Steak Night

Friday night is usually steak night for Hubby and me. Our "veggie girl" is usually off enjoying a meal out with friends, so we heat up the grill, throw some potatoes in the oven and call it dinner.

Steak night has been a Friday night tradition since Hubs and I married back in 1985. It's just a good meal to enjoy after a busy work week, without being too taxing in the cooking or clean-up departments.

Sometimes I fancy it up a bit with sauteed mushrooms or caramelized onions, and occasionally the potatoes will be twice-baked.


When I'm really in the mood for a change, I'll serve the steak with cheese grits, which is what I did on a recent Friday. You hear about shrimp and grits throughout the South, but my in-laws often serve steak (usually flank steak) with cheese grits, and I love the combination.

Way back in the earlier days of our union (aka marriage) we used to finish off our steak night with a warm brownie topped with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce (that or a Haagen Daz ice cream bar). Not anymore. The old metabolism just isn't what it used to be, and neither is the old appetite. Now we split a steak, enjoy more mushrooms or veggies than grits or potatoes (although the photos don't reflect this) and skip the dessert.


Steak Night
(Marinated Ribeye Steak, Balsamic and Burgundy 'Shrooms and Baked Cheese Grits)

Steak and Mushroom Marinade:

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup dark balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Steak:
1 1-inch thick Ribeye steak
Olive oil, for brushing the steak

Place the steak in a shallow dish or zip-top plastic bag. Coat with 2 tablespoons of the marinade, turning to coat evenly. Refrigerate, turning the steak occasionally, for 2 hours or overnight.

When other menu components are ready or almost ready, heat up a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Brush the steak on both sides with a little olive oil, add it to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until done to your liking.

Cheese Grits

4 cups chicken broth (or water)
1 cup stone-ground yellow grits (or polenta)
1/4 cup cream cheese (about 1/4 of an 8-ounce block)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring the broth to boil in a Dutch oven or other large saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in the grits and cook until they are creamy and done. (Follow the instructions on the package of grits. Some take 30 minutes, others take more time to fully cook.) Whisk in the cream cheese. Season with salt and pepper, being careful not to over salt since the cheese will add saltiness.

Grease a baking dish that can accommodate the grits and the cheese and the spread half of the grits in the dish. Sprinkle with the cheese, top with the remaining grits and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Set aside at room temperature for up to 2 hours before baking. Bake for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Stir to incorporate the cheese and serve.

Mushrooms:

2 strips bacon, chopped
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
16 ounces button mushrooms, cleaned and stems trimmed
Sprinkling of sea salt
Remaining marinade
1/2 cup Burgundy or other dry red wine
1/2 cup chopped green onions

Cook the bacon in a nonstick or cast iron skillet, until browned. Remove bacon, leaving the drippings in the pan, reserving the bacon to garnish the grits. Add the butter or olive oil to the skillet. When bubbly, add the mushrooms and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Cook until mushrooms are golden brown (follow the directions on this post), for about 10 minutes. Add the remaining marinade, wine and chopped green onions and cook until marinade is almost completely evaporated and mushrooms are golden brown.

To serve:

Let the steak rest for 5 minutes and then slice into thin strips. Divide the steak between two dinner plates and then add a scoop of the grits and some of the mushrooms. Sprinkle the grits with some of the reserved bacon and serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings of steak, 2-4 servings of mushrooms and 4 or more servings of cheese grits.