Recipe: Pan Seared Ribeye with Flambeed Onions, Garlic and Apple Saute

I posted months ago that one can make steakhouse quality steak with all the trimmings right in your own home.  I started with a whole slab of meat, in that case choice quality ribeye then proceeded to slice it in what I consider the most minimum thickness for it to be cooked to your liking - usually, as a matter of personal preference, one and 1/2 to even one and 3/4 inches thick.  The reason is one cooks steak by applying constant high heat, first on one side then flipping it to the other with one turn and with just the right amount of time on each side, the meat achieves the desired doneness and with the perfect crusting at least on the presentation side.

Ribeye Steak with Onions, Garlic and Apples - sauteed
and flambed with Sherry.

I did not emphasize much on the trimmings that can be served along with the steak as it can be cooked separately.  On the other hand, I have some personal inquiries from friends how to make steak and how it can be enhanced by the flavors of the trimmings that can be cooked with and accompany it.  I am doing in post with emphasis on that.

In order to know how to cut steak on your own and how to make a consistent sharp cut with even thickness, refer to an earlier post I have on this blog.  Unfortunately, I think the video was made in Tagalog and with not the best editing techniques I knew then.  However, read the post instead and watch the video as the post very much summarizes what I demonstrated.  But one should achieve a cut that is even throughout and a thickness of 1 1/2 inch.

A nice ribeye - preferable choice to prime has marbled fat
and therefore retains moisture and flavor. 1 1/2 inch
thickness is preferred to achieve rare or medium rare
with a nice caramelization.

If one prefers to buy ready cut ribeye in the supermarket, that is of course, great.  Just emplasize to the butcher that a 1 1/2 cut thickness is preferred.

Now on to the cooking.

As I mentioned before, a consistent high heat is preferred because it achieves two things: one knows how long the steak need to be seared in order to get to the proper doneness (just like baking) and secondly, the consistent searing will develop the crusting the meat needs to give the nice caramelized flavor that is so desired in steak.  For this reason, a thick cast-iron well-seasoned skillet is preferred. Do not go for the nice shiny new one that looks good in a kitchen that no cook cooks with.  Rather,  go for the blackest skillet that has been used and passed on to generations from the great-great grandmother to the present day.  Theskillet's  black colors implies that it has been used several times that the fats that have touched it have already changed in character givng that non-stick coating that is natural to this lovely utensil. My skillet at home is as old as Mike's great great grandmother and reportedly was in existence in York county, Pennsylvania as she heard the bombs and voices of slaughter of the Battle of Gettysburg.  I hope that at the present, I am doing justice to its being and that I did not bother the ghosts of the former owners who have used it with love.

Yes, this cast iron skillet is probably even older
than your grandmother. I believe it was a
witness to the Battle of Gettysburg.

But going back again to the steak, I am giving you one of my favorites with regards to trimmings. Everyone knows the value of onions and garlic; mostly the former.  But not everyone knows the value of contrast items in the flavor such as fruits -- in this case apples.  I used peaches as well.  Sometimes, if I have it in the pantry, sliced plums or dried prunes.  Cherries, blueberries, raisins or craisins even can be used.  The tartness of these things is the key to provide that zing and an element of variety and "difference" to the plain steak.  With the searing and the caramelization of these elements, combined with the meat juices and flambéed, deglazed and reduced by a high alcohol wine such as port or marsala, and with the wine's sweetness, the magic is set for a great side dish.  Now, I used an old apple that I found in my refrigerator chiller drawer.  Peeled, cored and sliced into pieces, I combined these with garlic and onions to make this nice steak compliment.

So this...

...turned to this...

And not wanting to waste anything away - here combined
with sliced onions, whole garlic cloves.

Seared Ribeye with Onion-Garlic-Apple Side Flambéed with Sherry.

• 1 ribeye, preferably choice or above grade, 1 1/2 inch thickness
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 whole peeled garlic, retained in clove form
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced coarsely (each piece probably 0.5x0.5 cm size)
• 1 medium apple, peeled, coared and diced coarsely (each piece about 0.5x1.0 cm size)

In place of apples, you can use:

• 1 medium peach, peeled, pitted and sliced in at least 8-12 sections
• 3 prunes, pitted, each sliced into 4 pieces and soaked in a liquid - sherry, brandy, marsala etc.
• 4 large strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 8 cherries, pitted and halved

You would also need:

• 1 plain resting plate: a resting plate is any ordinary plate, not for presentation, but for the purposes of letting the cooked steak rest and cool a bit as the residual inside juices seep out of the meat making it clean in appearance just prior to presentation.
• 1 presentation plate: self-explanatory. Usually, I have it in a hot oven for about five minutes until ready.  You can also choose to place the plate in a microwave and just leave it there for five minutes.
• Optional: side-dish plate. Usually, in steak houses, this is a boat shaped dish.
• 1 well seasoned thick cast-iron skillet

Procedure:

• Heat your cast iron skillet as you begin to salt and pepper the meat.  It should already be on your stove, lingering in heat, preferably on high.  Because the skillet is thick, it will gather and preheat the skillet to real high sometimes smoking lightly.  Since there is no oil on the pan, it will not smoke the kitchen prematurely. Usually, I leave the pan on for at least 5 minutes for this procedure although longer is fine.
• Once the meat is salted and peppered and the skillet is ready, sear the meat leaving it there during the searing undisturbed.  This is important as it is the prolonged contact with the heat that the searing, crusting and caramelization of the meat is achieved. Frequent turning of the meat will not achieve this effect!
• There is a formula for the achievement of proper doneness for a 1 1/2 inch thick cut ribeye:

                        N = first side in minutes and (N-1) = second side in minutes

                       where:
                                      5=rare
                                      6=medium rare
                                      7=medium
                                      8=medium well
                                      9=well

• Smokey flavor? You may want to place a paper plate on top of the meat while searing is going on.  It gathers the smoke emitted by the vapors of the oil as the fat melts and the meat sears on the pan.
• After searing the first side with the prescribed number of minutes, turn the meat and replace the paper plate.
• Sometime about a minute or so during the searing of the second side, saute on the periphery the onions, garlic and apples.  Replace the plate with occasional stirring to caramelize the vegetables evenly. DO NOT DISTURB the meat during this time.
• Once the second side is well seared, remove from the pan and let it rest on a warm plate. Spread truffle butter or plain butter on the steak to give it as glisten for presentation.
• Pour about 1/5 cup of a dry, high alcohol content wine (sherry in this case) on the pan with the sauteed vegetables and tilt the pan on the side to catch fire.  Turn off the heat.
• With your presentation plate ready - usually a white plate preheated in a microwave or conventional oven for about five minutes - place the meat in a middle.  Garnish with your sides and apply a few parsley flakes to complete the dish.  Enjoy while hot.