Sauteed Garlic Pepper Steak with Provencal Mushrooms and Onions

Today we are going to kick off the first recipe of the year with one of my favourites -- a sauteed garlic pepper steak with Provencal mushrooms and onions.

This dish is best made with boneless steaks like Rib Eyes or New York strip loins.



First, for each steak you want to mince two cloves of garlic and blend with two tablespoons or so of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Put half of this mixture on each side and press in gently with a spoon. (You can also use pre-minced garlic in oil, in  which case you want to use about a teaspoon a side.) Then coat the steaks liberally with freshly ground black pepper and to taste with salt. Let the steaks sit, at room temperature, for around 45 minutes.

When you are almost ready to cook your steak chop up some mushrooms and season liberally with Herbs-de-Provence and salt and pepper to taste. Saute the mushrooms in EVOO in a large saucepan for around 5-7 minutes over medium-high heat or until done to your liking. You want to make enough mushrooms to cover each steak fully so plan accordingly. Set the mushrooms aside, covered, to keep them warm.

Then do the exact same thing with some chopped onion, again making enough to cover the steak thoroughly. Again, set aside, covered to keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat up a cast iron pan, ridged if you have one, and cook your seasoned steaks exactly as described in the previous post "Smashed Potatoes and Crosshatched Rib Eyes".

While I hope you cook your steaks rare, rare-medium or medium-rare, when they are done to your liking and you have let them rest, place each steak on a plate and cover with the mushrooms and onions.

This delicious dish, full of flavour, is great with a baguette, an Italian or Caesar salad, red wine and whatever else you like steak with!

Enjoy.

See also: Pesto pepper steak with sour cream & pickled peperoncini

See also: Lemon Minute Steaks with Sauteed Mushrooms

Smashed Potatoes and Crosshatched Rib Eyes

Today we are doing a true "meat and potatoes" recipe with smashed potatoes and crosshatched rib eyes done on a cast iron grill pan.

Crosshatching is a visually and texturally appealing method of cooking a steak that gives it those grill marks that we so like to see at restaurants, while smashed potatoes are a delicious and easy alternative to mashed potatoes.

To start off you want to get the potatoes going. Boil some unpeeled whole potatoes until just fork tender. This generally takes about 10 minutes, though this can vary with size. You want a fork to go in easily but for there still to be some resistance.  While they are boiling, prepare a flat baking tray and drizzle the surface of it with olive oil. Pat dry the potatoes and place on the olive oiled pan.

With a potato masher push down on each potato until it splits open and flattens, making sure not to actually mash it. You want them to look "smashed"!

Then brush each potato liberally with more olive oil,  and cover with salt and pepper to taste (though really, these are better well salted). You can also sprinkle them with other seasonings or herbs. I like to sprinkle French Fry Seasoning on them.

Place the pan on the high rack of an oven preheated to 450 degrees. You want to bake them until golden brown and wonderfully crispy, which takes around 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove your rib eyes from the fridge, brush both sides with olive oil and coat liberally with salt and pepper. Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

To make crosshatched steaks on the stove top you need a ribbed cast iron grill pan. These are well worth investing in as they cook great steaks, pork or lamb chops, etc. The ribbing is the key to this. As years go by, if properly maintained and cleaned (no soap!) these become more seasoned as well. 

Heat the pan on medium-high heat (mark 6 or so) until thoroughly preheated. You want the steaks to really sizzle when they hit the pan.

Put the steaks on the grill pan in one direction. I cook steaks rare to rare medium. The steaks I was doing were around 3/4 of an inch thick. Cook them around 2 minutes, and then flip and do two minutes more. Then, flip again, rotating the steaks 90 degrees this time. Do them a further minute, flip again and fry another minute more, and remove to a platter. Let them sit 2-4 minutes before serving.

 If you like them more medium or medium well, or if they are a different size, then you will have to adjust times accordingly. Cooking steaks the way you want them every time takes practice, but ultimately the best and most universal method of telling when they are done is by their "give".

This meat and potatoes pairing is delicious, easy and a real crowd pleaser. Perfect with red wine and lemon wedges for the steak.

Enjoy!