Steak tips and asparagus risotto.....

If you are wondering why I got so quiet, I was away for parents weekend at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs and I let someone else do the cooking.  I actually was pretty happy with the dinners I had on Friday and Saturday.  But, I have to tell you, I really did miss cooking and couldn't wait to get home Sunday night.  I thought about what I was going to make for dinner all the way home as I drove from Saratoga Springs, NY to Boston. I knew I would eventually have to go to the grocery store, but I was hoping I had enough ingredients to make it work.  When I got home, I defrosted the steak tips and cut them up.  Once that was done, I sprinkled sea salt on them to let them sit for a couple of hours to do their magic...

In the meantime, I decided to get the risotto going, so I drizzled some olive oil in the pan, added a tablespoon of butter and one cup of risotto, along with a sprinkle of dried chopped onion.

After a few minutes, I begin to add the chicken broth, one cup at a time.  I stir for a while after each addition.  Once all four cups of chicken broth are absorbed into the risotto, I turn off the heat and add the chopped up Rosemary ham., probably a half-cup worth.  I also added a few sprinkles of rosemary and garlic-infused sea salt (you can always add a little garlic powder and crushed rosemary, along with sea salt instead).  In a separate fry pan, I go once around with olive oil and add cut up asparagus...  Sprinkle in some citrus salt and pepper blend and cook for about 10 minutes...  Once it is done, I add that into the risotto, along with a couple of handfuls of Parmesan cheese.

Now it's time to rinse off the steak tips and season for grilling. Make sure you dry them off before sprinkling on garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and grated black pepper.  That's it. 

I grill for about 10-15 minutes on each side.  I do the tong test.... I pick up each steak tip.  As long as it doesn't feel too squishy, I take it off the fire.  They will finish cooking in the serving dish, as they begin to cool down.  In a separate pan, I make the "frosting" to go on top.  It's a red wine demi-glaze, which really makes this dinner!  

In a small pan, I add a little olive oil and 1 shallot, chopped.  Once it is translucent, I add 1/2 cup of red wine and 1/2 cup of beef stock.  At this point, you should simmer it until it is reduced by half.  Next add 1 tbs of butter and about 1 tsp of crushed rosemary.  I wanted the sauce to be a little thicker, so I got a small sauce pan and put in 1 tbs of butter to melt.  Once melted, I add 1 tbs of flour, to create a roux.  When blended, I add a portion of it to the red wine mixture.  As you stir, you will find it thickens pretty quickly.  I needed to add a little chicken broth to keep it from getting too thick.

I have to tell you that the sauce was what made the steak delicious. Salting it before cooking makes it really tender and flavorful.

So I hope my friends Wayne and Ellen out in Michigan will give this one a try.  I know how much they love to grill, and I hope they love this as much as we did!