After dinner, my husband encouraged me to continue perfecting this meal, but I’m thinking that he said this not because this was “sub-par” but because he wants more of the same! So, ladies, I’m pretty sure that this is the way to your man’s heart.
Pimento Cheese & Crackers
O.K. I know you are shaking your heads. But my husband, being a proper Southern gentleman, LOVES pimento cheese and, oddly enough, does not like it homemade. So I bought some “store-bought” pimento cheese from our Baton Rouge family-owned grocery store, Calandro’s, and served it with crackers.
This recipe is from How Easy is That?, the latest cookbook from my favorite cooking “guru,” Ina Garten. If there were only this one recipe in the cookbook, it would have been worth the price. These are the most perfect steaks ever cooked in a real home. Don’t ever grill a steak again. I’m not kidding.
Source: adapted from Ina Garten’s How Easy is That?
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
2 filet mignon steaks, tied (I’m not sure this is necessary) 8-10 oz. each
1 T. olive oil
½ T. fleur de sel or kosher salt (see below)
1 T, coarsely cracked black peppercorns
2 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature
Process:
Preheat oven to 400°. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, pat dry the filets mignon with paper towels. Brush the filets lightly all over with the oil. Combine the fleur de sel and cracked pepper on a plate and roll the filets on all sides in the mixture, pressing lightly to help the salt and pepper adhere. The steaks should be evenly coated with the salt and pepper. (I have cut the salt by half as I found the proportion a bit salty. Fleur de sel is pretty expensive, so using kosher salt would be a good substitute. But table salt is too salty.)
When the pan is extremely hot, add the steaks and sear evenly on all sides for about 2 minutes per side. (Be sure the cooking area is well ventilated.) You will need about 3 turns to sear the sides and about 10 minutes total. Remove the pan from the heat and arrange all the filets flat in the pan. Top each with a tablespoon of butter, then place the pan in the oven. Cook the filets for 8 to 12 minutes to 120 degrees for rare and 125 degrees for medium-rare. Remove the steaks to a patter, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. (Don’t neglect this step!) Remove the string and serve.
Baked Potato with Accompaniments
I served my husband a baked potato with garnishes of crème fraiche, chopped chives, and freshly shredded Cheddar cheese. The only thing missing was bacon, but I had to draw the line somewhere.
Brandied Mushrooms
Source: original recipe
Yield: 2-4 servings
Ingredients:
1 lb. button mushrooms, sliced in ¼ -inch slices
1-2 T. butter
Salt and pepper
¼ c. brandy
In a non-stick skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and sauté until tender and lightly browned. At this point the mushrooms can be kept off the heat. Before serving, reheat the mushrooms and add the brandy to deglaze the pan. Continue cooking until the brandy reduces to a glaze. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings
Source: original recipe
Ingredients:
2 yellow squash, sliced in ¼ -inch slices
2 zucchini, sliced in ¼-inch slices
1 large onion, halved crosswise, then sliced lengthwise in ¼-inch slices
1 T. olive oil
Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
Process:
Preheat oven to 425°. Place the vegetables on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Mix the vegetables until coated with the oil and seasonings. Bake for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned around the edges.
Red Velvet Cake
I didn’t make it ,and I didn’t serve it. While I bought a “serving” from Calandro’s, we were too full to eat dessert! But it is the perfect Valentine’s Day meal. Maybe next year.