STEAK

UPDATE: What is Rumpole reading this holiday weekend as he digests his steak and sips his wine? 
"Stress Test" Tim Geithner's account of his public service. From an Assistant Secretary of Treasury during the international monetary crises of the Clinton administration: The Mexican Peso crisis followed by the meltdown of emerging Asian Markets, to his time as Secretary of the Treasury when he and a new president struggled every day during the first year of Obama's presidency to stop a deep recession in the U.S from turning into a financial contagion. 
It's a very good and quick read and well worth your time. 

We excel at many things besides being an exceptional trial lawyer and writing a blog that sizzles. 
We also cook. 

Just in time for Memorial Day, we present to you: "Rumpole On Steak."

Rumpole on steak.

The good news is that you don't need a back yard bar-be-que to do a steak well at home. 
We do however, recommend a quality cast iron pan. 
Go put that pan on the stove and heat it up. And we mean, heat it up until it smokes and you are sure it is about to glow.  It will take a while to get it hot, so while it is heating, lets cover some other areas. 

Grass fed beef is  the best beef for you these days. No hormones, no antibiotics. It's all good. Did you know that free range grass fed beef has more Omega 3 fatty acids (the stuff that prevents heart attacks) than most salmon? So eat up. It's really really good for you.

Grass fed beef has less fat than other beef and there is no doubt that fat and marbling adds flavor to beef. Therefore, look for grass fed beef that is well marbled. The rib eye cut is the best. We also like flank steak, also called skirt steak or London Broil. Whether your steak is a porterhouse or t-bone or rib eye, or filet mignon, just take it out of the refrigerator an hour before cooking and wrap in a paper-towel to remove moisture. For skirt or flank steak, you can use a marinade, but that is a topic for another time. Do not, we repeat, DO NOT salt the steak before cooking. 

Your cut cannot be thicker than one inch. The steak needs to cook in five minutes. Any longer and bad things tend to happen. Stick to one inch. Size matters. 

Add a good quality kosher or rock salt to the pan. About a tablespoon.  Sprinkle it evenly across the bottom of the pan. Like Rumpole on cross, keep the heat on high. Once the pan start smoking, add the steak and be prepared to move quickly. 

Let the steak cook one minute and then using tongs, flip it. 
Let it cook another minute then flip it again. Then, every thirty seconds for the next 2- 1/2 -3 minutes, flip the steak (5-7 times more). Then take it out of the pan (don't forget to turn off the heat). If you've done it right, including the all important heating of the pan and patting the steak dry for an hour before cooking, the steak will have a beautiful crust on it.  Now put that bad boy on a cutting  board and let it rest for a few minutes. 

Put some butter in the pan. Turn the heat back on to low-medium. Throw in some chopped shallots and sliced mushrooms. Cook for about 3 minutes or until the mushrooms start to soften. Then add a half a cup of red wine. The wine  will de-glaze the pan and create a wonderful sauce that the mushrooms will finish in. 
Take the pan off the heat. 

Go back to your steak and slice it and then put a few strips on a plate and ladle the mushrooms and gravy over the steak. Baked potato optional. We prefer some nice broccoli or kale sautéed in garlic and oil. 

Serve with a big, bold red wine. These days we like a full bodied Petite Sirah.  Bogle vineyards makes a very reasonable Petite Sirah. If you really want to step up to the plate (and wineglass) this weekend look for the 2007 Priest Ranch, the 2009 Carver Sutro, or the 2010 Sean Thackery Petite Sirah. All will stand up to the rich, bold steak you just cooked. 

Those images that yet/ Fresh images beget. 
W.B. Yeats. 

Enjoy the holiday weekend.