For a quick and elegant dinner for two, nothing beats the ease of steak. For this Valentine’s dinner suggestion, we’ve chosen the flavorful rib-eye steaks, but any small steaks can do. A quick saute of onions and mushrooms becomes the base for a rich red wine sauce to serve with the steaks.
Match the steaks with two easy-to-steam vegetables and a chocolate mousse cake from the bakery or supermarket. Buy an extra bottle of the merlot as the perfect vehicle for romantic toasting.
Menu
Rib-eye steaks with merlot-mushroom melange
Steamed asparagus and sliced yellow squash
French rolls
Chocolate mousse cake
Merlot
Tips
Do-ahead: You can make the onion-mushroom-wine mixture a day ahead, then simply stir it into the skillet to incorporate the steak drippings.
If you must, you could use a frozen vegetable mix to save a little prep time.
Rib-eye steaks with merlot-mushroom melange
Preparation time:
10 minutes
Cooking time:
20 minutes
Yield:
2 servings
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Any dry red wine may be used in place of the merlot, if you wish. Also, for a more intense mushroom flavor, soak dried wild mushrooms of your choice in hot water for 30 minutes, if you have the time.
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 rib-eye steaks, about 1 pound each
1/2 teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground pepper
1 red onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces mixed wild mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 cup merlot
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in large, heavy skillet over high heat. Season steaks with 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Add steak; sear to brown one side, about 2 minutes. Turn; brown other side, 2 minutes. Remove steaks to shallow roasting pan; place in oven. Roast until desired doneness, about 7 minutes for rare.
2. Meanwhile, lower heat to medium-high; add onions to same skillet. Cook, stirring, over high heat until lightly colored, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper; cook 1 minute. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add wine; heat to a boil. Cook, stirring up bits on bottom of skillet, to reduce, about 5 minutes. Stir in butter. Place steaks on serving plates; spoon mushrooms and sauce over steaks.
Nutrition information per serving:
766 calories, 51% of calories from fat, 42 g fat, 17 g saturated fat, 272 mg cholesterol, 11.5 g carbohydrates, 81 g protein, 749 mg sodium, 2 g fiber