Lubna 
Feasting with Steaks
Nothing spells holiday like a home-cooked meal filling up the house with irresistible whiffs of steak, potatoes, melted butter, tangy chimichurri, and warm bread. It’s always a special treat when Azfar decides to let his culinary creativity run free in the kitchen. Hey, a husband who cooks – every woman’s dream come true 😉! When we got married, I brushed up on my basic cooking skills, bought a bunch of recipe books, watched Food TV religiously. Little did I know I was getting married to a chef. He was always kind in not criticizing my many failures in the kitchen. Eventually, I ditched most of the recipe books and started calling him at lunch hour in the office to get recipes. I’m sure his colleagues must have had quite a good laugh out of the conversations of a newly married couple ….. “Fry the onions….crush the garlic…..roast the cumin…” So romantic!
Over the years, I’ve become Azfar’s sous chef of sorts. Sometimes, he wants his space in the kitchen, and I’m happy to give him that. So when Taimoor came home with a 4.0 GPA for his second quarter, it was only natural that his favorite be cooked, and Azfar wanted it to be a special celebration from him to Taimoor. The rest of us just benefitted in the process 🙂 After all, what better way to ring in the holidays, and a big accomplishment than with a hearty steak lunch made by a loving husband and father!
Steak with Potatoes and Chimichurri Sauce:
2 Ribeyes approx 12 ounces each (1 ½ “ thickness…with good fat marbling)
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Butter
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2-3 tablespoons Steak seasoning
Directions:
- Bring the steaks to room temperature. Rub the steak with the Worcestershire sauce and seasoning. Leave to marinate for an hour at room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Melt the butter in a heavy cast iron and add the olive oil to prevent it from burning. Note: cast iron pans are best for this because they get hot super fast and can retain the heat. The heavy base is perfect for getting a good sear.
- Lower the ribeyes in the pan and leave untouched for 2-3 mins. Flip and leave for another 2-3 mins. Cover the pan and put in the oven for 10 mins. ( This is for a medium-well steak) If you want yours rare or medium then lessen the time in the oven. Here’s a good guide to figuring out the times for various levels of doneness.
- Take out of oven and let it rest for about 5 mins on the cutting board. Resting is essential for a juicy steak.
Gravy:
Meanwhile, strain the juices from the pan and return the liquid back to the pan. Add 1 tablespoon of flour, 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and some extra butter and olive oil. Mix till it thickens. Reserve to spoon onto the steak later.
Chimichurri Sauce with a ‘Desi” Twist:
The original Argentinian recipe calls for fresh parsley. Azfar substituted that for a pureed version of a traditional mint chutney with additional herbs and oil.
2-3 garlic cloves
1 bunch mint leaves
1 bunch cilantro leaves
1 serrano pepper
1 diced tomato
½ red onion
2 tsp vinegar
Dried parsley and oregano
1-2 teaspoons Olive oil
Pinch of extra course Sea salt
Directions:
Crush the garlic, mint, cilantro, pepper, tomato and onion to a puree. Add the other ingredients and season with salt.
Potatoes:
2-3 large potatoes (skin on, cubed and partially boiled)
Olive oil and butter
Salt, pepper to taste
Parsley flakes
Directions:
Melt the butter and olive oil. Add the potatoes. Fry till slightly browned. Season with salt, pepper and parsley.
Reflections:
The many burps post-lunch, and the ecstatic ‘thank you, Baba”, ” It was scrumptious!” comments made this all the more worthwhile.
Eating a meal prepared with love, with the ones you hold most dear, is the best gift and a true blessing. I consider myself extremely lucky for being able to share this not just with my family, but with you as well. I hope you have a wonderful celebration with your family. Wishing that 2018 bring lots of joy, blessings, good eats and adventurous travels for you and yours!
