April 10th, 2008

Cook to Impress

This recipe will make you look like a fancy-Dan chef. So make sure you do it while your guests are mingling in the kitchen. They always do, don’t they?

But follow the instructions about the bourbon carefully or you won’t look so fancy-Dan anymore.

Enjoy!

Bourbon Butter Pecan Strip

4 10 oz. K.C. Strip Steaks
1 Cup Bourbon
½ Cup Pecans, shelled
3 Tbsp. Butter
1 Tbsp. Shallot
Salt and Pepper

Season both sides of each steak and cook over high heat in a heavy bottom pan, preferably cast iron, usually about six minutes per side for medium. While the steaks are cooking, toast the pecans in a hot oven, about 4 minutes at 400 degrees F. Remove steaks from pan and take the pan away from the flame and add the bourbon. Return the pan to the flame (see note) and reduce the bourbon to ¼ cup (at this point the bourbon may flame up, that is okay, it will cook itself out shortly, just ensure you are not leaning over the pan and there is nothing hanging over the pan). Add the shallots and cook about 1 minute. Add the pecans and remove from the heat. Add the butter in six pieces and swirl the pan until melted. Divide the sauce evenly over the steaks and serve. 

Note:  Never add liquor to a hot pan over a flame as it may ignite and never add liquor straight from the bottle. The flame may travel up the pouring liquid.


April 9th, 2008

Some Like It Hot

And that includes me. I’m talking about my steak.

So here’s something I have yet to understand — Steak Tartar.

Why?

I think this is one of those topics where you either love it or you hate it. I’ll let you decide where I stand.

If you don’t know what it is, basically it’s raw meat mixed with other ingredients. The folks over at Cooks.com suggest serving it atop pumpernickel or toasted French bread.

People love this stuff!

This particular recipe calls for freshly ground filet mignon or top sirloin. Now that I like . . . if it was cooked!

Here’s the recipe from Cooks.com:

STEAK TARTAR  

1 lb. filet Mignon or top sirloin, freshly ground, med. grind
2 tbsp. yellow mustard
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c. finely chopped onion
3 tbsp. capers, drained
4-5 dashes hot pepper sauce, or to taste
Seasoned salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp. cognac (opt.)

Don’t use any other grade of beef. Mix together all ingredients lightly to avoid packing the meat too much. Mound steak tartar on chilled plates and serve immediately with thinly sliced pumpernickel or toasted French bread.

Serves 3-4.

You can check out their entire page on the matter here:

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,191,159168-250196,00.html

If you decide you’re game for it, let me know how you like it!


April 8th, 2008

Rock Chalk . . .

Jayhawks!

Did you watch “The Basketball Game” last night?

Of course, I’m talking about the NCAA National Championship game between Kansas and Memphis.

Throughout all the media hype leading up to this game all I could think was, “Man, those two places really know how to do barbecue!”

Is that weird? Am I a freak of nature?

Then, the game was played in Texas of all places! Does anyone else see the madness in this? 

So, in honor of Kansas, Memphis and Texas we thought it only appropriate to eat some baby back ribs during the game.

All three places have slightly different ways of doing their ribs. And all are crazy good.

We chose the KC style:  pork ribs smoked in hickory, then rubbed with spices.

Our barbecue karma must have worked because Kansas won in OT.

Seriously. If you look hard enough, absolutely everything in life has something to do with meat.

Congrats, Jayhawks!


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