Steak, Potatoes, and Fancy Word Friday

Let's talk steak.

It's delicious, maybe nutritious (if you follow the Adkins). It's my favorite treat for a special meal.

I did not make this, but Joey ate this and it was mouthwatering.

Credit to Mojitos

First, let's compliment this steak dinner and make a gratin.

Gratin (French pronunciation: ​ is a widespread culinary technique in food preparation in which an ingredient is topped with a browned crust, often using breadcrumbs, grated cheese, egg and/or butter. Gratin originated in French cuisine and is usually prepared in a shallow dish of some kind. A gratin is baked or cooked under an overhead grill or broiler to form a golden crust on top and is traditionally served in its baking dish.

via wikipedia.com

Peel those potatoes. Annoying but a MUST.

Get yourself some serious knife skills or if you lack those, get a mandolin, OXO brand like me! I think ours is from Target. Its pretty amazing but inexpensive!

Compliment my manicure. (OPI Red if you must know.)

This was a Level 2 cut.

When you cut your potatoes, put them in a bowl of cold water. Don't let those puppies brown. Blech.

I lined my dish with some oil spray, then parchment paper.

My gratin was made with Pepper Jack cheese.  I had it in my fridge….so what? Yum. I will say, it was spicy and had a major kick. I loved it and normally don't like super spicy.

Layer potatoes, S&P, pepper jack, until you run out of layers or potatoes. I try to make the last layer cheese so it browns in the oven.

This is the special part. HEAVY CREAM. Just heat 1 1/4 c with 1 stick of butter (!!) up on the stove on LOW (trust, no other way than low). Let it heat through then pour over your potato layer fun.  Put that covered in the oven at 300 for 1 1/4 hours. You will thank me later.

Asparagus. Yum. Roast with olive oil, s&p for 45 min at 400. If you try to do both gratin and asparagus at same time, I'd boil the asparagus first for 5 min, then put in ice water to stop them from cooking to nothing, dry, then roast  on a pan at same temp (300)  for about 40 minutes.

Look at those beauties.

If you want a true filet mignon do the bacon wrapped filet ala Joseph. S&P those beauties. 

Here's how we roll. Splurge (omg $20) on two baby cast irons. . Heat those suckers up on broil while you prep your steaks.  Mind you, already have your side dishes cooking - cover those with foil or a lid while the oven is on broil. You will be sad with burnt food...

Imagine an amazing searing sound...

 Then after you flip with some tongs after 8 minutes (glass of wine), still in oven, and use your handy meat thermometer… They should be around 125 degrees.  Pull them out of the oven and sit on the stove top….they still cook and need to rest for a few to redistribute the juices (10 min tops). And those cast irons are no joke. They are HOT. Yum. Also, nobody likes a dry steak. Meh.

Then, delicately plate your dish so you can take a picture that is a bit lackluster like this one. I swear it's delicious! Better than an Applebee's commercial! Amirite!?

How do you like to make your steaks? I prefer a filet, but Joey likes a strip. I can't wait for grilling season…