Nony and Me

Today is January 15. For many people, this date means nothing, but the truth is that this day is special. It's all because of Nony.

On January 15, 1918, my grandmother, Regina Abrevaya, was born, the daughter of a Sephardic, or Western European Jewish, family. In 1940, my Uncle Victor, her son, was born. It would also be the birthday of my cousin Vanessa. But the truth of the matter is that I remember that day belonging to my grandmother -- or, as we called her, Nony.

My grandmother was the youngest of four children, the spoiled baby. She married my grandfather, Joseph Amira, when she was 20 years old, and was married for the next 66 years of her life. She became a dominant force in her household, particularly in the kitchen. This woman was possibly one of the world's greatest cooks, making great food with plenty of flavor.

With her Sephardic heritage, my grandmother made the traditional dishes of Turkey, where her family was from. Since her family was from the Mediterranean, the food style was very different. There was more emphasis on fresh vegetables, eggs, fish and cheeses from the region, such as feta. It didn't help that for most of her life, she was poor, so unable to afford meat. I realize now how much influence her cooking styles had on mine, as I tend to forego meat for a long time in favor of vegetables.

In June 1982, I was born, and as is customary in Sephardic tradition, I was named after my living grandmother. My middle name, Victoria, came from my great uncle Victor, Nony's brother, who died three months before my birth. But my grandmother was extra protective of me, saying, "Tiene mi nombre," or, "You have my name." She often called me her namesake.

As a kid marching around her house, I didn't think much about the process of food -- my grandmother's cooking was simply delicious. I would often sit on her left-hand side at the dining room table, enjoying the delicious borecas and fretada that she would make, sharing a hard-boiled egg with her; my grandmother loved the yolk, whereas I liked the white.

I always remembered her smile, her complete and utter joy. Her mischievousness is something she passed on to me, but she was also clever. She was honest, and yet loving. I will never forget standing next to her, with her 4'10 frame against my 5'11 one, and her slapping me, saying, "You dumb kid!" Her voice with that sentence still resonates in my head.

I will miss her every day of my life, although I was fortunate to have her for so many years. I was happy that she knew Ari, and that she recognized that he would be the man that I would marry. I have many great stories with her (I'm sure a few will pop up from time to time), but today, on her birthday, I will remember the lady who was so protective of her granddaughter and proud of what she had become.

When we parted ways on this Earth, I hope that she left with a sense that things were going to be okay for me. Things would get difficult, but she taught me everything she could about love, about life and about what it means to truly live. I will love and miss her always.

In tribute to her, here is one of the delicious meat dishes she used to make for us. She always used this cheaper cut, and It was always a favorite.

NONY'S MINUTE STEAKS
Minute steaks (see quick tip 1)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bay leaf
5-6 cloves
4 cups water + 4 teaspoons beef bullion
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons garlic powder
Dash salt & pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Be careful that it doesn’t smoke. Meanwhile, rub the steaks with garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Once oil is hot, put the steaks in the pan. Allow them to cook, turning over to sear. Once the steaks develop a golden-brown crust, cover them with the water and bullion. Add the bay leaf, cloves and cumin. Turn down the heat to low and cover.

Allow them to simmer for 2-3 hours. The meat is ready when it is fork-tender. Make sure to check regularly, as the water will tend to reduce as time goes on. If this happens, just add more water to the pot.

Quick Tip 1: The best part about this recipe is that it can work for as many or as few minute steaks as you have. I usually get mine in a package of three that I cook all at once, and I can save the rest for later. The trick is just to make sure that the water covers all of them.

Quick Tip 2: With a recipe like this, if you don't have three hours to watch it, a slow cooker is a fabulous alternative. Just sear the meat, transfer to the cooker, put the water/bouillon in and put on low. Let it simmer for six hours to get that same consistency.