My Secret Weapon

I tend to consider myself a well-rounded broad. I'm a comedian, a student, a singer, an artist - but I'm no gourmet chef. I can follow recipes and the result is something tasty, but my cheesecakes inevitably come out with large cracks that I hide with fruit topping. My roasts never come out with perfect slicability, instead falling apart when prodded with a fork (it's actually very good, it just interferes with presentation). It's hard for me to create a dish that looks as good as it tastes.

Except for one.

I'm cooking for a guy tonight. And, like most single guys, the prospect of a meal cooked for them by someone else negates the necessity of making it look pretty - parsley springs tend to go unnoticed - but there is a particular dish that looks good, tastes good, and makes me look like a gourmet chef in 4" heels. Use at your own discretion, this dish has been known to go straight to a man's heart.

Pan-Seared Sirloin with Garlic and Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes and Beaujolais-Butter Sauce

GET THIS:
Potatoes-
14 oz. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
Extra Virgin olive oil, about two tablespoons
Salt and Pepper
1-2 garlic cloves, minced or food processed

Steak-
2 7oz. sirloins, 1" thick
Salt and pepper
2-3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sliced button mushrooms
Extra Virgin olive oil
1/2 glass Beaujolais wine*

DO THIS:
1. Boil the potatoes in salted water under tender. Drain, let cool for 4 minutes. Return to a large mixing bowl and mash to desired consistency.
2. Stir in a large glug of olive oil, the garlic, the butter, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Cover with plastic wrap to keep warm if necessary.

1. While the potatoes are boiling, heat a large, heavy frying pan. Brush the steaks with olive oil on both sides and season well with salt and pepper (for added kick, try Hot Shots - a blend of black and red pepper)
2. Fry the steaks lightly to brown the edges before reducing heat slightly. Turn once a minute, 8 minutes total for medium rare.**
3. Remove the steaks and transfer to a plate to let them rest and let the juices settle.

1. Turn the heat down and add butter and mushrooms to the pan. Sautee mushrooms for 4 minutes, then add wine and let simmer til sauce reduces. Add the juices from the steak. Stir constantly until sauce thickens slightly. Sauce will remain rather thin, it's not a gravy. Pour over steaks, serve with potatoes.

Serves 2.

* Remember to cook with wine that is high enough quality to drink. If you wouldn't drink it, why cook with it? I always cook with the wine I plan to serve for consistency.

** A note on levels of doneness in steak:
Well done = Brown throughout, fully cooked.
Medium well = Slightly pink in the center.
Medium = Very pink in the center, warm throughout.
Medium rare = Red in the center, warm throughout.
Rare = Very red and cool in the center.