Papayas are in Season: So Marinate a Flank Steak!

By a conservative and rough measure (Google Maps), I have traveled over 19,494 miles between March 22 and May 28. That's 78 percent of the circumference of the earth. WHAT.

I have been to 13 states on 6 business trips and 3 personal trips, stayed at about 9 different hotels, celebrated a buddy's wedding, and eaten hibachi with a bunch of high school prom-goers (funny story*). Now I am home. For now.

My returning-home ritual includes, of course, a thorough shopping trip to restock my kitchen supplies. Now, I don't think I'm making any radical claims when I say it's best (and cheapest) to cook with fruits and vegetables when they're in season -- and Everyday Food magazine told me papayas are in season.

So, I went out and bought a papaya, using some Googled instructions (my smartphone is my friend) for picking a good, ripe fruit. And find one I did -- my papaya was enormous, heavy, soft, and delicate, with a flowery aroma. After cutting off the rind, halving it, and scooping out the seeds, I pretty much went to town on the delicate meat, eating spears of bright red juicy goodness until I was pretty much sick of papaya.

Then I was like, "Hey. I still have half a papaya."

So obviously I marinated a flank steak in papaya. Recipe after the jump!

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Legit Paella, with Chicken, Shrimp, and Sausage

In between law school applications, the Jewish High Holy Days, preparations for my travels to the Yucatan, and the regular ebb and flow of work -- I've still been finding a little time here and there to engage in kitchen adventures.

Among the recent dishes I've whipped up is a recurring favorite of mine: My chicken, shrimp, and turkey sausage paella (recipe below)! And I'm excited to show you the awesome pictures I took, like this one:

See how nice I made it look? Just so you know, it was really hard to make the shrimp stand up. But I did it for you, my loyal readers. I even artistically splashed some chipotle hot sauce on the plate!

Though I live by the maxim that anyone can cook any dish with the right preparation, ingredients, and patience, I'll readily admit that paella is a challenge. It's time and recipe intensive, entails juggling multiple prep stations and multiple burners-worth of ingredients, and makes for a LOT of dirty dishes.

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Pan-Seared Flank Steak, Stonewall Kitchen Style

Outstanding Savory Condiment, indeed.

Though I've become a D.C.-citizen, sans-voting rights and all, I remain at heart a Mainer with an inordinate amount of state pride. So, obviously, I am a staunch and stalwart supporter of Stonewall Kitchen products. 

Oh, you didn't know? Stonewall Kitchens, purveyor of awesome jarred sauces, syrups, salsas, and other good stuff, is based in York, Maine.  

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