Make Every Holiday Steak Dinner an Event!

All it takes to make the perfect steak dinner is a good cut of steak, Bearnaise sauce, a Caesar salad, and a Big Green Egg, or your barbecue of choice! I love to cook and will occasionally add recipes to the blogs. 

Bearnaise Sauce The Right Way:

½ Cup White Wine (Gallo is Fine)

½ Cup Heinz Distilled White Vinegar (or other store brand)

1 Palm full of fresh dried Tarragon (HEB or Central Market)

1 Tablespoon Minced Green Onion (I usually am out)

2 Sticks of Salted Butter at Room Temperature

3 Whole Egg Yolks from Large Fresh Eggs

Put wine, vinegar, onion, and dried tarragon in a small sauce pan. When measuring the tarragon, cup your hand palm side up and fill it up! Simmer until there are approximately two tablespoons of liquid left. Let cool. Some people hate the smell of this step (my daughter!). And do not burn the pan as it will take you a month to clean it!

In a food processor, blend the butter and egg yolks. Add the above cooled mixture and blend until thoroughly mixed.

Because raw eggs can make you sick, put the sauce in a small sauce pan on low heat and cook until you think the eggs are cooked. At this point, the sauce will separate and you will have to throw it out. I have absolutely no idea why, but for the past 20 years I have totally forgotten this last step! Instead, I store the sauce in the refrigerator for up to six weeks and take out only what I need at each meal. Béarnaise sauce is also good on salmon and asparagus.  

Needs Bearnaise Sauce  Michael Gras, M.Ed. CC BY

Caesar Salad:

This is the real recipe! Years ago at Pepe’s Grill in Cozumel, when they still made the salad table side, a waiter measured everything out for me. He gave me a pen and told me to write it down on my napkin, which I did. You should not eat this dressing because it has raw eggs which can make you sick, though it does not make my family sick.

½ of Juice from a 2 Inch Round Lime

4 Large (fresh) Egg Yolks

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce (French)

4 Anchovies from a Small Tin Can

¼ Teaspoon Dry Mustard

5 Cloves of Garlic from a Two Inch Garlic Bulb

2/3 Cup Olive Oil (Bertolli Classico or Kirkland) – Not Virgin!

Pepper to Taste

Graded Reggiano Parmesan Cheese

Romaine Lettuce, cleaned

Garlic Seasoned Croutons

Peel the garlic and drain the anchovies on a paper towel. In a wooden bowl, combine most of the lime juice, and all of the egg yolks, Worcestershire Sauce, dry mustard, olive oil, and the anchovies and garlic (pressed through a garlic press, Mix well. If the dressing has a tart taste (anchovies), slowly add in more lime juice, tasting after each addition. Chill.

Separate the leaves and clean the romaine lettuce. Drain on a towel. When almost dry, put in a Ziploc bag, press out extra air, and seal the bag. Place in the refrigerator for several hours until the lettuce is crisp.

Mix the lettuce and dressing in a large bowl. Place on salad plates and top with the grated cheese and garlic croutons.

Caesar Salad           Jessica Spengler CC BY

Onion Soup: Bonus Recipe

This recipe is so simple and so good. This is perfect with Caesar Salad on New Year’s Eve!

2 Whole Three Inch Onions, Peeled and Thinly Sliced

1 Stick Butter

2 14.5 Ounce Cans Swanson Beef Broth (Other Fancy Brands do not Work)

Garlic and Onion Flavored Croutons

Mozzarella Cheese Slices, Cut in Strips (I Use Kraft)

Sauté onions in butter on low heat for about ten minutes until tender, but not brown. Add beef broth and simmer for 15 minutes.

Pour soup in four oven-proof soup bowls. Top with croutons and then top with several strips of mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is melted. Serve with Caesar Salad for a Happy New Year!