Steak

We had our first steaks last night -- NY strip, 1" thick. They were fairly large (well not by American standards, but more meat than you really need in one sitting). I decided to keep it simple, to see what the meat taste like. (Also, I was lazy and didn't get around to marinating them.)

I simply salted & peppered the steaks and let them sit for a while, as Alton Brown recommends in his book Food+Heat=Cooking. I choose to pan fry them, though I thought about broiling them. Seared them in my cast iron pan for about 3 min per side. The instant read thermometer read about 133F. Placed them on a plate, added a pat of butter, and tented with foil.

While the meat was resting, I sauteed up a half an onion, some sliced mushrooms, and a bit of garlic in the pan juices with a bit of butter. I had originally planned on making Balsamic Vinegar Brussel Sprouts, but that idea got nixed when I decided to pan fry the steak, since I only have one cast iron pan. Instead, I microwaved some frozen green beans. I also reheated some couscous left over from making Chicken Korma. (I know rice is traditional, but couscous is quicker. The korma turned out well, but I've determined I need a Sumeet spice multi-grinder.)

Right before serving, I dusted the steak with some Fleur de Sel. The steak was very good, although it was more medium than medium rare (which is how I perfer it).