The Apartment Kitchen » steak

Steak Frittata with Arugula-Spinach Salad

admin — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 00:11:09 +0000

When I was on my internship in culinary school, I helped cook breakfast for the guests of the inn where I worked each morning. I got pretty good at making frittatas, egg tarts, quiche, and other egg based entrees. Eggs are so versatile, and that’s why I love turning to them when I have leftovers. The chopped steak sandwich from a few days ago made a perfect addition to a frittata (and likewise it would to a quiche, omelet, or hash). Topped with a simple salad, it was an easy, healthy dinner.

Chopped Steak Frittata with Arugula-Spinach Salad

Served 2.

Leftover Potential: Made with all leftovers!

5 eggs

1/4 cup whole milk

salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup leftover chopped steak mixture

1 shallot, minced

3 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

2-4 Tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

2 cups baby arugula

2 cups baby spinach

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper to combine. Heat a small saute pan over medium heat. Spray lightly with nonstick spray.

2. Add the steak mixture to the pan in an even layer. Pour the egg mixture into the pan. Cook until the base begins to set, about 5-6 minutes.

3. Transfer the pan to a 375 degree oven and cook until set, about 10-15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, mix the shallots, mustard, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper to combine. Toss with the arugula and spinach.

5. Turn the finished frittata onto a plate, and top with the finished salad.

Mustardy Chopped Steak Sandwiches

admin — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 22:58:58 +0000

Over the weekend I was craving steak. Unfortunately, I’d already been out to a few restaurants and spent a little more than I usually do on the weekends. This sandwich (inspired by one I saw in the fall in Cooking Light), was the perfect solution. I was able to use a cheap cut of steak (really anything you see, as long as it’s cut thin, or you can cut it thin yourself), cover it in a delicious, flavorful sauce, and enjoy the deliciousness of a steak sandwich without the price tag. You could add any vegetables to the filling you like – peppers or greens would be a nice addition…and best of all, because it’s so simple (and the meat takes literally seconds to cook), it was done in no time – leaving me free to continue enjoying the incredible weather we’ve been having all week.

Mustardy Chopped Steak Sandwiches

Inspired by Cooking Light

Served 4

Leftover Potential: I scrambled the leftover steak into eggs with some cheddar for breakfast the next day.

12 oz thin cut steaks

salt and pepper, to taste

1 Tbsp oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 cups mushrooms, thinly sliced

3 Tbsp spicy mustard

1 Tbsp ketchup

1 Tbsp cider vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup cherry or peppadew peppers, minced

rolls

Black Pepper Grits with Roasted Tomatoes, Caramelized Onions, Steak, and Over Easy Eggs

theapartmentkitchen — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:51:14 +0000

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a major egg fan. Poached, over-easy…ok, I admit it, anything with a rich, runny yolk has my heart all a-flutter. But since Matt is not much of a breakfast fan, I don’t often indulge my cravings to have breakfast for dinner. Which is a shame, because it’s easy and super fast, and it’s the perfect way to use whatever sounds good.

This dish certainly had several items that were cooked different ways, but I optimized space and still managed very little cleanup (and some leftovers). You could always use sauteed tomatoes (I just love the flavor and juiciness of the roasted), bacon, sausage, or any leftovers you had in the fridge (grits are a pretty delicious delivery system for almost anything). In the end, it may not be the prettiest thing to look at, but that doesn’t matter, because first chance I got, I smashed it all up into one, big, delicious bowl of breakfasty goodness.

Black Pepper Grits with Roasted Tomatoes, Caramelized Onions, Steak, and Over Easy Eggs

Served 1.

Leftover Potential: This amount of grits is a tad much for one person, but I liked it because I had some for breakfast the following morning.

1/2 cup grits

2 1/4 cup chicken broth

salt and pepper, to taste

1 Tbsp butter

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 steak

2 eggs

1. In a small pot, combine the grits and broth. Bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the grits are thick and have absorbed most of the liquid. Season generously with salt and pepper, and finish with a knob of butter. Keep warm.

2. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper and roast in a 375 degree oven until slightly dried, about 15 minutes.

3. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and saute until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Push the onions to one side of the pan.

4. Season the steak with salt and pepper and add to the empty side of the pan. Cook until both sides are nicely browned but the center is still pink (for medium rare), about 4-6 minutes per side.

5. Remove the steak and onions from the pan. Add a little more oil to the pan and crack the eggs inside. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until the whites are set. Flip the egg over itself, and continue to cook over low heat until the white is cooked through, about 2 minutes more.

6. Pile the grits into a bowl, top with the steak, tomatoes, and onions, and finish with the eggs.

Horseradish Crusted Steak Sandwich with Arugula and Crispy Shallots

theapartmentkitchen — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:47:04 +0000

My roommate loves horseradish. I know this, but still haven’t given in to any of her requests to do something about it. But when she suggested a horseradish steak sandwich – my mouth was watering. I love me some steak, and combined with a slightly spicy horseradish crust, some fresh, peppery arugula, and some deliciously fried shallots – I knew I had a recipe the whole house was going to love.

Horseradish Crusted Steak Sandwich with Arugula and Crispy Shallots

Served 2.

Leftover Potential: I saved the steak and ate it by itself on a bed of lightly dressed arugula.

1/2 # flank steak

salt and pepper, as needed

3 Tbsp creamy horseradish

1 Tbsp mustard

nonstick spray, as needed

3 shallots, thinly sliced

oil, as needed for frying

baby arugula, as needed

4 buns, halved

1. Season the steak with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the horseradish and mustard. Rub the mixture over the steak until well coated.

2. Heat a medium saute pan over medium high heat. Spray lightly with nonstick spray (I normally cook with a thin coating of real oil or butter, but the horseradish mixture will dissolve into the fat if there is too much present in the pan).

3. Saute the steak until it is well browned on both sides, and finished to your desired doneness (6-8 minutes for medium). Let rest for 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pot until shimmering and hot. Add the shallots (if they bubble and begin to cook immediately, the oil is ready – if they burn, it is too hot). Fry until the shallots are golden and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Dry on absorbant paper towels, and season well with salt.

5. Slice the steak. Spread additional creamy horseradish on the buns, if desired, and layer the steak, arugula, and crunchy shallots. Serve warm.

***I hate to let good frying oil go to waste, so I thinly sliced some potatoes and fried them in the hot oil until golden and crispy. Drain like the shallots, season well with salt, and they go great with the sandwich!

Mongolian Beef

theapartmentkitchen — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:25:47 +0000

If you are a steak lover, if you are a Chinese (yes, take out!) lover, if you are lover of all things too easy and good to be true – you MUST make this dish.

Perhaps I’m coming off a little strong, but I had no idea this dish would turn out so incredibly good with such a minimal ingredient list and almost no time. This is how fast you can make this dish: I didn’t have air conditioning in my house over the weekend, so Matt and I took refuge in the basement, where it was at least 10 degrees cooler. Every time we emerged onto the main floor, we nearly passed out. He sliced the meat, I prepared the sauce, and we were back downstairs in less than 10 minutes, enjoying this awesomely simple meal.

Ok, I’ve gushed enough…just try it!

Mongolian Beef

Served 2.
Leftover Potential: Reheats well in the microwave, but even better re-stirfried!

1 1/2 lbs chuck eye, flank, or other thin, tender steak, thinly sliced
3-4 Tbsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ginger, minced
1 bunch green onions, sliced into bite size pieces
1/2 cup chicken or beef broth
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1. Place the steak and cornstarch into a bowl, and toss to coat. Add more cornstarch as needed to completely coat.
2. Heat the oil in a large saute pan or wok, and add the garlic, ginger, and scallions. Saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add the steak to the pan, and stir fry until the meat is browned on the outside but still tender, about 3-5 minutes.
4. Add the broth, soy sauce, Worcestershire, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes to the pan. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Let the mixture boil lightly to thicken, about 1-2 minutes. Serve with rice.

Steak with Mustard and Red Wine Sauce, Roasted Parmesan Potatoes, and Zucchini and Portobello Saute

theapartmentkitchen — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 22:10:32 +0000

As I’ve said many times before, I love a good steak. One of the reasons I love it is because of the simplicity of it. With a good steak, all you have to do is cook it and you’re done. You don’t need anything extra or fancy. It’s just that good.

Nevertheless, when my friend Terri said she’d been craving a steak, we both thought it might be fun to step it up a notch. We thought of the warm flavors we appreciate so much in the winter, and since it’s nearly gone (YES!) we thought we’d pay it one last tribute before switching over to crisper, sunnier sauces and sidedishes.

A warm, smooth mustard sauce was just the ticket. We deepened its flavor with herbs and red wine, and it was perfect – just enough to compliment the steak without drowning out the meat’s own natural flavor. With some piping hot potatoes and a zucchini-mushroom sauté, we were in food heaven.

Steak with Mustard and Red Wine Sauce, Roasted Parmesan Potatoes, and Zucchini and Portobello Sauté

Served 3.
Leftover Potential: We had one leftover steak and some leftover veggies due to the fact that the steaks were sold in packages of three. It reheated well the next day, and would actually make an excellent open faced sandwich!

Steak with Mustard and Red Wine Sauce
4 steaks (we used rib-eye, but any type will work)
salt, as needed
pepper, as needed
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup red wine
3 Tbsp good mustard
1/2 cup beef stock
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
salt, as needed
pepper, as needed

1. Season the steaks well with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the steaks and cook to desired doneness (depending on the thickness of the steak, 5-7 minutes for medium rare).
2. Remove the steaks from the pan and allow to rest. Deglaze the pan with the red wine. Add the mustard and beef stock. Reduce the heat and simmer until it reduced by about half or more. If you don’t have time for the sauce to reduce, add 1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 3 Tbsp water and bring the sauce to a boil.
3. Season the thickened sauce with herbs, salt, and pepper. Serve over the steak.

Roasted Parmesan Potatoes
1 small bag of red potatoes (about 1 pound)
3-4 Tbsp olive oil
salt, as needed
pepper, as needed
parmesan cheese, as needed

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender. Drain from pot.
2. Place the potatoes on a cookie sheet. Use a fork to smash each potato slightly, then drizzle lightly with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven until the cheese begins to brown. Serve immediately.

Zucchini and Portobello Sauté
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 large zucchini, sliced
2 Portobello caps, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
salt, as needed
red pepper flakes, as needed

1. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the zucchini and sauté until beginning to become tender. Add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté until the mushrooms are soft and the garlic is fragrant.
2. Season with salt and pepper flakes and serve immediately.

Steak Banh Mi

theapartmentkitchen — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 01:53:27 +0000

A good sandwich is everything. It has it all – bread, meat, delicious fatty components like cheese, avocado, or mayonnaise, and all sorts of toppings. The best thing about a sandwich is the variety – flavors and textures coming together in one neat handheld package.

Alright, so perhaps I needn’t wax quite so poetically about this amazing food, but I am not the first to proclaim this particular sandwich as the next big thing. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it is all about the banh mi – the most perfect sandwich I have discovered thus far. The components can vary to your tastes – roast pork, meatballs, or, as in this case, steak. But the basic toppings are the same – crisp quick pickles, fresh cilantro, basil, and mint, spicy jalapenos, and creamy aioli – all offset by deliciously crusty French bread. This is street food at it’s best, but in your own kitchen, it’s easy to say it is sandwich making at it’s best.

Steak Banh Mi

Served 2.

Leftover Potential: I made just enough for two sandwiches, but the quick pickles keep quite nicely and are excellent additions to salads and entrees.

Quick Pickles

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp fish sauce

1 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 cucumber, thinly slice

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/4 cup shredded red cabbage

1. Combine all ingredients except the vegetables and stir completely to combine.

2. Add the vegetables and toss well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to a day. The flavors will get deeper and spicier the longer the pickles sit.

Banh Mi

1 Tbsp oil

2 flank steaks

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

1 baguette, ends removed, cut in half, and sliced down the middle

aioli or mayonnaise, as needed (optional)

quick pickles, as needed

1 jalapeno, seeded, thinly sliced

cilantro, as needed

mint, as needed

basil, as needed

1. In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Season the steak well with salt and pepper. Add it to the hot pan and cook to desired doneness (medium rare took about 3 minutes on each side).

2. Remove the steak from the heat and let rest prior to slicing, about 3-4 minutes.

3. Spread aioli across one half of the baguette. Top with quick pickles, jalapeno slices, and lots of fresh herbs. Thinly slice the steak and place on the other half of the baguette. Press the two halves together, and devour.

Grilled Steak with Sauteed Mushrooms and Chili Glazed Green Beans

theapartmentkitchen — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 02:09:00 +0000

There is not much that a Kansas girl can ask for other than a good steak once in awhile. It’s so simple – a mouth watering, tender, juicy piece o’ meat and I’m in heaven any day of the week. It’s also an easy meal to prepare in a pinch or when you’re tired after a long day’s work. Another great thing is you can make just enough for yourself if you’re eating alone. Not to mention it’s so deliciously satisfying even though it’s fast.

There are, of course, many classic combinations for steak sides. I love mushrooms on top of my steak, and I spiced up some green beans for a side dish. Between the richness of the steak, the soft, earthiness of the mushrooms, and the crisp, spicy green beans – I was one happy Kansan…even though I’m far from home!

Grilled Steak with Sauteed Mushrooms and Chili Glazed Green Beans

Served 2.

Leftover Potential: If you want to make more steaks than you need, or you get a great bargain on multiple or over-sized steaks, cook it all and save the rest. You can cut it and eat it later in the week in sandwiches or salads!

Sauteed Mushrooms

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 small container mushrooms, sliced ***

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

1. In a medium saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat.

2. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. Add the mushrooms and cook over medium-low heat until browned and softened. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside or keep warm for topping the steak.

*** I used crimini mushrooms, but any kind would be delicious. Sometimes, I use dried mushrooms. Simply re-hydrate the mushrooms in warm water. Then you can reduce the re-hydrating liquid for a delicious sauce.

Chili Glazed Green Beans

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 1/2 cups green beans, chopped in half

salt, to taste

1 tsp chili oil ***

1 tsp red pepper flakes, or more to taste

1. In a medium pan or wok, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Add the green beans and stir fry until soft, but still crisp. Season with salt.

3. Drizzle the beans with the chili oil and sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Use more or less to taste, but even people who don’t like spice will enjoy a little of one of these components. Set aside or keep warm to serve with the steak.

Grilled Steak

2 tbsp olive oil

2 rib eye steaks, or other cuts as desired

sauteed mushrooms

chili glazed green beans

1. In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. When the pan and oil are hot, add steaks and cook to desired doneness (4-5 minutes for medium rare).

2. Serve covered with the mushrooms and with a side of green beans.

Lime Marinated Steak Tacos with Homemade Tortillas

theapartmentkitchen — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 22:33:00 +0000

I love a good taco. I am, however, a firm believer that the tortilla makes the taco. Meaning that it should be fresh, light, and most importantly: warm. And for my favorite tacos, packaged just won’t cut it. Luckily, tortillas are as quick and simple to make as any basic flatbread. When you taste it, you’ll know – it’s always worth it.

Combined with tender, juicy pieces of steak that have spent the day marinading in a mixture of garlic and lime, it’s the perfect dinner. All that’s needed now is a cold beer or a margarita.

Lime Marinated Steak Tacos with Homemade Tortillas

Served 2

Leftover Potential: Tortillas are best the first day, but will last another couple days. If eating leftovers, reheat in an oven. All other ingredients reheat well. Provided one meal after the initial dinner.

Tortillas

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp salt

3 Tbsp butter, melted

1/4 cup water, or as needed

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Add the melted butter and mix to combine.

2. Begin adding water and mix until the dough begins to come together, adding more water as needed.

3. Let rest, covered, for 30 minutes.

4. Divide the dough into small pieces, and roll into balls.

5. Roll the dough out to 1/4″ thickness.

6. Heat a small non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add a tortilla and allow to cook until browned, then flip and allow to cook on the other side. Keep covered, warm until ready to serve.

Lime Marinade

juice of three limes

1 Tbsp cayenne pepper

1 Tbsp cumin

2 Tbsp garlic, finely minced

2 tsp sugar

1 1/2 # flank steak

1 Tbsp oil

1 can refried beans

cheese, grated, as needed

avocado, sliced, as needed

1. Combine lime juice and spices. Pour into a large plastic (ziploc) bag. Add whole steaks and toss to coat. Let marinate, refrigerated, for at least 2 hours, turning occasionally.

2. When ready to cook the steak, heat oil in a large pan. Cook the steak until desired doneness over medium high heat.

3. Remove steak from pan, and place on a clean cutting board. Let rest.

4. Meanwhile, prepare garnishes, such as beans, cheese, avocado, cilantro, etc.

5. When well rested, slice the steak into 1/2″-3/4″ slices.

6. Layer steak and garnishes on warm tortillas.