Bake-A-Steak

I worked for the Keg Steakhouse and Bar for about 8 years. 2 of those glorious years in management, where I enjoyed a meal on the house every night I worked. Needless to say, I ate a LOT of steak!

When I first left the Keg I didn't care to see another piece of beef again...unless, of course, it was shirtless, throwing around a football in the park across the street from my condo! Now that my hankering for hangar steak is back (and my 40% discount is gone), I tend to cook a lot of steak at home. Sadly my condo doesn't have a balcony nor a communal BBQ and I don't watch enough late-night TV to have bought a George Foreman Grill so I'm relegated to what I've got in my kitchen...stove-top and oven!

On the upside, I live just down the street from Toronto's celebrated St. Lawrence Market... a gastrophile's (google it!) shangrila where every cut of beef imaginable is just waiting to be taken home and shown a good time.

The other night, I got ahold of this sweet piece of sirloin and invited it back to my place for a glass of wine and an otherwise sizzling evening... Ok, enough with the meat market jokes! Let me tell you how I made this morsel of meat into a masterpiece in 20 mins flat... Maple, Gorgonzola Cheese and Walnut Sirloin. (Guess what's in it?)

The Method to My Meaty Madness...

Firstly, start with a piece of steak that is at least an inch thick and preferably has been aged (approx. 30 days). In the grocery store, look for the beef that's on sale because it's approaching its expiration date...it's a bargain AND is even more tender and flavourful than the new stuff on the shelf.

To prepare the meat, I always like to lightly pat it down with a paper towel to absorb the excess juice. This will prevent burning. Next I'll season lightly with salt and pepper on both sides. You can use Montreal Steak Spice, too, for added flavour.

Use a cast iron or stainless steel/aluminum pan, heated to just above medium heat. Crank your oven to 400F.

Once the pan is hot, add a few tablespoons of olive oil and place the steak into the pan. Use a fork or tongs, placing the tip of the meat down in the pan closest to you and gently laying it away from you. This prevents the oil from splashing up and burning you. The heat of the pan and oil is sealing all of the juice and flavour into the meat. Sear the beef on one side for about a minute and then flip it over using the same technique.

Quick tip, if the meat is sticking to the pan, it's not ready to flip yet. Sit tight, it should virtually lift right off.

Once it's flipped, spoon a good chunk of Gorgonzola cheese on top of the steak. Alternately you can use Cambazola or another blue cheese of your liking. And if you don't like blue cheeses, try goat cheese instead.

Next, place a few pecans into the cheese (careful of those fingers!) and scatter more throughout the pan. If you can't get your hands on pecans, try walnuts or cashews!

Add a good glug of maple syrup on top of the steak and cheese, just enough to have it pooling in the pan around your pecans. Clearly always one for a good substitute when possible, I recommend only using 100% pure maple syrup with this one.

Place your plan in a pan in the oven and sit back...or make a salad, whatevs!

For rare to medium rare, your steak needs about 7 mins. 15 mins or so for well done, depending on the size of your meat. (No judgement, I'm just saying!) Use a meat thermometer for precise results. For the love of all good things, DON'T cut into the steak to see for yourself how it looks on the inside. With one good-intentioned slice, you've allowed all those precious juices you've worked so hard to preserve escape.

Remove your pan from the oven and set it aside. Let the meat "rest" for a moment, it will firm up a tad and not bleed all over the plate when first cut into. Wash your tongs and get ready to serve!

Now at this point, PLEASE don't do what I do...I see that handle (fresh out of the oven) and 9 times out of 10 I just grab it! Sheer habit... I guess I have a habit of being downright stupid! No one needs a handle-shaped brand on their hand. Not what the cool kids are doing these days, I assure you. Might I suggest sliding the oven mitt onto the handle when you first take it out of the oven, thereby negating the likelihood of this tragedy altogether.

Now, to be très fancy set your steak aside on another plate and drizzle the maple syrup and pecans from the pan onto the plate you're serving. Place the steak smothered in that creamy, melty Gorgonzola on top of the maple syrup reduction (ya, you made a reduction! C'mon, do the happy dance!!!) and voilà! Bake-a-Steak beats Shake-and-Bake any day of the week and twice on Sundays!

Have any steak topper recipes to share? Feel free to add your comments!

For more info on cuts of beef, check out http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/beefporkothermeats/ss/cutsofbeef.htm