Coming Tonight...Steakhouse Steaks and Cornmeal Fried Onion Rings

As you can see, I don't always stick to the healthy recipes.  Life is too short to always follow the rules.

I watched Ina make Steakhouse Steaks many months ago.  I knew her steaks where those "melt in your mouth" kind of steaks. I finally found a way to get restaurant steaks at home and for a fraction of the price.

I am a filet eater. My husband loves ribeyes.  I will admit this recipe is probably better for filets.  However, you be your own judge.

It was tricky timing the onion rings and steaks, as I only have 1 oven.  I fried the onion rings first and left in warm oven.  Once it was time to turn the heat up for the steaks, I took the onion rings out.  The steaks do not take long to cook.  Once done, I turned off the oven and inserted the pan of fried onion rings.  However, be careful.  If you leave them in too long, the rings will burn.

Tips I learned from cooking Steakhouse Steaks:

•  A large cast iron skillet should always be a kitchen staple. 
• Steaks do not need a lot of marinades or seasoning to taste wonderful when they are cooked right.  
• Let all meats "rest" after cooking. Simply tent them loosely with foil. The meat will reabsorb the juices.  It really makes a difference.
• I don't use a candy thermometer for frying.
• A dutch oven is great for frying.  It is big enough to stop splatters.
• Fleur de sel is a light salt  It is actually harvested in a sea.  It is not always available, so I use kosher or sea salt in all cooking.

(Recipes below via Food Network. All credit is theirs.)

Cornmeal Friend Onion Rings (Ina Garten)

2 large Spanish onions (or 3 yellow onions)

2 cups buttermilk

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (medium) yellow cornmeal

1 quart vegetable oil

Directions

Peel the onions, slice them 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick, and separate them into rings. Combine the buttermilk, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Add the onion rings, toss well, and allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes. (The onion rings can sit in the buttermilk for a few hours.) In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

When you're ready to fry the onion rings, preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.

Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a large pot or Dutch oven. (A candy thermometer attached to the side of the pot will help you maintain the proper temperature.) Working in batches, lift some onions out of the buttermilk and dredge them in the flour mixture. Drop into the hot oil and fry for 2 minutes, until golden brown, turning them once with tongs. Don't crowd them! Place the finished onion rings on the baking sheet, sprinkle liberally with salt, and keep them warm in the oven while you fry the next batch. Continue frying the onion rings and placing them in the warm oven until all the onions are fried. They will remain crisp in the oven for up to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Steakhouse Steaks: (Ina Garten)

Ingredients

2 (10-ounce) filet mignon

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon fleur de sel

1 tablespoon coarsely cracked black peppercorns

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, optional

Roquefort Chive Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat a large, well-seasoned cast iron skillet over high heat until very hot, 5 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and brush them lightly with vegetable oil. Combine the fleur de sel and cracked pepper on a plate and roll the steaks in the mixture, pressing lightly to evenly coat all sides.

When the skillet is ready, add the steaks and sear them evenly on all sides for about 2 minutes per side, for a total of 10 minutes.

Top each steak with a tablespoon of butter, if using, and place the skillet in the oven. Cook the steaks until they reach 120 degrees F for rare or 125 degrees F for medium-rare on an instant-read thermometer. (To test the steaks, insert the thermometer sideways to be sure you're actually testing the middle of the steak.)

Remove the steaks to a serving platter, cover tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes