New York Strip Steak with Roasted Asparagus and Mushroom Sauce #WeekdaySupper

New York Strip Steak with Roasted Asparagus and Mushroom Sauce #WeekdaySupper

I guess you could say that I have a greater appreciation for farmer's markets. When I lived in California, many of them stay open year round, so by the time I looked up local ones after our move to Washington last autumn, pretty much all of them had already closed for the winter. The only one that stays open year round locally is the famous Pike's Place Market but I have stayed away because it's a bit of a drive and I'm not a fan of crowds. The city of Redmond, Washington opened their Saturday farmer's market the first Saturday in May so I went a couple of weeks ago.

Inspiration Behind the Dish

This month, all #WeekdaySupper dishes will be featuring summer's bounty of produce that comes into season this time of year so I went to the farmer's market with my copy of The Flavor Bible and an open mind. I noticed asparagus was fairly common that day among many of the vendors, so I purchased 1 bunch in addition to some mushrooms, radishes and spring onions. A couple of days later, I noticed New York steaks were on sale at the local supermarket so I made the purchase thinking they would pair perfectly with the mushrooms and asparagus.

Dish Details

From the standpoint of a preparation method, I relied heavily on Think Like a Chef by Tom Colicchio with Catherine Young, Lori Silverbush and Sean Fri. Page 41 reviews the pan roasting method for steaks in addition to the sauce making method found on page 75. In addition, I compiled a roasted asparagus method from several different sources. I'd imagine that this dish would be at home in any steakhouse.

Ingredients

1 pound fresh asparagus, tough ends trimmed
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless New York steaks, about 12-ounces each
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 medium shallot, chopped
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 cups beef stock

Method

1. Prepare the asparagus. Preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Toss the asparagus with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Place them in a single layer on a aluminum foil-lined sheet pan. Set aside while the steaks are prepared.

2. Pan roast the steaks. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels, then season them with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil starts to smoke, lay the steaks down in the pan to sear on both sides, approximately 3 minutes per side. Add 2 tablespoons butter and thyme sprigs to the pan. Baste the steaks with the browning butter for 1 minute, then turn and baste on the second side for an additional minute. Repeat the 'turn and baste' process until the steaks reach the desired doneness. Remove to a plate and tent with an aluminum foil and let it rest while the remainder of the dish is prepared.

3. Roast the asparagus and prepare the sauce. While the steaks rest, place the asparagus in the oven and roast it until tender, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. While the asparagus roasts, add the remaining olive oil to the pan where the steaks were roasted. Once the oil has warmed, add the chopped shallot to the oil and sweat, then season with salt and pepper, approximately 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the red wine, scraping up the loosened fond with a spoon. Simmer until the wine has almost evaporated. Add in the beef stock and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Decrease the heat to low, then stir in the remaining two tablespoons butter to give the sauce some richness. Season with salt and pepper to taste. To plate, place 4 to 5 asparagus spears on the plate diagonally, then place the steak on the plate over the asparagus in the other direction and top with mushroom sauce.

Final Thoughts

All-in-all I found the Redmond Market to have more vendors selling artisan honeys and crafts than farmers selling produce. Thankfully, there are two opening up that are closer this week so hopefully, you'll see the items I've purchased here soon.

For more #WeekdaySupper ideas, please visit the dishes published earlier this week:

• Monday, June 1, 2015: Garlicy Pasta with Sauteed Shrimp and Chard by Whole Food | Real Families
• Tuesday, June 2, 2015: Amaranth and Veggies Stuffed Peppers by Cindy's Recipes and Writings

and a preview of the two remaining dishes:

• Thursday, June 4, 2015: Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches by Magnolia Days
• Friday, June 5, 2015: Couscous Royale by The Petit Gourmet