Monday, September 17, 2012

Grilled Steak Mezzaluna

After the absolutely, without a question, worst week of my life, I was ready to TRY to get back to normal and grilled tonight. We are under a flood warning with lots of rain but I needed my grill therapy so I fired up my Big Green Egg between downpours.

But first I have to thank you all.  In the past when I commented on someone's loss, I felt like my words are trite, cliche, and meaningless.  This week being on the receiving end of those comments, I know how much they mean to those who are grieving.  Each and every comment and email meant a lot to my family and me.  Thank you from me and my family. 

Okay, back to food. 
Alexis found this mezzaluna pasta at a local store.  Mezzaluna basically means "half moon" and these are stuffed with gorgonzola cheese.  If you can't find them, you could substitute tortellini.  The pasta slathered with the creamy red pepper sauce were a dazzling partner for the grilled ribeye.


Grilled Steak Mezzaluna
source:  www.nibblemethis.com

Ingredients
  • 2 ribeye steaks
  • 1 tsp smoked salt*
  • 1/2 tsp herbs de provence 
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper, coarse ground
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 cup mezzaluna pasta, cooked according to directions
For the cream sauce
  • 3 Tbsp butter, divided*
  • 1 Tbsp shallot, finely diced
  • 1 clove garlic, finely diced
  • 1 1/2 cup half and half
  • 1/3 cup pecorino-romano cheese, grated
  • 3 Tbsp roasted red pepper, finely diced
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat a saute pan over medium heat.  Preheat your grill to 500f.  Allow your steaks to sit at room temp for 1 hour.
  2. Add 2 Tbsp of the butter to the saute pan.  Add the shallot and saute until tender, 3-5 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute another 1-2 minutes.
  3. Add the half and half, bring to a simmer and cook on a gentle simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes.  Add the cheese, roasted red pepper, salt and pepper.  Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.  Keep warm.
  4. Dry the steaks exterior with a paper towel and season with the salt, herbs de provence, pepper, and garlic powder.  
  5. Clean and oil the grill grates.  Grill the steaks 4 minutes a side over direct heat for medium rare.  Remove steaks to a cooling rack to rest for 10 minutes.
  6. Return cream sauce to med-low heat and stir in the last Tbsp of cold butter, stirring until blended in.
  7. Spoon the sauce over the pasta and serve with the grilled steaks.
Notes
  • Salt - If you don't have smoked salt, sub kosher salt.
  • Butter - Keep that 1 tbsp very cold while you are making the sauce.  When you stir it into the warm sauce at the end, it will help emulsify and add a nice sheen to the cream sauce.


Making sure your meats are dry and your grates preheated gives defined grill marks.

The best therapy is the kind you can eat.

The rain drenched East Tennessee today.  The luscious roasted red pepper cream sauce rained on the gorgonzola laden pasta.  And flavor was a squall line on my taste buds.

Edit update:  Here is some new info that I wanted to get out: