Linda Gassenheimer

Tribune News Service

This festive, busy time of year deserves a special dinner, but one that only takes minutes to make. This glazed steak is a great way to usher in the new year. Garlic, honey and fresh ginger give this steak a hint of Asian flavor. Sauteed golden potatoes make an easy side dish.

Complete the meal by opening a bag of ready-to-eat salad and adding some croutons and low-fat dressing.

Sesame oil is expressed from sesame seeds. It has a nutty flavor. I like to use toasted sesame oil. It has a deeper flavor. It’s available in most supermarkets.

Helpful hints:

Regular sesame oil or canola oil can be used.

The cooking time is for a 1-inch thick steak. Cook 2 minutes longer for 1 1⁄2-inch thick or less for thinner steak.

Any type of quick-cooking steak can be used such as skirt, flank or rib-eye.

Red potatoes can be substituted for golden potatoes.

Countdown:

Start potatoes boiling.

Make steak

Finish potatoes.

Shopping list:

Here are the ingredients you’ll need.

To buy: 3⁄4 pound strip steak, 1 small piece fresh ginger, 1 small bottle low-salt soy sauce, 1 small bottle toasted sesame oil and 3⁄4 pound gold or yellow potatoes

Staples: garlic, honey, fat-free, no-salt-added chicken broth, salt and black peppercorns.

Garlic and ginger-glazed steak

3⁄4 pound strip steak

2 medium garlic cloves, crushed

2 teaspoons fresh chopped ginger

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon low-salt soy sauce

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Remove visible fat from steak. Mix the garlic, ginger, honey, and soy sauce together. Heat oil in a medium-size nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak to skillet and brown 3 minutes. Turn and sprinkle cooked side with salt and pepper to taste. Brown second side 3 minutes. Lower heat to medium. Spread garlic mixture over steak and cover with a lid. Cook 3 minutes. A meat thermometer should read 145 degrees for medium-rare, 160 degrees for medium or 170 degrees for well done. Remove, carve across the grain and serve.

Yields 2 servings.

Per serving: 312 calories (26 percent from fat), 9.1 grams fat (2.4 grams saturated, 3.5 grams monounsaturated), 96 milligrams cholesterol, 40.2 grams protein, 19 grams carbohydrates, 0.2 grams fiber, 354 milligrams sodium.

Sauteed golden potatoes

3⁄4 pound gold or yellow potatoes

1 cup fat-free, no-salt-added chicken broth

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Wash potatoes, do not peel, and cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces. Place in a medium-size saucepan with chicken broth and sesame oil. Cover and simmer 15 minutes, or until potatoes are soft and liquid is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Yields 2 servings.

Per serving: 169 calories (25 percent from fat), 4.7 grams fat (0.7 grams saturated, 1.8 grams monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 5.7 grams protein, 27.6 grams carbohydrates, 2.9 grams fiber, 106 milligrams sodium.

Linda Gassenheimer is the author, most recently, of “Delicious One-Pot Dishes,” featuring 60 recipes designed to be stewed, braised, slow-cooked or steamed, each in a single pot. Additional titles by Gassenheimer include “Quick and Easy Chicken,” “Simply Smoothies: Fresh &Fast Diabetes-Friendly Snacks &Complete Meals,” “Fast and Flavorful: Great Diabetes Meals from Market to Table” and “The Flavors of the Florida Keys.” Her website is dinnerinminutes.com. Follow her on Twitter lgassenheimer. Email her at lindadinnerinminutes.com.