Skillet Seared Ribeye

Everyone who knows me knows I loves me some steak! And although it causes a bit of smoke in the kitchen (it's fine - just disconnect the smoke detector!) it produces a perfectly cooked steak each time. So grab your iron skillet, and let's get started!

Why an iron skillet, you ask? Grill marks are pretty and all, but I'm more about taste. For all you food science geeks, you know what I'm talking about: the Maillaird  Reaction. The more your meat touches a hot surface (in this case a flat iron skillet) the more browning/caramelization you get on the meat and the tastier it becomes. Oh, I should also add that I currently don't own a grill...so grilling a steak isn't really possible. STILL - I'd choose to pan sear one any day of the week! 

INGREDIENTS FOR STEAK

- a steak (preferably ribeye) that's at least an inch and a half thick

- Lawry's Seasoning Salt or Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning (whatever you have on hand)

- Worcestershire Sauce 

- Dales Steak Seasoning

Seasoning: 

Very simple. Season the thick cut steak with some Lawry's Seasoning Salt or Tony Chachere's, whatever you have in hand. Douse it with some Worcestershire Sauce and Dale's Seasoning. Let sit for at least 20 minutes.

Cooking:

I got these instructions from Alton Brown. Works like a charm.

Place a 10-to-12-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven and heat the oven to 500 degrees F. Bring the steak to room temperature. 

When the oven reaches temperature, remove the skillet (remember it's hot!) and place on the range over high heat for 5 minutes. Remove steak from marinade and coat the steak lightly with oil.

Immediately place the steak in the middle of the hot, dry skillet. Cook 30 seconds without moving. Turn with tongs and cook another 30 seconds, then put the pan straight into the oven for 2 minutes. Flip the steak and cook for another 2 minutes. (This time is for medium-rare steak. If you prefer medium, add a minute to both of the oven turns.)

Remove the steak from the skillet, let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

MUSHROOMS

- Sauté the mushrooms in a pan with the same seasonings as the steak marinade.

INGREDIENTS FOR MASHED SWEET POTATO

- 1 large sweet potato

- 3-4 tbsp butter

- 1 tbsp REAL maple syrup (just splurge and get the real stuff. It's better for you, you don't use it too often, and it makes a world of difference.) or raw honey

- dash of cayenne pepper

Cut the sweet potato up in big chunks and boil until soft enough to mash. (I find if you soak the sweet potato chunks in water for at least an hour beforehand it gets rid of that weird stringy consistency that sweet potatoes sometimes have.) Mash the sweet potato with the other ingredients and serve. (One sweet potato will serve two people.)

INGREDIENTS FOR ASPARAGUS

- bundle of asparagus

- 3 tbsp butter

- 1 shallot, minced

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- dash of olive oil

Although my mother would hate for me to "waste" any part of the asparagus, we're not actually supposed to eat the entire stalk. Asparagus will break on its own when you bend the stalk (right at the point you're supposed to cut it) so I break them by hand instead of cutting them (This is only if I'm eating them as long stalks, which, admittedly, look prettier.)

Melt the butter with the olive oil, add the shallot and garlic. Toss in the asparagus and cover until tender.