Steak Tartare

I've said this before and I'll say it again; one of my favorite joys of cooking is that you dont need to travel to a fancy restaurant to try an amazing dish. All you need is top notch ingredients, determination and skills. With that said, I NEVER go to a restaurant and order something I can make myself, NEVER.
Well, last week I had the tartare where my hubby works and I'm in love with it. i have never attempted to make it myself since its a lot of work, mincing raw meat can be a nightmare, but I did it and it came out wonderful!
(I'm not just saying this because I made it)
Naturally I followed Anthony Bourdain's recipe from Les Halles, adding a few ingredients of my own. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 egg yolks
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
4 anchovy filets, finely chopped
2 tsp ketchup
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Tabasco sauce, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 olive
1 oz Cognac
1 small onion, freshly and finely chopped
2 oz capers, rinsed
2 oz cornichons, finely chopped
4 sprigs of flat parsley, finely chopped
1 1/4 lb. fresh sirloin, finely chopped
French fries, optional
4 slices fine quality white bread, toasted, quartered, for toast points

Directions:

Place the egg yolks in a large stainless-steel bowl and add the mustard and anchovies. Mix well, then add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and pepper and mix well again. Slowly whisk in the oil, then add the Cognac and mix again. Fold in the onion, capers, cornichons, and parsley.

Add the chopped meat to the bowl and mix well using a spoon or your hands. Divide the meat evenly among the six chilled dinner plates and, using a ring mold or spatula, form it into disks on the plates. Serve immediately with French fries and toasted bread points.

Grilled Skirt Steak with a Watercress Salad

Anyone that knows me knows that I’m a steak and potatoes kind of girl. Since I've been trying to be healthier, I’ve been eating more fruits and vegetables, and trying to avoid the bad (or really, really good!) stuff.
Here is one of my favorite ways to incorporate red meat into a healthy dinner.

SERVES 2

1 1/2 lbs skirt steak
a bunch of watercress
1/2 red onion sliced
1 avocado sliced
1 handful of slivered almonds
3 tbsp of feta cheese
olive oil
lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste


1. Season the steak with salt and pepper, and grill. I use the Foreman grill to get rid of most of the fat. Remove from grill and let rest for about 5 minutes.
Slice into thin pieces, across the grain.

2. Toss watercress, red onion and avocado in a large bowl. Toss with salt, pepper, olive oil, lemon juice and divide salad into two dinner plates. Top salad with steak, almonds and feta cheese.

Boneless Short Ribs Stew

Stews are one of my favorite things to make, and I'm quite good at it. I usually make them up as I go without a recipe, but this one I had to blog. I usually make this whole recipe hoping to save some for the next day, but we usually we go through it in one seating. ENJOY!

8 SERVINGS

3 1/2 pounds boneless beef short ribs
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups dry red wine
3 cups beef or chicken stock
6 carrots diced small
1 1/2 pounds of sweet potatoes diced small
1 large onion diced
1/2 pound mushrooms sliced
1 tablespoon thyme leaves, chopped
8 sage leaves, coarsely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper


-In a large pot, sear the short ribs in oil over high heat until they are browned.
-Deglaze the pot by adding wine and boil until reduced by half.
-Add stock and let simmer over low heat for 2 hours at least.
-Stir in veggies. Cover and simmer over low heat until the vegetables are tender, about 35 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and ENJOY!

This recipes taste even better when is a day old, so dont be afraid to make a big batch.