I don’t usually buy cookbooks but I was given one as a gift (thanks mom) and I’m sho glad about it. Cree lefavor’s the new steak offers 55 recipes for steaks with sides, grouped by region. Last night, R and I tore up some strip steak. Pretty sure I saw a tear in his eye at his first bite. Check this recipe. You’ll wanna be cree’s bff after this but because she is more famous than my ass, you can just try to be mines and maybe I’ll cook you a steak. But you have to buy them shivs – 2 strip steaks cost 23 schmacks at my dudes. One more thing before I get on with it. How much do you want to call this chick cree mcflavor? Why hasn’t she changed her name yet? I think I’ll write a letter.
I almost followed the recipe exact except I made 2 steaks instead of 4, as the recipe calls (you know R was sad) and I did not use oregano cause one time? I put oil of oregano on my tongue? and I gagged for 10 minutes and couldn’t eat pizza for 3 years. I should also say, before cree comes to my house and beats me with a heirloom tomato from her garden, I typed her recipe below in a much less professional and flowery way cause I’m lazy. Just didn’t want you think cree is as crass and unspecific as me. Her writing is soft and cookbooky, just as you would imagine.
Risotto and Strip Steak Scattered with Olives, Parsely, Pine Nuts, Lemon Peel, and Parmesan
Risotto first cause that takes the longest.
1 cup of italian arborio rice
2 tbl unsalted butter
2 tbs of chicken juices (I didn’t use this cause I wasn’t about to roast a chicken to get its juices. I just used a bit of chicken stock here, I’m sure it woulda been dope though.)
1/2 tsp of salt
2 1/2 – 3 cups of chicken stock at room temp (I’m haven’t fully jumped on the organic bandwagon yet – lemme get some chairs in my kitchen that aren’t plastic first. But, what I always do is buy products from chickens that are free range only. To me, it’s worth it.)
1 tbs freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano, plus more for garnish
2 tbs of your best olive oil
fresh black pepper
In a heavy pot, combine the rice and butter over medium heat. Stir constantly for 2 to 3 minutes until the rice is coated with the butter. Add the chicken juices (or stock) and salt, still stirring. Once it’s hot, add 1 cup of your chicken stock. Stir more, scraping the bottom as you go.
Reduce your heat to low and allow your risotto to absorb all the liquid. No need to stand over the stove like a sweaty obsessive – just keep an eye on it. When it starts to stick and most the liquid has been absorbed, add another 1/3 cup of stock . Keep doing this until you have added 2 cups of stock.
At this point, taste your risotto. It should be chewy, but you should definitely taste and feel the grain of the rice. But don’t get it twisted – it should not crunch in your mouth. Since the risotto is almost done, add even smaller increments of stock and let it absorb. Repeat until it’s the texture you want. When you have added the last of the stock, grate the lemon zest, parmigiano and olive oil. When you put it on the plate, finish with more cheese, olive oil and pepper.
At about half way through this process, you need to get your steak on.
2 strip steaks
1 tsp salt
1 clove of garlic, cut in half
olive oil for rubbing on your shteck
1/4 cup of pine nuts, toasted and salted
1/2 tsp of whole fennel, toasted and ground
1 or 2 tsp of peanut oil for frying (I didn’t use this)
2 tbs of chopped parsley (I used italian)
1 tbs of chopped oregano (ew)
1 lemon, zested
1/3 cup of kalamata olives, roughly chopped
1/3 cup of fresh parmigiano-reggiano, grated
fresh black pepper
1 tbs of your best olive oi
Prepare your steak by salting it and rubbing the garlic halves over it. When the steaks come to room temperature, rub em with olive oil. During this time, you should be gathering the rest of your ingredients cause this process goes really quickly. Cree gave detailed instructions for grilling over coals or pan frying with peanut oil, or even finishing them in the oven. But… I kinda crudely just slapped them on my stove-top grill when I thought it was hot enough. You know what? They turned out in a way cree would have been proud. Swear.
What I will include is, to check the doneness of your steak, jab a meat thermometer in the thickest part. Once it reaches 110/115 degrees, take them shivs off and cover with a loose tent of foil and let sit for 5 minutes. They will continue to cook to a lovely medium rare.
After they have sat, plate your steaks and your risotto and “scatter” your olives, parsley, oregano if using, pine nuts, and fennel. Grate your lemon and parmigiano, add your salt and pepper, and drizzle your olive oil.
One more thing, just because I typed this recipe here, doesn’t mean you don’t need the book. There are interesting bits before each recipe and lists of useful items that “everyone needs in a pantry.” I may differ on some of these items, but her list is ite. For a pro cook with a garden and a pantry.
