Bev
and I had just returned from Gaffney, SC on Saturday where I attended a super
informative two-day class about our RV chassis put on by the Freightliner
Custom Chassis folks. Since we were then
leaving on Monday for our first RV rally, we decided we needed to invite friends Joe
and Carol over for a margarita and a steak.
We
had two 2” thick prime rib-eyes from Mother Earth Meats in the freezer (I’m
trying to empty it again).
We
also had some mushrooms we needed to use so we opted for a mushroom ragu to go
with the beef. I looked around on the
web and found a recipe for Double Mushroom Ragu from Fine Cooking. Bev adapted it for the mushrooms we had and
our taste – just click the link for the original recipe.
Double
Mushroom Ragu
Ingredients:
3
Tbs. unsalted butter
2
Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
20
oz. cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Kosher
salt
1/3
cup finely chopped shallot
1/3
cup Cognac
1
Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh thyme
3/4
cup heavy cream; more for reheating
Freshly
ground black pepper
Cornstarch to thicken if needed
2 Tbs.
chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
1. In a
10-inch straight-sided saute pan, heat 2 Tbs. of the butter with the olive oil
over medium heat.
2. Add the cremini and 1 tsp. salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have softened and released their liquid, 5 to 8 minutes.
3. Increase the heat to medium high and cook, stirring more frequently, until the mushrooms are shrunken and very well browned, 8 to 10 minutes more.
2. Add the cremini and 1 tsp. salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have softened and released their liquid, 5 to 8 minutes.
3. Increase the heat to medium high and cook, stirring more frequently, until the mushrooms are shrunken and very well browned, 8 to 10 minutes more.
4. Reduce
the heat to medium, add the shallots and the remaining 1 Tbs. butter and cook,
stirring, until the shallots are softened, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Add the Cognac and thyme then cook and stir until most of the liquid
evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes.
6.Add the cream and cook until reduced to a saucy
consistency, 1 to 2 minutes.
7. Bev added some cornstarch at this point.
8. Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Bev added some cornstarch at this point.
8. Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Since
we were using such good steaks, I seasoned them with only S&P and a little
Montreal Steak Seasoning before cooking reverse sear on the charcoal grill –
one to 125* and the other to 135* internal temp.
Since we were all hungry, I didn’t worry too much about presentation - my norm.
We
began the meal with a salad of grilled romaine (no shots) then sided the steak
with grilled herbed potatoes using a recipe from Epicurious
Grilled Herbed Potatoes
Ingredients:
2
pounds large Yukon Gold or other yellow-fleshed potatoes (we used red)
1/4
cup chopped mixed herbs such as parsley, chives, rosemary, and oregano
2
garlic cloves, smashed
1/3
cup extra-virgin olive oil (we used lemon infused EVOO)
1
lemon wedge plus additional for serving (omitted)
Preparation:
1. Wash
and cut potatoes into 1/2-inch-thick slices and cook in a large pot of
well-salted boiling water 10 minutes (potatoes will not be cooked through).
2. Meanwhile,
stir together herbs, garlic, oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in
a large shallow dish.
3. Drain
potatoes well and transfer to herb oil, tossing gently to coat.
4. Transfer
potatoes to grill, letting excess oil drip into dish (reserve oil in dish).
Grill potatoes, covered, turning once or twice, until tender, about 5 minutes
total. Return potatoes to dish and toss again with herb oil. Season with salt
and serve with lemon wedges.
Everything
was delicious and I especially enjoyed the ragu - it will be made again. I sampled the meat without sauce and while it
was very good, I don’t think my taster can justify the additional cost for
prime beef – we had a half-off coupon for these. Also, the fat between the muscles in a rib-eye doesn’t work as
well for this type of presentation as would a filet or strip.
Photos
best if enlarged by clicking on them.
Have
a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.
Larry
10/21/2013
event date
Yum, steak with mushrooms and potatoes, my favorite. Lucky Joe & Carol to be neighbors of yours when you clean out your frig :)
ReplyDeleteSam
Everything looks and sounds delicious.. I LOVE grilled potato wedges... and the sauce... I'm loving the sauce... wish I could get Chris to eat mushrooms!!!
ReplyDeleteI may have to have Jim drag a steak out of the freezer for dinner tomorrow night. I have to tell you, your comment on my block just cracked me up. But I doubt very much that those favorite words were only when you were younger. I'm sure they still work today. Still chuckling.
ReplyDeleteThat is my kind of meal! The beef looks perfectly cooked and I am loving those potatoes and mushroom ragu. YUM!
ReplyDeleteI have heard nothing but great things about the Freightliner School, but I don't have a Freighliner Chassis.
ReplyDeleteYUM.... As much as I love good steak, I'd love that dinner. The Mushroom Ragu sounds wonderful.. Thanks for the recipe.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you learned alot about your new RV.... Glad you had a good time at the rally too. AND---it was nice to catch a time to meet with your friends.
Hugs,
Betsy
I really like recipes from Fine Cooking and thics mushroom dishes sounds like a good one. Can't think of a more perfect meal. Steak, potatoes, mushrooms and a salad
ReplyDeleteLarry, Great looking meal! Laurie would take her steak with the ragu and of course, I'd go without. Love potatoes like that and the grilled romaine sounds interesting too! Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
ReplyDeleteI'll leave the mushrooms for you, but everything else looks wonderful.
ReplyDeleteYum. That mushroom ragu looks great on those beautiful steaks. Love the potatoes too. Lucky neighbors.
ReplyDeleteWhat a meal! The mushrooms are the perfect side for those beautiful steaks.
ReplyDeleteI love grilled potatoes and especially love a big thick steak! Yum
ReplyDeleteThat steak looks fantastic. A two day class about an RV chassis?
ReplyDeleteWow, gorgeous steaks. Steaks like that beg the question, when does a steak become a rib roast? lol But to me, you can't beat a 1.5+" steak, totally different thing than a 3/4 to 1" ribeye, isn't it?
ReplyDelete