If my boys had their way I would spend the week focusing all my energy on Halloween costumes. They have been planning possible costumes since this summer, including one complicated plan that involved about eleven springs with pies on the end. I would do my best to explain that one, if I had any idea what it was supposed to be. They assured me it would be simple, once we had constructed the door mechanisms and hidden switches. Happily we have moved on from that idea and have settled on a chimney sweep and a chimney. Since the decision was made Sebastian has suggested every day that Lewis make a list of what we need for the costume so the boys and I can buy everything while he is at work. Given that most of the more over the top costumes and their execution came from me I don't know why he thinks Lewis needs to complete this step.
As far as working on Halloween costumes my newest obsession is getting in the way. I have been far too preoccupied with my newest cookbook to make costumes. Last week I received a review copy of All About Roasting: A New Approach to a Classic Art
by Molly Stevens. Ever since I have been plotting meals or cooking from it. I didn't want to let Lewis being sick get in the way of my dinner plans, so on Friday night I made Quick Roasted Scallops with Sriracha and Lime, Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brussels Sprouts Chips Garnish, and Butter Roasted Cabbage Strips with Caraway and Mustard Seeds for my father, my children, and Nana Diane while Lewis slept. Really it was the perfect opportunity for this menu, because Lewis does not like scallops. The whole meal was delicious, the highlight being a new favorite recipe for preparing cabbage, a vegetable I know I will see a lot of every winter.I realize many of you do not share my obsession with cabbage recipes, so instead I am going to share Molly's Sear-Roasted Strip Steak. We eat a lot of steak here because I split half a cow with friends every year. Now I have my go to recipe for strip steak. Lewis emphatically agreed, declaring this the best steak he ever ate. It might not be a fair comparison to all the steaks he has eaten before as I topped this one with her recipe for Blue Cheese and Chive Butter. To make the butter I used my latest installment of cheese I am testing for Point Reyes Farmstead. The Blue Cheese Chive Butter recipe as well as my assessment of the blue cheese they just sent me to sample can be found on Culture Magazines blog.
Steakhouse-Style Sear Roasted Strip Steak
From All About Roasting
by Molly Stevens, a book you really want to own.Serves 2 to 4
Method: Combination sear and moderate heat
Roasting Time" 6 to 10 minutes (plus 2 minutes to sear)
Wine: Strip steak and Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic combination. Look for good bottles from California's Napa and Alexander Valleys or Washington State.
Two 12 to 14 ounce New York strip steaks, 1 to 1 1/2 inches {I used 2 beef loin sirloin steaks that weighed about 8 ounces each}
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp peanut oil, grapeseed oil, or other neutral flavored oil {I used 1 1/2 Tbsp, next time I will use 1 Tbsp}
1 to 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened (the range is dependent on how decadent you want to be)
1 HEAT THE OVEN. Position a rack near the center of the oven and heat to 375 degrees (350 degrees convection). Let the steaks sit at room temperature while the oven heats.
2 HEAT THE SKILLET. Place a large cast-iron or black metal skillet (a 12 inch skillet will hold two steaks nicely {for my smaller steaks I used a 10 inch skillet}) over medium heat and heat the skillet while you season the steaks. {Walking away from the heating skillet to attend to squabbling children and getting vegetables from the basement may cause the smoke alarm to go off and alert the neighborhood to the fact you are cooking again. However in my experience it does not adversely affect the end result.}
3 SEASON THE STEAKS. Sprinkle each steak aggressively all over with salt and pepper, turning the steak and pressing all sides down onto the seasonings that fall onto the work surface. you want the entire surface to be seasoned. If you prefer to measure use 1/2 to 3/4 tsp salt and 3/4 to 1 tsp pepper per steak.
4 SEAR THE STEAKS. Once the pan is hot, increase the heat to high and add the oil to the pan, tilting to coat. When the oil begins to shimmer, after about 30 seconds, place the steaks side by side in the skillet. Let them sear without disturbing; nudging the steaks will interfere with the browning. After 2 minutes, lift the edge of one of the steaks to check whether it is well seared. If so immediately flip both steaks and smear the tops with butter, diving it equally. (If the steak isn't brown yet, continue to sear for another 45 seconds and check again.)
5 ROAST. Immediately transfer the skillet to the oven. After 6 minutes, start checking for doneness either by touching the meat (the steak firms up as it cooks) or by taking the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. Baste the steaks with pan juices each time you open the oven, and check again every 2 minutes until the steaks are done to your liking. Depending on what degree of doneness you're after and how often you open the oven to check in them, expect them to roast for 6 to 10 minutes, or until they reach 115 to 120 degrees internal temperature for rare, 120 to 125 degrees for medium-rare and 125 to 13 degrees for medium.
6 REST AND SERVE. Immediately transfer the steaks to a cutting board, preferably one with a trough - to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve on individual plates if serving 1 per person, or cut in half to share. Pour the pan drippings and any juices from the cutting board over the tops of the steaks and serve.
