Culinary Complements

Grilled Thyme and Olive Oil Marinated Steak
with Sun Dried Tomato Aioli and Crispy Pan-Fried Potatoes

Six Servings

This dish is a wonderful compliment to Duckhorn Vineyards Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

You have several options with steak. If on a budget, do hangar steaks or if you can afford it, go for the rib eye or the porterhouse. Eight ounces of meat is enough for most people, but if your appetites are larger, adjust your purchases accordingly. It is important to get prime dry-aged meat and season it liberally with sea salt. Cindy's favorite is Maldon Sea Salt or Sel Gris freshly ground. It is really important to invest in great meat and not do too much to it.

Thyme and Olive Oil Marinated Steak
Tomato Aioli for Steak
Mayonnaise
Pan-Fried Potatoes
Arugula Salad

Thyme and Olive Oil Marinated Steak

6 - 8 oz. hangar steaks or
3 - 16-18 oz. dry-aged prime rib eyes or
3 - 2# each dry-aged prime porterhouse
1/2 c. pure olive oil
1/2 bunch thyme, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1T. molasses

Combine all ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Marinate the meat 1-12 hours.

Trim off any surface fat on hangar steak and pin the meat with a Jaccard tenderizing tool. Rub with sea salt and fresh ground pepper and place steaks in marinade, making sure they are well coated.

Cooking instructions

Have a nice large fire either charcoal or wood. The fire is ready when the charcoal or the wood is covered with ash and no flame. The thinner the steak the closer it should be to the flame. If doing bone-in meat, in particular, it is good to let it rest for 10 minutes in a warm place before carving.

Slice the rib eye after it has rested and serve 1/2 per person. For the porterhouse, de-bone the tenderloin side and slice serving 1/2 per person and then de-bone the New York side and again slice

And serve 1/2 per person. Fight over the bone!

Tomato Aioli for Steak

2/3 oz. sun dried tomatoes (chopped?)
1 medium tomato peeled and diced
2/3 oz. garlic cloves, crushed
4 T. olive oil
3/4 t. salt
1/4 t. white pepper

This can be made ahead. Combine all ingredients. Cover and cook over low heat until the garlic is soft. Blend until smooth and mix in 1 1/2 C. mayonnaise (see recipe below). Season with salt and white pepper.

Mayonnaise

2 egg yolks
1 T. rice or champagne vinegar
1 t. Dijon mustard
Tiny pinch of kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1-1 1/4 C. olive oil

Whisk together the egg yolks, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a medium-sized bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until thick. If you use a blender, blend together the egg yolks, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper first. Then, with the blender running, slowly add the olive oil until the mayonnaise thickens.

If the mayonnaise seems too thick, stir in a little cold water. If it tastes of eggs, thin it with a little cold water and slowly whisk or blend in a little more oil.

Pan-Fried Potatoes

Six Servings

2 large diced potatoes
1/2 C. duck fat or olive oil*
2 T.Shallots
1 T. chopped, peeled garlic
1/4 bunch chopped Italian parsley
Salt and pepper

Blanch potatoes in salted water till just fork tender. Drain well and cool Heat duck fat or olive oil in large sauté pan. Add blanched potatoes and fry until beginning to brown. Add shallots, garlic, salt and pepper. Continue tossing and cooking potatoes until crisp. Sprinkle with parsley.

Alternatively, you could mix all ingredients well, except parsley, and bake in a large, flat roasting pan. Potatoes should not be too crowded. Stir occasionally in a 400° oven until crisp. Just before serving, sprinkle with parsley.

Arugula Salad

Per salad:

3 oz. small to mid-sized arugula
1 oz. lemon dressing
1 oz. shaved Parmesan

Mix arugula, half of the cheese, and dressing. Arrange on plate. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Dressing:

1 T. lemon juice
1 T. champagne vinegar or ver jus
1/2 shallot, minced
1 T. good quality virgin oil
Salt
Pepper

Mix lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper and whisk in oil. Dress greens. Serve alongside of steak with Pan-fried Potatoes.