seared filet with garlicky kale-mushrooms

Occasionally I get a steak craving. Monday was one of the days. I was hungry and needed a quick-cook steak dinner, and that is just what I made! Done within 30 minutes from start to finish, this whole meal is an easy weeknight choice.
 

Ingredients (for 2 servings):

1 lb filet

1 tbs mustard seeds

1 tbs black peppercorns

1 tbs salt

1/4 tsp dried cilantro

1 pinch allspice

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 package button mushrooms

1 handful of rinsed raw kale

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 stick salted butter, divided

Directions:

1. Crush and mix mustard seeds, peppercorns, salt, cilantro, allspice, garlic powder & onion powder to create the rub. Pour out onto a plate. 

  

2. Place steaks on top of rub and push down to coat. Let sit for 10 minutes.
 

 

3. Flip and press to coat on other side. Let side another 10 minutes.
 

 

4. Meanwhile preheat oven to 400F, clean & cut up mushrooms, and add to a large skillet along with 3 tbs butter. Let mushrooms sweat and cook up for about 10 minutes.
 

 

5. Add another 1 tbs butter along with minced garlic, and stir.
 

6. While garlic becomes fragrant, heat 2 tbs butter in a cast iron skillet over med-high heat. Add steak and sear for 3 minutes.
 

 

7. Flip to sear other side of steak for another 3 minutes.

 

8. Top each piece of steak with 1/2 tbs butter and pop in preheated oven (2 minutes for rare, 5 minutes for medium-rare).
 

9. Meanwhile, add the kale to the mushrooms, along with the final tbs of butter, sprinkle with salt & pepper and stir to coat. Cook until kale becomes wilted, about 6 minutes.
 

 

 

10. When the time is up for your steaks, remove from oven, transfer to a plate, and let sit for 5 minutes so they are able to reabsorb some of the liquid.
 

 

 

 

Serve warm and enjoy! I also made mine with some easy 20-minute rice pilaf sprinkled with garlic & parsley.

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boston restaurants: d

This weekend we headed out for Saturday night date night at the highest rated D restaurant in Boston on opentable: Deuxave. I had been to Deuxave once before, an early dinner with a friend about a year ago. Opening in the fall of 2010, Deuxave is the culinary creation of Chris Coombs of dbar in Dorchester (he was also featured on Food Network's Chopped, landed on Zagat's 30 under 30 list this year, and Deuxave has been featured in the top 50 Restaurants of Boston list). Deuxave is named after the fact that it is situated on the crossroads of 2 prominent Boston avenues: Massachusetts & Commonwealth. 

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After reading the almost-only positive reviews and having a nice experience the last time I visited, I had high hopes for our date night meal. On the chilly night we arrived for our reservation and were shown to a booth right behind the maître d' stand, next to the bar, and near a dishwashing station. Having been here before, I knew of the nicely organized roomy dining room lined with bottles of wine...but we were placed in the loudest area of the restaurant. Every time a group was leaving and waiting for their coats, our table was knocked into, every time a load of dishes came out we smelled cleaning supplies, and every time a group entered or left I was forced to put my jacket on. With freezing ankles, I tried to grin and bear it, hoping my appetizer would warm me up and the night would get better.

T started with the crispy duck confit with black mission figs, apple & pickled fennel salad and a spiced cranberry & cider gel. T is not a fan of fennel, and I was surprised to see him finish everything and compliment the entire dish.
 

I started with the 9 hour french onion soup which was slowly carmalized and included a beef bone marrow crouton topped with comté cheese. A large portion of a classic french onion soup, drenched in umami flavors and topped with a stringy comté, this soup had been cooking for much longer than 9 hours. I found myself almost finishing it, until I realized it was quite salty. Although a nice warming hug for my chilly ankles, I let T finish it and saved room for my next course.
 

Next T went for the tagliatelle “Bolognaise” with homemade pasta, veal, beef & pancetta topped with a creamy tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and snips of basil. Even though I'm not a fan of veal, it looked too fresh to pass up. I snagged a noodle and can confirm this is a delicious dish all around. Perfectly balanced with a well-rounded flavor, the dish was neither too light nor too heavy.

For my main meal I chose an appetizer and a side: Nantucket bay scallops & winter morels with meyer lemon melted leeks, celery root puree, and pickled cauliflower and a side of the "crispy wild mushrooms".  The scallop dish was artfully presented and well-prepared. The scallops with the pickled cauliflower were a nice combination and the celery root puree was absolutely delicious, but the morels did not seem to add much to the dish.

I love love love mushrooms, so I was excited to see the crispy wild mushrooms as a side, I had to get them. My only qualm with this side was the fact that they were not crispy, rather they tasted as though they had been sauteed but not quite crisped. They were served in a cute Staub cocotte.
 

T had won this round of dish choices, my ankles were still cold, and we will too full for dessert. We ate our mini fudge brownie and lime meringue and headed back home, agreeing to come back, but not in any rush.
 

 1: Deuxave website

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beef stroganoff

Before the time of giving thanks, we needed a non-white meat and to visit my roots, thus I made T's favorite dish: beef stroganoff. A hearty meal for the upcoming winter, beef stroganoff is a one-pot wonder (okay, maybe two if you count the pasta pot).

Ingredients (for 6 servings):
2 lb chuck roast
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
1 stick of butter
1 onion, diced
4 tbs flour
2 cups beef stock
2 tsp mustard of choice
2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup white wine 

Directions:
1. Melt butter in a large stockpot. Add beef and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt & 1 tsp pepper. Once browned add in diced onion. Stir and cook until translucent.
 

2. Add flour and beef stock. Bring to a boil to thicken. Stir to submerge all pieces of beef.

 

3. Lower heat and drizzle mustard into the pot. Stir to mix. Simmer & cover for at least 1 hour.
 

4. After at least an hour, add chopped mushrooms, sour cream, and white wine. Stir to mix, and once again cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
 

 

5. Meanwhile, bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Prepare egg noodles to soak up the stroganoff.

6. Once 10 minutes is up, uncover, add final touches of salt & pepper.  Stir and serve over egg noodles.
 

 

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curry-saffron salmon

You're welcome for this recipe. Let's just put it out there. This is a super hit for entertaining and can be easily multiplied depending on how big your dinner party gets! The salmon can be baked or grilled, however you usually prep your salmon...then just added to the tasty sauce over some rice to absorb some of the curry-saffron sauce with mushrooms and onions. Tasty tasty tasty. Again, you're welcome.

Ingredients:
2 (6 oz) filets of fresh wild-caught salmon
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion
4 garlic cloves
1 cup chopped mushrooms of choice
1/4 cup diced fennel bulb
1/4 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon saffron

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon sliced green onion

Directions:

1. Season each filet with salt & pepper. Grill, bake, or prep for searing.

2. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Stir in diced onions and cook until translucent (6 minutes). Add chopped garlic and cook until fragrant (1 minute).

3. Combine chopped mushrooms, fennel, and celery with the onions & garlic. Cook until vegetables have softened (6 minutes).

4. Season with curry powder, saffron, and salt & pepper. Cook for 3 minutes.

5. Pour in chicken broth (cook 5 minutes) and stir occasionally. Stir in heavy cream and simmer (5 minutes).

6. Add cooked salmon to the sauce. Top with sliced green onion. Cover and simmer for 4 minutes in order to meld flavors.

7. Plate & serve.

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