayan salt block, and I left you hanging....I had a bit of unexpected travel and now I am back. So, as a token of my appreciation for your coming back to my blog, I am giving you a two-fer:  One recipe for Salt Block-Grilled Top Sirloin Steak and one recipe for  Scrumptious Crab Cakes. You know what? You can even cook these together for an awesome romantic Valentine's Dinner. Just sayin'.....


Salt Block-Grilled Top Sirloin Steak
Serves 2
If you are not familiar with a Himalayan Salt Block, I suggest spending a few minutes perusing this site as they explain it better than I, and I the salt block that I own came from Salt Works (thanks kids!!!!).  

This block is HOT!!!!! 

The biggest tip I can offer is that you want the meat as dry as possible -- so that you "sear" the steak rather than "steam" it (Steaming will result in a very salty, unpleasant taste.)


Ingredients:
2 Top Sirloin Steaks (or a beef fillet or strip)
1 (8 x 8 x 2 inch) Himalayan Pink Salt block

Directions

1. Place the Himalayan salt block on a broiling pan and place it onto the middle rack of your oven. Heat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Meanwhile, dry the meat by dabbing paper towels to soak up any moisture, meat blood, etc. Sprinkle the meat with pepper. (Use no salt as the salt block will impart enough salt!!). Set aside while salt block heats.
3. Heat the  Himalayan  salt block for about 30 minutes. Prepare any other side dishes (e.g., salad, rice) because when the salt block comes out of the oven, you will be ready to cook the beef! I made onion soup so we could eat it while the steak was cooking.
4. Remove the salt block from the oven and transfer it to a trivet.  
5. Place your meat on the hot salt block. Sear meat on both sides for about 3 minutes per side (I like my steak medium rare); go for 5 minutes on one side and 3 on the other, if you like it no longer pink.
6. Remove and serve the meat.
7. Once the salt block cools completely (after about 2 hours!), rinse it quickly and scrape off any meat residue (I like to use the Pampered Chef scrapers). Dry overnight between two paper towels.

French Onion Soup that we ate while the steak was cooking.
Toasted English Muffins work great if you don't have a baguette! 

Scrumptious Crab Cakes

Serves 2 (with 2 crab cakes for leftovers!)
Ingredients:

• 1 pound lump crab meat
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 2 teaspoons green onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons Old Bay™ seafood seasoning
• 1 tablespoon low fat mayonnaise or low fat sour cream
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 Tablespoons of frozen corn (I like Trader Joe's Roasted Corn)
• Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 Tablespoon canola oil
• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
• 
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil (makes for easy cleanup!).
2. Combine crab meat, parsley, green onion, mustard powder, pepper, and seafood seasoning,  mayonnaise, corn, Worcestershire, and egg. Stir together with fork to blend all ingredients. Do not over mix.
3. Place about 2 Tablespoons bread crumbs in palm of left hand. Add 1/2 cup crab mixture to left palm. sprinkle about 2 more Tablespoons on top and shape mixture into a crab cake using right palm. You want just enough breadcrumbs to help hold the shape.
4. Repeat for rest of crab meat. This should give you 4 crab cakes. Place onto plate. 
5. Heat oil and butter in electric skillet to 320 degrees F.
6. Add crab cakes and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until lightly browned.
7. Flip using two spatulas. Cook crab cakes for about 3 minutes on other side.
8. Transfer to cookie sheet.
9. Finish baking crab cakes in preheated oven for 15 minutes, until nicely browned.

Enjoy!!!

Next recipe: 3 Mustard Chicken