What's for dinner tonight? I purchased a package of rib eye steaks from Costco which surprisingly has very good quality rib eyes. The steaks were about an inch thick, had good marbling and a generous portion of fat around the meat. The last time that I cooked one, I cut it in half because I wanted to grill it. I like my steak cooked somewhere right between medium and medium well. I don't want to see blood dripping from the steak, but I want the hot pink center to be juicy. This time I didn't cut the steak in half. This is what I started with before I seared it.
I also picked up some fresh brussel sprouts from the grocery store that were reasonably priced. I decided to try my hand at a dish that I had at a steak house one night. My friend ordered some balsamic glazed brussel sprouts and raved and raved about how good they were. Of course I had to sample them, and they were delicious. In the past, I never cooked brussel sprouts because they are so close to cabbage that I felt like I could just buy cabbage and cook that. On this occasion though, I decided to try my hand at cooking my version of that brussel sprout dish. This is what I started with after washing and splitting the brussel sprouts in half.
I seasoned the steak with himalayan salt, hot smoked paprika, and a little cayenne powder. I seared it in a very hot skillet on all sides and then placed it in the oven at 375 degrees F while I made the brussel sprouts. I also peeled and diced a very large russet potato for the garlic dill potato side dish.
I added some sweet onions and fresh garlic to the steak when I put it in the oven. I also added just enough water in the casserole dish to cover the bottom. I wanted the steak to be somewhat like a rib roast. This is what it looked like when it was ready.
When I tested the inside of the steak, it was still bloody so I had to stick it back in the oven for a little while. This is not scientific as you can see because I was not using a meat thermometer since I am not a chef in a restaurant.
I proceeded to prepare my potatoes which I cooked in the microwave oven. I seasoned them with a little salt, some butter, dill weed and just enough water to provide some steam to help them cook. I forgot to take a picture of the potatoes before I cooked them because I was a little pre-occupied with my brussel spouts.
I sauteed my brussel sprouts in some olive oil with sweet onions, sliced garlic cloves, smoked paprika and a little salt. After they were starting to brown, I added some sweetened pomegranate vinegar that I made with sugar and water. I covered the brussel sprouts with a top over the skillet so that the seasonings could penetrate the vegetables and to tenderize them a bit more.
This is the final result. You can't really see the steak because I covered it with the onions and garlic and au jus from the casserole dish. The taste was absolutely delicious. My brussel sprouts would have looked prettier if I had tossed them in olive oil and roasted them in the oven, then drizzled the balsamic glaze over them and the onions. I am what you would call a down home cook. I was looking for flavor and convenience for this meal.
I need to learn how to edit my photos from this Canon 80D using the software that came with the camera. All of my pictures were taken by me while I was cooking. I was experimenting with using the auto focus feature without the pop up flash which tends to wash out some of the details of the picture. The last picture is dark because I did not do a good job with the light. I also will eventually have to purchase an external flash for this camera but I am putting that off for a while. I want to use what I have to the best of my ability before I start to spend more money on equipment.
Anyway, I hope that you enjoyed having dinner with me. I almost forgot. I also paired this meal with a glass of full bodied cabernet sauvignon.
Bon Appetit!
