Pan Seared Rib Eye Steak with an English Pea Puree
A printable recipe may be found at The Crepes of Wrath
Well, we had a fantastic weekend up in New Rochelle. The storm didn't end up being too bad on Friday, so we were able to get up there with no problems at all. It had been far too long since we had seen everyone up there, so it was nice to just hang out and catch up. It's so much prettier up there than it is in the city, too. The snow looked so light and delicate, compared to the sludge that we have down here! We went and saw Kramer's grandmother's new apartment, which looks great and will look even better once all of the renovations have been completed, and then we went to his Aunt Beth's house, where we got to see all the kids and ate some fantastic Chinese food. Beth even got us this cute cookie cake! We finished up the last of it last night when we got home, which was a great way to end the weekend (after being driven home instead of having to take the train - thanks again, Beth)! I hear that we're looking forward to yet another snow storm this week, but I'm hoping that it was as light as the one on Friday was.
I made this dish a while ago, but I never got around to posting it. It was, indeed, inspired by season seven of Top Chef and the Great Pea Puree debacle. I don't really have an opinion on what happened as far as who stole what from who, but I did think that a pea puree sounded delicious and I really wanted to try making it at home myself. I couldn't really find anything on the Internet, but I figured it wouldn't be that difficult, and I was right. The pea puree was fresh and flavorful, probably due to the fact that I used fresh English peas, which I had never done before. It was certainly worth the extra dollar or two. The peas were so beautiful and plump, I really couldn't believe how fantastic they were and, even more, I couldn't believe that I had never cooked with fresh peas before. The puree paired wonderfully with the juicy steaks, which I cooked in plenty of butter, of course. Together, this is an outstanding dish that anyone would love. Each bite brings with it the rich taste of the rib eye steaks and the lovely, savory pea puree. Valentine's Day is coming up, and I think this would be a great way to show the person in your life how important they are to you by cooking something so impressive and so delicious!
Your ingredients.
Mince your shallots.
And your garlic.
I loved how beautiful these peas were.
Shell all of them.
Cook your shallots until they are beginning to caramelize, then add in the garlic and cook for a minute or so.
Add in your peas and stock, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the peas are tender.
Reserve a few cooked peas for garnish.
Then puree the rest and stir in the cream. Remove from heat, and when you're ready to use the puree, heat over medium-low (this will only take a minute or two).
Rub your steaks with the olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Heat your butter until foaming over high heat, then add in the steaks and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until well browned.
Place the steaks under the broiler for 1 minute, just to give them a nice char.
Serve on top of the warmed pea puree.
Pan Seared Rib Eye Steak with an English Pea Puree
A printable recipe may be found at The Crepes of Wrath
Total Prep and Cooking Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 2-4 servings (depending on how large your steaks are)
For the English Pea Puree:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups fresh shelled English peas
1 cup chicken stock (plus another 1/2 cup, if needed)
1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt, more to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
2 tablespoons heavy cream
For the Steaks:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons thyme, minced
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2-4 rib eye steaks (mine were small, so I had 4 steaks)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1. Start by making the pea puree. Heat your olive oil in a medium sized pot over medium heat, then add in the shallot and cook until beginning to caramelize, about 4-5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add in the shelled English peas and the chicken stock, enough to just cover the peas. Simmer for 10-15 minutes over medium heat, until the peas are tender. When they're ready, reserve a few peas with a slotted spoon for garnish at the end (this is totally optional). Puree the rest with a food processor, a blender, or an immersion blender, until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream, taste, and adjust seasonings as needed. Set aside until ready to use, at which point the puree can be reheated quickly over medium-low heat.
2. Now, get your steaks ready. Turn your broiler on in your oven, or turn your oven up to about 450-500 degrees F. Rub the steaks with the olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Heat your 2 tablespoons of butter over high heat in a large ovenproof skillet until foaming, then add in the steaks and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until well browned. Immediately place the steaks in the oven and let them brown in there for just a minute or so, to get a little bit of a char on them.
3. Spread a bit of the pea puree onto a plate and top with a steak. Sprinkle a few of your reserved peas on the plate and serve.
A printable recipe may be found at The Crepes of Wrath