Saturday Night before Labor Day

[mrdutton]

Well............. Here's what I did for dinner tonight:

Two 5oz prime filets mignon marinated in a light sprinkle of kosher salt, a somewhat heavey smathering of cracked black pepper, a light coating of extra virgin olive oil and a few ounces of 1997 Guenoc Petite Sirah for about 4 hours.

Seared the steaks in the grill pan with olive oil for 4 minutes per side. Finished them in the oven with a patty of butter on top of each and then a few seconds before removing from the oven the addition of a couple slices of aged white cheddar cheese on top of each steak.

Upon serving a bit of paprika was sprinkled over the cheese. Total cooking time about 20 minutes; steaks were medium.

Sides were simple. Onions carmelized in a mixture of butter and extra virgin olive oil then finished with a few drops of 25 year old balsamic vinegar served on the side of the steaks.

Also a bit of steamed jasmine rice (oh my, but the wonderful pop-corn taste of that rice drives me wild!) with a dollop of sweet butter and a bit of fresh parsley leaves sprinkled on top.

And since the steaks were marinated in Guenoc Petite Sirah, the wine served with the dinner was the very same; 1997 Guenoc Petite Sirah.

Fruit up-front and a somewhat tannic finish (might be said to be a two to three tongue lapper) with a hint of pepper also on the finish.

I thought it was a good match with the steak and the onions. The flavors of the wine, the beef and the sweetness of the onions melded together into a very pleasing taste on my palate. My wife agreed, so that made the meal even better!

I hope you all have a very pleasant weekend to celebrate the end of summer and the start of a new season.

[This message has been edited by mrdutton (edited 09-02-2000).]

[Bucko]

You had my mouth watering until you said "medium," Pyro Boy! }:>

Hope you have a good remainder of the weekend. I'm doing my proverbial baby back ribs, smoked over mesquite, with my own sauce, german potato salad, baked beans with ham hock, and a Vietnamese neighbor is bringing crab-stuffed eggrolls. For liquids, it is my home-brewed Porter and Altbier, along with some Ridge Zinfandels. Salute!

Bucko

[winoweenie]

Gracious MrD, The meal sounded El-Perfecto until, as Bucko pernted-out, you applied the flame-thrower. I`m making my internationally famous Italian steak served with portobello stuffed raviolis. Will probably open a nice Reisling (HEHE)NOT. Am going with a 95 Rabbit Ridge Grand Reserve Zin and a 95 Biale Monte Rosso. Both are Okie-Dokie in my book. Ever-bod have a marvy Labor-less week-end. WW

[mrdutton]

I guess I should have qualified my statement about temperature. MY steak was medium RARE. My wife's was the one that was medium.

She has this fear of red meat that I have not been able to help her overcome. So, she has to have her beef cooked to medium.

I hate doing that to a good steak, but I also have to keep mother happy.

We are having a great time here in sunless Virginia Beach. Rain, rain, rain, rain, rain........................ But at least the NFL football is on the TV!

[RAD]

Aw, c'mon guys--I like my steaks MEDIUM and I consider myself to be an honest-to-goodness He-Man [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/cool.gif[/img] even though I do indulge in the occasional SW. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

But the meal does sound delicious, MrD! My Martha-Stewart-meets-Emeril-Lagasse wife (just on the cooking and domestic side, folks! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img] )just made me a wonderful smoked salmon and cheese quesadilla for an afternoon snack, which married quite well with a 1997 Caymus Pinot Noir-Blanc; the oakiness of the wine provided a nice counterpoint with the smokiness of the salmon.

Tonight, it's my lovely wife's special lasagne and garlic bread, which we'll wash down (appropriately) with a 1997 Castello di Ama Chianti Classico.

I'm a' gettin' hongry! (in my best winoweenie drawl) [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img]

RAD

[This message has been edited by RAD (edited 09-03-2000).]

[This message has been edited by RAD (edited 09-03-2000).]