Flat Iron Steak with Red Wine Sauce

I just realized that I never posted this recipe on my blog and I am frankly shocked.  This has become a personal favorite as well as a family favorite recipe.  My photo does not really do justice to this dish simply because I find it hard to showcase it properly.  The sauce can be mostly made ahead of time and then reheated and finished just before serving.  The flat iron steak gets a quick char on the grill after being brushed with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.  This is quick, easy and yummy!

My sides were garlic mashed red potatoes and sauteed green beans with shallots.

Flat Iron Steak with Red Wine Sauce

Makes 2 servings

1 (1 pound) flat iron steak or tri-tip steak
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1/2 onion thinly sliced
1/2 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/4 cups dry red wine

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.  Sprinkle the steaks with salt and pepper and drizzle with the olive oil.  Grill to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare.  Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and tent with foil to rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the garlic and oregano and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Whisk in the wine.  (If making sauce ahead, prepare up to this point and set aside.)  Simmer until the sauce reduces by half, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.  Remove the skillet from the heat.  Strain the sauce into a small bowl, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible.  Discard the solids in the strainer and return the sauce to the saucepan and bring back to a slow simmer.  (I often skip this part and leave the onions in the sauce for a very casual presentation of this dish.)  Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into small 1/2-inch pieces and whisk into the sauce a little at a time.  Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Thinly slice the steaks across the grain.  Divide the steak slices between two plates and drizzle with the sauce.

Slightly adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

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Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Every once in a while, I just crave this very classic dish. This is a family favorite that I have been making for about 35 years. It is just your basic elbow macaroni folded into a white cream sauce with lots of shredded cheddar cheese melted in. Once everything is combined in a casserole dish, a little more shredded cheddar goes over the top before going into a hot oven for 20 minutes. It always comes out creamy and cheesy which is a wonderful combination in my book. I served some oven roasted broccoli and cauliflower as our side.


Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Serves 4-6

2 cups elbow macaroni
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

While bringing water to the boil for the macaroni, start the sauce by melting butter in a large saucepan. Stir in the flour and salt and pepper and continuing stirring with a whisk until the mixture is bubbling. Simmer and continue stirring for 1 minute. Gradually add milk (I like to warm the milk in the microwave to speed up the process of making the sauce), and continue stirring until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and continue stirring for one more minute. Add 1 1/2 cups of the cheese and stir until melted.

Once the macaroni is cooked and drained, add it to the cheese sauce and mix well. Pour mixture into a shallow 1 1/2 quart casserole dish and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese over top. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes.

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Eggs Benedict

We celebrated Jason's birthday on Saturday even though his actual birthday is not until the 13th of this month. We chose to do it this weekend since Stephanie and David had come in town again for a wedding on Friday. Even though it was a little early, I think it worked out great before the craziness of the holidays.

As is our custom, Jason sent me his menu for the day ahead of time so I could prepare for it and I was really happy to find a family favorite for breakfast - Eggs Benedict. That is how we started our day.

He decided he wanted Ethiopian food for lunch and we always go to a fabulous restaurant in Addison which is what we did. His dinner choice was individual Beef Wellingtons with oven roasted red potatoes, carrots, onions and asparagus. He typically alternates between two desserts: Chocolate Caramel Truffle Torte or fried Ice Cream. He chose Fried Ice Cream this year with some hot chocolate sauce and caramel sauce.

I think his choices were excellent! We had a lot of fun with the board games he chose to play throughout the day and of course we ate lots of yummy food.



Eggs Benedict (6 servings)

Hollandaise Sauce (recipe follows)
3 English Muffins
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon butter
6 thin slices Canadian Bacon
6 eggs, poached

Hollandaise Sauce
3 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup firm stick butter

Fill a large skillet with a couple inches of water (enough to be able to cover the eggs when poaching) and warm over gentle heat while preparing the Hollandaise.

For the Hollandaise - in the top of a double boiler, stir egg yolks and lemon juice vigorously. Add 1/4 cup of the butter. Heat over water that is just barely simmering, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, until butter is melted.

Add remaining butter and continue stirring vigorously until butter is melted and sauce is thickened. (Be sure butter melts slowly so eggs have time to cook and thicken sauce without curdling.) Once sauce is done, remove double boiler from heat, but leave sauce over the warm water to keep warm.

Split English muffins and toast. Spread each muffin half with butter, keep warm on a baking sheet in a 250 degree oven.

Melt 1 teaspoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook bacon in butter until golden brown on both sides. Place one slice of Canadian over each toasted, buttered English muffin half.

Prepare poached eggs by heating the water in the skillet to a boil and then reduce the heat so the water just simmers. Add a splash of vinegar. Break each egg into a custard cup or saucer. Carefully slip egg into water. Cook about 4 minutes or until whites and yolks are done to your preference (I like whites firm, but yolks still runny). Remove with a slotted spoon and pat dry gently with paper towels.

Place a poached egg on each muffin half over the bacon and spoon the warm sauce over the eggs.


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Salmon with Brown Sugar and Mustard Glaze

We migrated back to an old family favorite for dinner tonight; our favorite salmon recipe. We have been making this for years and the girls consider this comfort food since they have had it so often. Our sides were oven dinner rice (simply rice cooked in a covered casserole in the oven) and oven roasted broccoli which were really perfect sides for the flavorful salmon.



Salmon with Brown Sugar and Mustard Glaze
Adapted from Weber's Art of the Grill cookbook

1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon honey
2 teaspoons butter
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
1 lb. salmon fillet, skin on, about 3/4 to 1-inch thick

In a small saute pan, over medium heat, melt the brown sugar with the honey and butter. Remove from the heat and whisk in the mustard, soy sauce, olive oil, and ginger. Allow to cool.

Place the salmon, skin side down, on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Fold the edges of the foil to leave a border of 1/4 to 1/2 inch around the edge of the salmon. Coat the flesh of the salmon with the brown sugar mixture.

Grill the salmon over medium heat until the edges begin to brown and the inside is opaque, 25-30 minutes. The internal temperature should be about 125 degrees. Turn off the heat and serve fish directly from the grill, or using a large baking sheet, carefully transfer the salmon with the foil to a cutting board. Cut the salmon crosswise into serving size pieces, but do not cut through the skin. Slide a spatula between the skin and flesh and remove the salmon pieces to a serving platter or individual plates.

Serve immediately.


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