Pan steak and green peppercorn sauce

Ingredients:

8 oz steak

1 tbsp oil

Salt and pepper

Small shallot, minced fine 

1/2 c brandy

1/4 c cream

1/4 tsp red wine vinegar

2 tbsp green peppercorns 

1/4 tsp thyme

Salt to taste

Put the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Pt steaks dry and season liberally with salt and pepper. Put steak in pan and cook without moving/touching for 4 mins per side. (Rare. For medium do 5-6 mins.) move steak to plate to rest. 

Add shallot to pan the steak was just in until browned. Add the brandy and milk, until simmering, stirring constantly to get up all the browned steak-bits. Reduce heat to simmer, add in vinegar, any drippings from the resting steak, peppercorns, and thyme. Stir until sauce coats the back of the spoon. Add to steak and enjoy. 

Orange Peel Beef

The bones for this recipe come out of "Basic Asian" by Schinharl, Dickhaut and Lane.  I've tweeked it a little bit, and it's always been a big crowd pleaser.  I enjoy it for the robust flavor and that I only have to dirty up one pan to make it.  Two if you count the rice cooker.

Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb beef roast (I typically use a London Broil)
4 green onions, top bits sliced
1 1/2" piece of ginger, grated
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/4 c soy sauce
1/2 c beef broth
1 tbsp sugar
1 c orange juice
1 bunch broccolini

Slice the beef into thin, bite-sized strips.  This is a lot easier to do if you slightly freeze the meat before you cut it.  (This was an awesome tip.  It's one of many in Basic Asian, so it's well worth the few bucks you'd spend on it.)

Heat the oil in a pan over med-high heat and cook the beef in small batches.  You don't want to do it all at once because it won't brown well.  When each piece finishes cooking, place it on a paper towel lined plate to absorb some of the oil.  Finish cooking the meat.

Pour all the liquid ingredients and the sugar into the pan you cooked the beef in.  Make sure the heat is high at this point.  This will deglase all the yummy beef bits that stuck to the pan while the beef was cooking.  Bring all ingredients to a boil.  When the sauce coats the back of your spoon, toss the meat back in along with the broccolini.  Mix everything together, cooking for another minute or two.

Serve.  (Great side dishes with this are steamed brown rice or noodles.)

Serves 4

Beef and Guiness Stew

I was feeling the need to revisit a trip I took to Ireland in 2009, and this recipe was a fantastic way to do it. Everybody loved it, and there were no leftovers! The brined green peppercorns may be somewhat unusual, but they make the dish. You can find them in most grocery stores next to the capers and other pickled items.

Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 3 hours

Ingredients:
2 lbs stew beef cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 16 oz can Guinness
1 qt beef broth
8 red potatoes, cubed
3 tsp brined green peppercorns, drained and coarsely chopped
3 carrots, cut into 1" pieces
2 sprigs fresh thyme
salt to taste

Add beef and olive oil to pan over med-high heat. Brown beef, then add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for 3 hours or until broth has reduced to a nice sauce and beef is tender. Serve immediately. Biscuits make a nice side, or do as the original calls for and turn into a potpie. Feel free to make this dish a head of time and reheat. It's even better the next day!

Serves 6.

This recipe was adapted from one I found here.

Fantastic French Dip

Everything is better with garlic and onions. I came up with this recipe myself. It's easy enough that anyone can make a perfect sandwich every time and only dirties one pan.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 2.5 hours

Ingredients:
2lbs beef roast
1 head garlic
2 yellow onions
10 sprigs fresh thyme
seasoning salt
1.5 qt beef broth
Swiss Cheese
Sandwich rolls

Peel and smash the garlic with the side of a knife. Slice onions into thin strips. Place both into the bottom of a Pyrex (or similar) baking pan.

Trim excess fat from the beef roast. Coat in seasoning salt and place atop the garlic and onions.

Add the beef broth and thyme sprigs.

Preheat oven to 500. Roast for 10 minutes, then decrease heat to 300 for two hours.

Remove roast from oven and set beef aside to rest on a cutting board for at least 10 minutes.

Remove and discard thyme sprigs. Strain onions and garlic from the au jus and reserve.

Blend onions and garlic into a paste using food processor.

Toast sandwich rolls with a slice of Swiss cheese on each.

While the rolls are toasting, slice the beef into thin strips using either a meat slicer or a sharp knife. Quickly place beef onto melted cheese and spread the garlic and onion mixture onto the half of the roll that does not have cheese. This will ensure the meat stays in the roll.

Serve each with a bowl of the au jus.

Serves 6 easily.