Jef's Birthday Dinner

>> Tuesday, December 8, 2009



This previous Monday it was Jef's birthday so I wanted to prepare a special meal. Instead of re-writing it here, I am going to paste a chat that I had with two girlfriends of mine. It pretty much explains everything and yes, this is really what we talked about...


The menu went something like this
French Onion Soup with Emthenal Cheese
Pan seared sirloin
Mushrooms
Mashed potatoes
which
doesn't sound that exciting
but just you wait...

so I got home at 5:30 yesterday
and having already prepped my onions yesterday
I started my soup
so with a couple tablespoons of butter and oil
I let those cook down for an hour
till they were sweet and tender
then I deglazed the onions with some Apple Cider Vinegar
to give it a little tang
after about 3 minutes, i added in the garlic and the beef and 


chicken stock
then let it cook for 30 minutes
I removed it from the stove and set aside
While the onions were reducing
I baked a cake
which isnt that impressive because it was from a box
but just FYI
I did it
now here is where I am going to toot my own culinary whistle
I had the mushrooms, potatoes, and steak all going at the same time
Phase 2:
I got the water going for the mashed potatoes
these arent your average mashed potatoes
I bought purple potatoes from the farmers market
so
I cleaned and peeling them and added them to boil water
in the meantime I prepped my steak
So while those are boiling
I cut my 16oz. sirloin in 2 (in my cookbook it says that you should ask the butcher for a loin that isnt cut so you get even steaks)
I seasoned with kosher salt and pepper
and then added to a pan with olive oil on medium heat
every 3/2 minutes
I turned sides
even on the side, sides
after each 4 sides had been cooked
I added 2 tbsps of butter and 2 sprigs of thyme
I let the butter reduce till it was brown butter
then after i flipped I spooned the brown butter over each side
meanwhile
I quartered my mushrooms and added them to a pan with olive oil
seasoned with salt and pepper and let cook for 2 minutes
then I removed them from the heat and added in shallot, garlic and thyme
oh and more butter
then I added in the mushrooms again and let them all cook
remember I am still basting my steaks
so its crazy right now
finally my potatoes are done
I strain them and put them back in the hot sauce pan
to get all the extra water out
then put them in the food processor with heavy cream and butter
sea salt and pepper
and i pureed till those suckers were smooth
before I knew it, it was time to put the soup back in the oven to melt the cheese
10 minutes later everything was on the table


If I ever have time to update this blog, I will write out the recipes (they were from my new Tom Collichio Cookbook!) 

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