Birthday Dinner For My Wife

Birthday Dinner For My Wife

Rib Steak Topped with Roasted Red and White Pearl Onions 

And a Red Wine and Apple Cider Vinegar  Reduction

Shallot and "Bacon" Risotto

Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic

Molten Chocolate Lava Cake for Dessert

On days like this I know why I never went to work at a restaurant.  This meal was a challenge to do on my own.   To get all the elements timed correctly was nearly impossible.  At my wife's request I made her risotto.  This was the first time I had ever made risotto, and it is a bit of a pain.  I stood there stirring and stirring and adding stock and adding stock.  I would have added some other flavors or vegetables to the risotto but to say my wife is unadventurous would be an understatement.  The "bacon" I used was beef fry from Romanian Kosher Sausage Company, as were the steaks.  Of course I almost forgot the green beans, and needed to hold the steaks for a while I finished them and of course they slightly overcooked.  The cake was a bit spongy for my liking, but I never claimed to be a baker.  Even though it was not perfect, overall the dinner was tasty.  Man I wish I had full crew.  Maybe next year we'll just go out.

Father's Day Steak Dinner

Father's Day Steak Dinner


Ingredients:
1 lb Bone in Rib Steak
1/4 lb of Beef Fry (or bacon if you don't keep kosher)
1 Medium Sweet Potato
1/4 Head of Broccoli
2 Scallions
Brown Sugar
Salt
Pepper

Fry the beef fry in a cast iron skillet until crispy and reserve the grease.  Cut the sweet potato into wedges and toss with the reserved grease.  Season the wedges with the salt, pepper, and brown sugar. 

Reclaim the beef fry grease and make this dressing: Alton Browns's Bacon Vinaigrette

Steam the broccoli until just soft.

Bake the sweet potatoes spread out on a sheet pan at 400.  Flip after 15 minutes and bake another 15 minutes until soft all the way the through and crispy on the outside.

Season your steak with salt and pepper and sear  it in the pan that you cooked the beef fry in.  Once you get a good sear on both sides, drop it in the over on a sheet pan at 350 until it reaches desired level of doneness.  I like it medium.  See picture below. 

 Char the scallions in the same pan you cooked the steak and beef fry in. 
 Crumble the beef fry over the sweet potatoes. Top the steak with the scallions. Drizzle the vinaigrette over everything on the plate.