More Tacos

The tacos at the Trent Walker fundraiser were so good, Kitty and I decided to whip up some more at home. These were of the uber-simple variety...Flatiron Steak seasoned with Ivy & Devine Coffee Rub (soon to be available at McDade's) on a warm tortilla with cilantro and a bit of horseradish mayo. Yum.

Dinner with Deborah

Our friend Deborah joined us at home for dinner last night. We had a great visit and from the pictures below, I think you can tell that Deborah enjoyed the meal. I made Flatiron Steak with a Wine Reduction Pan Sauce, Lobster Whipped Potatoes and for Kitty, Gluten-free Broccoli Au Gratin. Before dinner we cracked a bottle of Castle Rock Pinot from California's Central Coast and with the meal, we uncorked a Parados Malbec from Argentina. 
I had never attempted to make any dishes "au gratin" with gluten-free baking mix before last night. I figured that with a small gathering, if I bombed with it, I could always throw some Fordhooks in the microwave and no one would be the wiser. As it turns out, you can use the stuff pretty much like flour when making a bechamel sauce.
Bon Appetit!
~Tom

Marinated Flat Iron Steak with Pan Sauce

1 Flatiron steak (2-3 lbs.)

2 cans pilsner beer

½ cup Dales Steak Seasoning

1 Tbsp. Ivy & Devine Coffee Rub

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/3  cup good red wine

½ cup rich beef stock

Fresh ground black pepper

6 green onions

1 bunch parsley   

Prep

Marinate steak in beer and Dales Seasoning for at least three hours before cooking. Remove from marinade and pat dry. Allow meat to come to room temperature and rub thoroughly with Ivy & Devine Coffee Rub. Finely chop parsley and green onions. Turn on broiler and allow it to become very hot.

Cook

Heat a large iron skillet over high heat until it is very hot. Add 2 Tbsp. butter to the hot skillet and as soon as it melts and foams, add steak and cook for one minute on each side. Transfer skillet to broiler and add 1 more Tbsp. butter. Broil for seven minutes and transfer from broiler back to stovetop over medium heat. Remove the steak and allow it to rest in a bowl covered loosely in foil while the sauce is prepared. Turn off the broiler and place a large platter in the oven to warm. With the pan on the stovetop over medium heat, deglaze the pan with wine and allow it to reduce to 1/3 of its original volume. Add beef stock and continue reducing until it is ½ of its original volume. Turn heat to low and add any liquid that has pooled in the bowl beneath the steak and remaining butter. Stir in butter until it is completely emulsified and add ½ of the green onions. Add black pepper to taste.

Plate

Slice steak at an angle, place on warm platter, fan the meat and top with pan sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley and remaining green onions.

(Serves 4)

Lobster Whipped Potatoes

4 large russet potatoes

1 Tbsp. lobster base*

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 cup whole milk

4 green onions

Salt

Pepper

Prep

Peel and cube potatoes. Set milk out and allow it to come to room temperature. Finely chop green onions.

Cook

In a large saucepan or medium stock pot, cover potatoes with cold water, add 1 tsp. salt and bring to a boil. Continue boiling until potatoes are tender enough for a knife to pass through them with little resistance. This should take about 12-15 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Drain all but ¼ cup of water from the potatoes and return the pot to the stove. If you can’t determine this amount by “eyeballing” the liquid, remove ¼ cup of the hot water, set aside and then drain the potatoes completely and return the reserved water to the pot. With a potato masher or ricer, mash the potatoes until all the lumps are gone. Add lobster base and butter and stir thoroughly. Slowly add the milk, a little bit at a time and whip with a wand mixer while the milk is added. You may not use all of the milk before the desired consistency is reached. When the potatoes are velvety and completely lump-free, add salt and pepper to taste.

Plate

Serve hot and top with chopped green onions.

(Serves 6)

*I recommend a brand called Better than Bouillon.

Gluten-free Broccoli Au Gratin

6 heads fresh broccoli

4 Tbsp. gluten-free baking mix

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 cup shredded jack cheese

¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 cup whole milk

¼ tsp. nutmeg

1 whole pod garlic

1 tsp. olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Ingredient

Prep

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut broccoli florets from the stalks and place in a microwave and oven safe dish, season lightly with salt and pepper. Make a ¼ inch slice through the top of the garlic pod. Drizzle garlic with salt and pepper and wrap in foil. Allow the milk to come to room temperature.

Cook

Place the foil-wrapped garlic in the hot oven and roast for 15 minutes. Add 3 Tbsp. water and cover the dish containing the broccoli with plastic wrap, cut several holes in the wrap and microwave for three minutes. Carefully remove the plastic wrap and allow the broccoli to cool while you make the sauce.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and add the baking mix. Whisk together until velvety. Slowly add milk and whisk constantly (this sauce is now called a béchamel). Remove the garlic from the oven and squeeze the roasted cloves into the béchamel and continue to whisk until the garlic is fully emulsified. Pour the sauce over the broccoli and add ¾ of the cheese. Mix thoroughly but gently so as not to break up the florets. Top with remaining cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and the sauce is set. Finish under the broiler for 2 or 3 minutes to brown the cheese.

Plate

Serve hot.

(Serves 6)

 Before...

After...

A Slab of Goodness

What did we do before the Flatiron Steak? I buy them by the half-dozen, keep em in the freezer and always have the ability to whip up a steak without much thought. When I can remember, I take a Flatiron out of the freezer and put it on a plate in the fridge (uncovered) about a week before I want to cook it. This alloys it to "dry age" a bit before you cook it. Doing this intensifies the flavor and makes it more...steaky (if that is a word). You can cook a Flatiron on the grill but tonight's recipe involves the stovetop and the broiler. Remember that a hot plate is imperative when serving steak. When I cook steaks in the broiler/oven, I put the plates in the oven when I remove the meat and turn off the oven. This way, the residual heat will warm the plates and the serving platter while you make the sauce.

Flatiron Steak with Brandy Pan Sauce

1 Flatiron Steak
3/4 cup beef stock
1/8 cup brandy
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 bunch parsley
salt
pepper

Prep
If you have time, unwrap the steak and place it on a plate, uncovered, and put it on the bottom rack of the refirgerator for a couple of days before cooking. It will turn a dark red and not look to hot, but trust me...it is much better than right out of the package. Finely chop the parsley. Peel the garlic and rub the clove all over the meat. Season the steak with salt and pepper. Place the oven rack in the center position. Turn over broiler on high and allow it to heat up for at least fifteen minutes.

Cook
Heat a large black-iron skillet over medium-high heat until it is very hot. Add olive oil and butter to the hot skillet and when the butter is completely melted, add the steak and cook for one minute on each side. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for 8 minutes. Remove steak and place on a cutting board and allow to rest under foil while the sauce is prepared. Transfer the skillet to the stove top over medium heat. Deglaze pan with 1/2 cup of beef stock. When the liquid is reduced by one half, add brandy and continue reducing until the liquid just covers the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to low and add remaining stock and butter. Carve the steak into 1 inch slices and add any juice remaining on the cutting board to the sauce. Stir the sace to incorporate all liquids.

Plate
Add sliced steak to a warm plate and top with sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley.