Would you believe me if I told you the Nancy Drew series is absolutely FULL of steak? Nancy and her friends eat it in at least FOURTEEN books! I haven’t made steak for the blog in eons, so I chose it as this menu’s entree and challenged myself to make it seasonal.
Lately I’ve been eating roasted garlic rosemary bread with maple butter on top, and it got me thinking about how well rosemary, maple, and garlic go together. Rosemary and garlic are my go-to aromatics for steak, so I decided to see what happened if I added maple to the mix in the form of maple butter, used to baste the steak as it sears. Oooooh man, you guys. It’s the coolest combo of savory, salty, herby, and sweet. A steak that’s been kissed by autumn.* dreamy sigh *
Plus, it’s a quick and easy preparation, which suits the steak served in THE PASSWORD TO LARKSPUR LANE, my favorite Nancy book so far. This. Book. Has. Everything: Carrier pigeons caught in plane engines, coded messages, kidnapped doctors, pigeon fanciers (raised eyebrow), and competitive diving. It’s a wild ride to say the least. 😀
Halfway through the book, Nancy and her friends help an elderly couple make a steak dinner as she investigates a mysterious blue flame that’s been popping up in their yard at night. Something tells me she wasn’t spending hours waiting for the meat to marinate, so a quick sear with aromatics and compound butter feels appropriate.
If you’re looking for an autumnal dinner to go with your cozy mystery book, this is the meal for you!
A
Maple Butter Basted Steak with Rosemary and Garlic
“The girls dressed quickly and helped their hostess prepare a dinner of steak, potatoes, green beans, and watermelon. Afterward they insisted upon tidying the kitchen without her assistance. It was twilight by the time they finished. Nancy excused herself and slipped through the front door. Carrying a flashlight, she headed for the spot in the woods where she and Helen had seen the blue fire.”
— The Password to Larkspur Lane
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cloves roasted garlic, minced (recipe below)
- 3 Tbsp maple butter, divided (recipe below)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large steak, room temperature (I used a 1.5-inch boneless 1 lb 11 oz sirloin)
- 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1/4 tsp fresh-ground black pepper, divided
- 1 large sprig fresh rosemary
Makes 1 large steak
INSTRUCTIONS:
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- To roast the garlic. Preheat oven to 425°. Peel away most of the outer skin from a head of garlic. Slice off just enough of the top that all the cloves are exposed. Lightly brush the top with olive oil. Lightly wrap in foil and bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 30 minutes or until golden brown and soft. Use 2 cloves for this recipe.
- To make maple butter. In a medium bowl, beat 1/2 cup softened butter with 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup until smooth. Set aside. Alternatively, roll it up in wax paper and chill until firm for easier portioning. Use 3 tablespoons for this recipe.
- To make the steak. Add olive oil to a skillet, preferably cast iron. Place over medium high heat. While you wait for the skillet to heat, rub each side of the steak with 1 clove of the minced garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper. When skillet is hot, add the steak, placing the rosemary on top.
- Cook for 2 minutes. Flip the steak, placing the rosemary back on top. Add 2 tablespoons of maple butter to the skillet, spooning it over the steak as it melts. Cook for another 2 minutes.
- For a medium rare steak, cook for 2 more minutes on each side, spooning melted butter over the steak all the while.
- Transfer steak to a plate to rest for 5 minutes or half its cook time (whichever is longer) before cutting.
- Serve with an extra tablespoon of maple butter on top!
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