I love memoirs. My favorites include The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, Just Kids by Patti Smith, What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding by Kristin Newman, and A House in the Sky by Amanda Lindhout. I like writing that reflects on extraordinary personal experiences with wisdom and character. So, when my bookclub chose Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, I was excited. To celebrate Bourdain, our friends brought vichyssoise, cheese, wine, and homemade ice cream. We provided skewered steak, because “Tony” often wrote/spoke about his love of street food and “meat on a stick.” We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did, and if you have a memoir recommendation, please write it in the comments!

–Leah and Jeff

Ingredients (serves 8)

• About 2 lbs of thinly sliced steak (I used beef shoulder, but I think skirt steak would also work well)

For the marinade:

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
• 1/2 cup of sesame oil
• 1/2 cup of soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the sauce:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sesame oil
• 2 Tablespoons of green onion

To Prepare/serve:

• 16-20 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for at least 2 hours
• Cilantro and chopped green onion, to serve

Directions:

1. Mix garlic, oil, and soy sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish (I used a 9×12 Pyrex). Slice the meat into thin and even strips, about 1 inch wide and 4 inches long. Coat the meat in the marinade. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, as desired. Let the meat marinade for at least 4 hours (2 on each side) covered in the refrigerator.
2. In the meantime, blend the sauce ingredients in a food processor until combined. Adjust seasonings as desired.
3. Preheat broiler to high. Skewer the meat. Place in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil until just browned on the outside, about 3 minutes per side. Serve with additional chopped green onion, cilantro, and dipping sauce. Enjoy!