I’m So Ronery, Part 2
Well, a few hours have gone by and I’ve shockingly cracked open a bottle of wine
The Terrazas 2005 Malbec is an excellent wine. Rated 88 or so by, oh hell I forget who but it is quite yum BUT you must let it breathe in the glass for 30 minutes before you quaff. I’m serious. If you pour a glass and drink it right away it has quite a bite on the finish. trust me, let this wine open up and it will be one of the finest $11 bottles you have ever had.
Anyhow, as I related below, I’m all alonesome and decided to make some steak au poive to assuage my lonelitude. The recipe for the steak is from a cookbook by my fellow UVa alum William Rice.
What’s required are two filets
1 1/2 tablespoons crushed black peppercorns
1 tbl unsalted butter
2 tbl olive oil
2 tbl cognac
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream.
I love that name…whipping cream.
Anyhow…
Put the crushed pepper on a plate
and coat each filet with the pepper and set them aside to come to room temp
While the filets are experiencing global warmering it’s time to work on the side dish. I am a big fan of broccoli rabe, and I have a tasty recipe that I’ve coagulated from various sources. What you need for Bingley Rabe™ is the following:
1/3 lb sweet italian sausage, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 small anchovy tin, drained
minced garlic to taste (i.e. a lot)
chicken stock
thyme
crushed rosemary
1/2 lb broccoli rabe
1 1/2 tbl olive oil (extra virgin if you’ve got one to spare)
2 15 oz (or so) cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Brown the sausage
Check to make sure there’s enough cognac left. And there’s not. So if you’re out of Rémy
No one will complain if you upgrade the hootch to Courvoisier
Remember, your guests deserve the finest.
Or you do, if you’re dining alone like I am.
And don’t forget the wine
OH DAMN!!!
Where’s the corkscrew..Anyhow, while the sausage is gesizzling open and drain the anchovies
Drain off the sausage juice and return to the heat, adding the anchovies, about half the tin, and the olive oil
let that cook over med/low heat for a few minutes until the anchovies have basically disintegrated, then add the onions
Let that slowly cook for a few minutes then get the garlic ready
While you’re peeling the garlic don’t forget your bestest buddy who’s lying at your feet
Dump the garlic in the pan and let it sauté with the other yummies
when the onions are mostly clear add the beans, thyme, rosemary and enough chicken stock to cover
Make sure you are well hydrated
Bring to a boil
then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cover for 20-25 minutes or so.
**Gratuitous Gadget Plug**
I love my Oxo can opener. it’s one of those funky ones that opens the lid from below, so there are no sharp edges, no little metal curls falling in your food
Deep breath. Ah.
okay,.. Now rinse the broccoli rabe (I don’t chop it; I like the longer pieces, so I cut it straight from the bundle from the store)
and plop it on top of the bean mixture
Now, as an aside, this is an autofocus camera. I know I’m getting somewhat tipsy, but the camera should still be in focus, darn it!
Oh well. replace the cover and let that cook over the lowish heat.
Now, back in Steakville, in a decent sized pan heat the olive oil and butter over fairly high heat
When it’s pretty darn hot add the filets
cook for roughly 4 minutes and then flip…and try not to notice the splatters all over the stove
cook for another 4 minutes and remove to a plate
pour out the grease in the pan but DO NOT wipe it out; in a separate small sauce pan heat the cognac to a boil
put the filets back in the original pan and pour the boiling cognac on top of them…and ignite with a long-handled match
shake the pan about as the flames burn out to burn off all the fat and loosen all the tasty bits; once the flames are out transfer the filets to the plate. Sneak a quick peek at the beans
Add the heavy cream to the cognacy pan
and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly for 2 minutes or so as the sauce thickens and collects all the tasty vittles that are in the pan
spoon the sauce over the filets, add the beans and broccoli rabe mix
and enjoy
Oh baby I love you
Why do I feel like having a cigarette…
Swill Food and Grog | Mr. Bingley | 
March 3, 2007 11:11 pm
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Dude! I’m so getting everything to make that tomorrow.
Two thumbs up for that most excellent dish.
All I made was beef stew in a crock pot…..but I shared it with a friend, with a bottle of wine thrown in. Not a bad deal!
But your dinner looks MUCH better….’cept for the broccoli, of course.
Maybe you can move out here? I have a spare bedroom!
Is that the face of the ever-elusive Bingley in that 2nd to last picture?
Nice camera work to get the shot while eating.
I just bookmarked this. Gonna try it on the Wanamassa Woman pretty soon.
Shhh! If you let people know how cheap a really decent Malbec can be, it won’t be cheap much longer. But while we’re talking…try Laurel Glen/Patrick Campbell’s latest edition of Terra Rossa. His ‘REDS’ and TR are in the daily rotation here at the Rancho.
Your recipe looks good. Mighty good. It has me fixin’ to go cook something tasty my own self.
Yowza. And BTW, who was that stern mustachio’d figure frowning over your peppercorns?