Rib Eye Steak with Margarita-Chili Sauce, Horseradish Mashed Potatoes, and Turban Squash Sauté
Large beef rib eye steaks are pan-broiled and served on a bed of Margarita-Chili Sauce. Piquant horseradish mashed potatoes and a sauté of squash, corn, and tomatoes accompany the dish. Test the meat by pressing on it gently: for rare, it should feel as yielding as the fleshy part of your thumb where it meets the palm of your hand; for medium-rare, it should feel as yielding as the fleshy part of your thumb where it meets the side of your hand; for well it should barely yield at all.
Ingredients
- Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon
- Unsalted Butter - 1 tablespoon
- Beef Rib Eye Steaks - two, 18- to 20-ounce, cut 1 inch thick, on the bone
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Margarita-Chili Sauce
- Vidalia Onion - 1 small, cut into fine dice
- Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon
- Poblano Peppers - 2, roasted, peeled, seeded, and julienned
- New Mexico ancho chili paste - 1 tablespoon
- Chipotl Pepper - 1 small, re-hydrated, seeded, and pureed
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- Orange Juice - 1/2 cup
- Lime Juice - 1/4 cup
- Honey - 2 tablespoons
- Gold Tequila - 1/2 cup
- Orange Liqueur - 1/4 cup
- Rich Veal Stock - 1 cup
- Orange Zest - 1 tablespoon, julienned
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 1/2 cup
- Unsalted Butter - 2 tablespoons
- Turban Squash Sauté
- Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons
- Cumin Seed - 1/2 teaspoon
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- Turban Squash - 1 cup, cut in 1/4-inch slices (alt.butternut squash)
- Pear Tomatoes - 1/2 cup, sliced in half
- Corn Kernels - 1 cup
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Unsalted Butter - 1 tablespoon
- Rosemary Sprigs - 4 to 8
- Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
- Yellow Potatoes - 3 pounds
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 2 cups
- Unsalted Butter - 1/2 pound
- Salt - 2 teaspoons
- Black Pepper - 1 teaspoon, ground
- Horseradish Root - 1/4 cup, freshly grated
- Green Onions - 1/2 cup, chopped
- Horseradish Mashed Potatoes (Makes 6 servings)
- Yellow Potatoes - 3 pounds
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 2 cups
- Unsalted Butter - 1/2 pound
- Salt - 2 teaspoons
- Ground Black Pepper - 1 teaspoon
- Freshly grated horseradish root - 1/4 cup
- Green Onions - 1/2 cup, chopped
Instructions
To prepare the steak: Preheat the oven to 375 F. Cut away any meat along the end of the bone and scrape the bone clean. Press the remaining meat toward the “chop” end. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large ovenproof sauté pan or skillet over high heat. Liberally season the steaks with salt and pepper and sear in the hot pan. Char both sides thoroughly, about 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once. Place in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, to desired degree of doneness; check for doneness with the press test described in the headnote of this recipe. Remove from pan, place on a warm platter, and keep in a warm.
Put the olive oil, diced onions, and poblanos in a sauté pan or skillet and spread out evenly. Cook over medium heat until softened. Stir in the chili paste and chipotl puree and cook 1 minute to toast the spices; the mixture should be very fragrant. Liberally season with pepper. Add the orange juice and lime juice and stir up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the honey. Allow the mixture to boil for 2 minutes, until reduced by half. Take the pan away from the flame and add the tequila and orange liqueur. Reduce the heat to low and return the pan to the heat (you do not want to flame the sauce, which is what will happen if the alcohol fumes reach the flame). Warm the veal stock in a small pan over medium heat. Reduce the pepper mixture for 2 to 3 minutes, boiling of the alcohol, then stir in the warmed veal stock. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid is reduced by half in volume. Add the zest and cream and simmer 2 more minutes on medium-low heat; do not boil the sauce again. Swirl in the butter.
To make the squash sauté: Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan or skillet and toast the cumin seeds for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Season with pepper. Add the squash and sauté for 1 minute before adding the tomatoes and corn. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Swirl in the butter.
To serve: Carve the rib eye steaks into slices. Spoon horseradish mashed potatoes on one end of each serving platter; spoon squash sauté on the other end. Spread margarita sauce in the center of the platters. Fan steak slices over the sauce. Garnish with sprigs of rosemary.
Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
To prepare the potatoes: Peel the potatoes and bring them to a boil in a large pot of salted water. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook 18 to 22 minutes, until tender. In a saucepan, combine the cream and butter and heat until very warm, but not boiling. Add the salt and pepper. Drain the potatoes and pass through a food mill or ricer into a large bowl. Whisk the cream mixture into the hot potatoes in two additions. Fold in the horseradish and green onions. Keep hot.
