steak – Chris Bassett

I get so many requests for vegan and vegetarian food/recipes, which I dont mind, but I just dont really cook that way. I am for sure a meat and potatoes kinda guy. That being said, I love and appreciate all the support from EVERYONE so every now and then, I will suffer through a vegetarian meal lol.

I do have one question though…..why is it that vegetarians/vegans want all of their food to resemble or even taste like MEAT?!?! Just eat the meat, lol. I promise it is really good! To each their own I suppose.

Steak Diane is one of my favorite ways to do steak, so why not do it with a cauliflower steak.

Grocery Cart:

1 head of cauliflower

1 shallot

1/4 # mushrooms (sliced)

1 tbl olive oil

2 oz cognac

1tbl Bassetts Blends All Purpose Seasoning

2 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 bunch of thyme

2 garlic cloves

2 stalks of rosemary

2 tbl butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup vegetable stock

2 tsp worcestershire sauce

2 tbl chopped chives

salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

First, we are going to slice our cauliflower into 1/2 inch to 1 inch thick slices, whatever size you would like. Next drizzle on a little bit of oil, and then season generously with my Bassetts Blends All Purpose seasoning.

Using a saute pan, add in 1 tbl of oil and begin to heat. Once the pan is hot, add in the cauliflower and sear for 3 minutes, or until desired color and crust is formed. After it has been seared, flip the cauliflower and sear on the other side for the same amount of time.

Once the cauliflower has been seared thoroughly, add in the garlic, thyme, rosemary, and butter. As the butter begins to melt, baste the cauliflower for 30 seconds on one side, the n flip and do the other side. Repeat this process until the cauliflower reaches your desired tenderness, maybe 2-3 minutes

Remove the cauliflower from the pan and place on a wire rack. Dump the butter, garlic rosemary, thyme onto the “steak, and let rest while you make the sauce.

For the Sauce: Using the same pan, on medium high heat, add the shallots and mushrooms to the pan and saute until shallots become translucent (about 3 minutes).

Next, deglaze the pan with the cognac and reduce ton almost nothing.

Next, add in the mustard, worcestershire sauce, and vegetable stock and cook for 3 minutes.

Once the stock begins to reduce, add in the heavy cream and reduce until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Finish the sauce with salt and pepper, and chives.

Now that summer time is officially here, it’s time to get those grills and smokers fired up! I am often asked what do I “marinate” my steaks in. The truth of the matter is that rarely do I ever use a marinade. I honestly feel that salt & pepper is all you really need for great steak on the grill.

How many times have you gone to the cookout and heard the “grill master” say something to the effect of, “I have been marinating these steaks for 2 days!” Well let me let you in on a little secret. If there is any vinegar, or lots of citrus juices, or any acid in that marinade, chances are he or she has already overcooked those steaks! Think about the classic dish of ceviche. Fish “cooked” in citrus juices. This has the same effect on chicken, steaks, and pork chops as well. Because meat is made up mostly of water, your marinade really is not getting THAT deep into the meat to “flavor” and “tenderize” it. It really is mostly surface flavor. Now I am not saying to NEVER use any acid in a marinade, but if you chose to do so, I recommend that you do not let it sit for more than an hour. This will prevent the outer part of your meat from becoming mushy and mealy.

Check out this video to see how I make my “Herb Oil Marinade” that works great on steaks, chicken, lamb, or pork chops. It adds a great flavor to whatever you re cooking, especially on the grill. It not only works as a marinade, but with all of the olive oil in it, it helps prevent your meat from sticking to the grill as well.

Herb Oil Recipe:

1 bunch of parsley, 1 bunch of cilantro, 1/2 bunch of rosemary, 1 bunch of thyme, 2 qts of olive oil, salt & pepper to taste. Using a large, deep storage container, trim the leaves from the parsley and cilantro using your chef knife, and add them to the container. Next, remove the leaves from the rosemary and thyme stems, and add those to the container. Season with salt and pepper. Next add in the 2 qts. of olive oil. Finally, using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. I like to use ziploc bags as opposed to containers with lids when marinating anything, I feel I can get more coverage by removing the air from the bag, and everything is submerged.

Let me know your thoughts, and any other cooking questions/videos/recipe ideas you want to see! Enjoy

Tag: steak

CAULIFLOWER DIANE

PERFECT SUMMER HERB OIL MARINADE