I wanted make a steakhouse dinner. The meat was filet mignon that I cut from a whole beef tenderloin I found on sale. I cut them thick like you see at restaurants when they bring you this cube of meat - as thick as it is wide. The thing is, we don't need a hunk of beef that laps off the side of the plate, but when you're paying $25 for it in a restaurant you can't help but want it to be plenty big.

Onions to Go With the Steak

1 onion, sliced thin
1 tbsp olive oil
1/8 tsp salt

1/2 - 1 tsp mustard
1 tbsp lemon juice

Saute the salted onion in oil for a long time over low heat until soft. When the steak is done and resting, pour out some of the fat from the cast iron skillet and put the onions in there, stirring around to pick up some of the browned bits. Stir in the mustard and the lemon juice. Stir around until the lemon juice evaporates.

Perfect Steak

Steaks - best quality you can get
Kosher salt
2 tbsp olive oil
Sauteed onions

Wash the steaks and pat dry. Generously cover each side with the coarse salt and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Wash off the salt and pat dry. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet and brown the steaks in it over medium-high heat, using tongs to loosen from the pan after about 30 seconds. Let cook on the first side until it's nice and brown. Turn over and cook on the other side until nice and brown, turning it down a bit if it's cooking too fast. I put a lid on it, not a tight lid, just to keep the heat in because the steaks were thick and we wanted medium rare. Cook to 125 internal temperature for medium rare. Remove to a platter and cover loosely with the lid for 5 to 10 minutes. Top with the onions to serve.

Creamed Spinach


Butter
Finely minced onion or shallots
Heavy cream
Chopped spinach, cooked
Salt and pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
1/4 - 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Saute the onion in the butter until softened. Stir in the heavy cream (or you can use half and half) and cook until reduced. Stir in the spinach and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in cheese, tasting to get the right flavor. Turn into a casserole dish and heat in the oven until bubbly, or microwave.

Garlic Toast

French bread (I used sour dough bread I made today)
Garlic puree
Soft butter

Slice the bread horizontally and cut into fairly large pieces. Mix the garlic with the soft butter. Spread on the cut bread and brown quickly under the broiler.