Tuna Toast

Beef.....it's what's for dinner

No no, this isn't the beef but I didn't take enough steak photos so bear with me....and she is quite a beefy little thing, no?

When your formerly vegetarian husband instant messages (yeah, I think that's a verb now) you at work with "I feel like eating a steak for dinner," it's only natural to pack up your things, tear out of the parking lot and head for the nearest Trader Joe's to pick up two fat filets for the newly ordained carnivore (he's been eating meat for over a year but I still get excited when he's so blatant about it!). Although we initially toyed with the idea of going out to eat, I didn't feel like paying restaurant steak prices especially after doing taxes (the bane of my existence).

Before I knew it I was perusing the meat case at the Eagle Rock TJ's. I knew exactly what I wanted. It's funny- some days I find myself unable to come up with the food combination that will eventually make that night's meal. My brain goes batty with thoughts like, "Should I make broccolini with the salmon cakes? Wait....a salad? Oh- forget the salmon cakes, I'll get some nice salmon steaks. Oh wait....I have shrimp in the freezer...but I feel like chicken" and so on. But not last night. I went into the store with the focus of a Jedi Knight. I deftly moved through the narrow aisles and grabbed one bag of haricot verts, a bag of small yellow potatoes and a bag of (I know- a bag of this and a bag that but how else am I supposed to say 'bag'???) of baby spring greens. Next I picked up a pack of two perfectly plump Angus Beef filets, one cab and one zin. I was in and out in 15 minutes- a proud moment for the normally hour-long supermarket lurker.

The minute I got home I started boiling the water for the potatoes, put the haricot verts in the microwave (don't cringe- they come out perfectly crisp/tender this way) and heated a touch of butter in my pan for the filets. It was all coming together. After searing the filets and getting that lovely crust, I popped them in the oven for a minute more while I finished off the vegetables in a small pan with another wee pat of butter, sea salt and black pepper. I almost got smoke inhalation though, when I poured the red wine in my still blazin' hot pan to deglaze and create a wine reduction- I simply didn't pour enough at first so it started fizzing and splattering like mad while the kitchen filled with winey smoke. I quickly recovered with a splash of beef stock (phew) and the whole meal was complete. I considered stacking it all à la Alfred Portale of Gotham Bar & Grill fame, but I did want it to be functional so I decided against it.

Mmmmmmmm..........meat

The filet was medium rare and juicy......it was just SOOOO GOOD. Sometimes nothin' beats a nice piece of meat- especially when the entire steak dinner comes in at under $10 a person!

Just another gratuitous steak photo.....

Happy Friday!

Steak,Cooking