Steak Lover's Cookbook - Hardcover

Steak for Every Occasion. Succulent, sizzling, sublimely delicious--for eating bliss thre's nothing like steak. And for William Rice finding the perfect steak has become a passion. Now the results of his search are served up in the essential steak lover's companion, with over 140 recipes for perfectly cooked steaks, from craving to carving, plus the starters, the sauces, the sides, the desserts, the wines. And steak talk, too.

Hungarian Steak Soup

(Six servings)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 pounds boneless round steak, 3/4 inch thick, excess fat removed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes.

1 medium onion, preferably a sweet onion such as Vidalia, half coarsely chopped and half thinly sliced.

1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, half cut into chunks and half cut into 1/4-inch strips

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, half cut into chunks and half cut into 1/4-inch strips

1 teaspoon sweet paprika, Hungarian preferred

1 teaspoon hot paprika, Hungarian preferred

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds, toasted briefly

6 cups beef broth

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 teaspoons tomato paste

Salt

6 ounces wide egg noodles

Sour cream, for garnish

Heat oil in an uncovered pressure cooker over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Pat the steak cubes dry with paper towels. Add half the meat and brown on all sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Add the remaining meat and repeat browning process. Transfer the meat to the bowl.

Add the chopped onion and chopped bell pepper (reserving the sliced onion and pepper for later) to the pressure cooker. Stir frequently until the vegetables soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the paprikas, black peppers and the caraway seeds and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the beef broth, then add the bay leaves, garlic, tomato paste and the steak cubes.

Cover and seal the pressure cooker and bring to full pressure over high heat Regulate the heat and cook for 20 minutes. (If using a conventional pot, simmer the meat, partially covered, for 1 hour.) Release pressure and uncover the cooker. The meat should be cooked through and tender. If not, re-cover the pot, regain full pressure and cook an additional five minutes.

Pour the soup through a colander into a bowl, leaving as much of the meat as possible in the pot. Pick out the meat cubes in the colander and return to the pot. Discard the vegetables in the colander and any remaining in the pot.

Add the uncooked onion and bell pepper to the pot and pour broth atop the vegetables and meat. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat to low and cook at a simmer until the vegetables are just tender, 7 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add salt and noodles and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the noodles and portion 1/2 cup of the cooked noodles into each of six soup plates.

Ladle the hot soup over the noodles and serve at once. Pass sour cream at the table.

Cracked Pepper Rib Eye with Roasted Onion Sauce

1 medium sweet onion, cut into 8 wedges

1 teaspoon olive oil

Salt, to taste

2/3 cup beef broth

1 teaspoon soy sauce

4 teaspoons cracked black pepper

4 rib eye steaks (about 10 inches each) cut 3/4 inch thick

Heat the oven to 350 degrees

Place the onion wedges in a baking dish. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with just a little salt. Stir to coat all the pieces evenly. Roast the onions, uncovered, until browned and soft, about 1 hour. Remove and let stand until slightly cooled.

Put the onions in the blender. Add the beef broth and soy sauce and blend to a smooth puree. Transfer the sauce to a small saucepan or a microwave-safe dish, cover and set aside.

Preheat the broiler or prepare coals for grilling. Press the cracked pepper onto both sides of each steak, using about 1 teaspoon of pepper for each. Broil or grill the steaks until seared and nicely browned on one side, about 4 minutes for medium-rare and 5 minutes for medium. Turn and cook 4 minutes more for medium-rare and medium.

While the steaks are cooking, reheat the onion sauce on the stovetop or in a microwave oven. Spoon the warmed sauce over each steak and serve.

Serves 4.

Steak and Potato Salad

(William Rice suggests this salad either as a weekend lunch or as a light supper main course)

1 filet mignon (7 to 8 oz.), cut 1 inch thick

1 tbsp. cracked black peppercorns

1 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil

1 cooked red potato (about 6 oz.)

4 medium, white button mushrooms, stems trimmed

4 green onions, white and 2 in. of green

6 oz. mesclun (mixed baby greens)

Vinaigrette:

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Salt, to taste

Coat the steak with pepper on all sides by pressing the cracked pepper into the meat.

Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the steak and cook until seared and nicely browned on one side, 4 minutes. Turn and cook the second side 4 minutes more for a medium rare steak, 5 minutes more for a medium. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside to cool at room temperature. (A leftover cooked steak au poivre may be substitued. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

Cut the potato into chunks. Thinly slice the mushrooms and green onions. Cut the steak into 1/4 inch thick slices and set aside. Place the mesclun in a large bowl. Whisk the vinaigrette ingredients together. Add the vinaigrette to the bowl and toss until the greens are coated lightly with dressing. Divide between 2 dinner plates or 4 salad plates. Scatter the potato chunks and mushroom slices over the greens. Fan the steak slices onto the center of the salad. Spoon any remaining dressing over the steak. Sprinkle the green onions over the meat and serve.

Makes 2 servings as a main course of 4 servings as a first course.

Excerpted from Steak Lover's Cookbook. Reprinted with permission by Workman Publishing.