The Laughing Monkey » Grownups Only

Steak au Poivre

Rose — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:13:27 +0000

Last Saturday, I cooked a steak for the very first time.

Romantic Dinner for Two

Harthill Farm Cabernet Sauvignon

New York Strip Steak au Poivre

Organic Green Beans

Ina’s Potatoes

Organic Spinach and Romaine Salad with Fig Vinaigrette

Ghirardelli Twilight Delight Chocolate

I was curious to try the method from Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin. Steak au Poivre is one of the Daddy Monkey’s favorite meals, and I can’t believe I never made it before. Two very thick steaks are coated with cracked black pepper and salt, then seared in a very hot cast iron skillet. They are then finished in a 250 degree oven for about 25 more minutes. (Longer if you do not like it rare.)

The steaks are removed to rest, then a minced shallot is added to the pan, the pan is deglazed with cognac and stock and reduced down. A big fat tablespoon of butter is swirled in at the end, to give the sauce more body and flavor.

It was incredibly easy and by far the most delicious steak I had ever eaten. It seems like sacrilege to put a steak in the oven but this works, and the results are far more reliable than our cheap gas grill.

Pleasure Overload

Rose — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:00:12 +0000

Here’s this week’s Date Night menu:

Smoking Loon Cabernet Sauvignon

Duck Breasts with Mushrooms

Mashed Potatoes

Steamed Carrots

Fresh Organic Greens with Balsamic Honey Vinaigrette

Lindt Chili Chocolate

My bastardized duck recipe is based on the one in Paula Wolfert’s Cooking of South-West France. The first time I ever cooked duck it was from this recipe, upon my friend Peter’s recommendation. The original recipe is fairly complicated and time consuming, but my streamlined version is pretty close, and much easier for me. I used to make this for The Daddy Monkey and I every Christmas.

Duck Breasts with Mushrooms

1 Tablespoon rendered duck fat, or a combination of butter and canola oil

2 duck breasts (Unfortunately, I always have to buy them frozen.)

1 pound sliced mushrooms (Any variety you like. Shiitakes are especially exquisite with this.)

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon minced shallot

1/2 cup red wine

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1/3 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper

Place duck fat in a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Salt and pepper both sides of duck and add to pan when it is hot. Sear on both sides until a nice crust forms. Turn heat to medium low and add mushrooms. Cook, stirring the mushrooms occasionally, until they are nicely browned. Remove duck when it is cooked to your liking, and let it rest on a cutting board. Remove mushrooms when they are soft and brown. Add butter to pan and bring heat up to medium high. Add shallot and saute until soft. Deglaze pan with wine and cook over high heat until the wine is syrupy. Add chicken stock and simmer until sauce is reduced by about half and thickened. Add cream and mushrooms and stir to combine and reheat. Taste sauce and salt to taste. Slice duck and serve with sauce over the top.

Our meal was so delicious this week that we both sat around for a half an hour afterward, too happy to move. Well, the whole bottle of wine we consumed had something to do with it, too.

The meal was so heavy and rich that I couldn’t even think about making the Bananas Foster I had planned for dessert. We were happy with a few squares of Chili Chocolate.

Date Night Dinner

Rose — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 10:00:24 +0000

I got lucky at the grocery store, and found lamb chops for $9.99 a pound instead of the usual $19.99 a pound.

Saturday’s Grownup Date Night menu:

Smoking Loon Cabernet Sauvignon

Broiled Lamb Chops with Lemon Zest, Garlic, and Rosemary

Yukon Gold Potatoes with Dill

Broiled Zucchini, Yellow Squash, and Onion

Fresh Organic Greens and Chevre with White Balsamic Fig Vinaigrette

Sauteed Cherries with Grand Marnier over Vanilla Ice Cream with Chocolate Sauce

Thank you to the Daddy Monkey for letting me eat the last of the Chevre.

Grownups Only

Rose — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 01:47:21 +0000

Last Saturday, The Daddy Monkey and I had our first at-home-date night since before The Girl was born, and it was wonderful.

On the menu:

Smoking Loon Cabernet Sauvignon

Grilled Sirloin Steak

New Potatoes with Thyme

Broccoli with Olive Oil, Garlic, and Red Pepper Flakes

Fresh Local Greens, Chevre, and Homegrown Nasturtiums with White Balsamic Fig Vinaigrette

Fresh Raspberries and Dark Chocolate

It was divine! We had a wonderful time just the two of us, and let me say that those potatoes are the most amazing thing ever. The work-to-pleasure ratio on those is off the charts. I had no dill so I used thyme from my herb garden. The nasturtiums (edible!) were also from my garden.

Can’t wait for next Saturday, My Love!