Our Florida Surf and Turf

On our Florida vacation, our beach house had a grill outside.  We found a nice meat market and picked up a large beef tenderloin, portioned it up, grilled it, and served it with some very garlicky shrimp and a side of potato and brussel sprout hash.  After a day on the beach coupled with this big meal and a couple bottles of red wine, we were all done for after eating!

Beef Filets with Butter Garlic Shrimp

Serves 4

• 4 portions of beef filets
• 1 pound large-ish shrimp, shelled, de-veined, tails removed
• 4  cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 more tablespoons butter,  cut into smaller chunks
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup white wine

Generously season both sides of steaks with salt and pepper.  Grill over hot grill about 4-5 minutes per side (depending on thickness) for medium rare.

White steaks are resting, make shrimp.  Heat cast iron pan over medium heat.  Add 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil.  Add garlic and slowly cook until bubbly and just starting to brown, about 2 minutes (don’t burn!).  Add shrimp, season well, and cook about 2 minutes. Add white wine and let reduce by about half, about 2 minutes.  Once reduced, turn heat off and slowly start stirring in butter chunks, about one at a time.  Taste for any final seasoning and serve over steaks with lots of garlicky sauce.

Potato and Brussel Sprout Hash

• About 3/4 pounds small potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
• About 3/4 pounds brussel sprouts, ends cut off, sliced in half
• 1 medium white onion, cut into dice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons  butter

Cook potatoes in boiling salted water until just about cooked through, about 9 minutes.  Drain thoroughly.

Blanch brussel sprouts in boiling salted water until just cooked through, about 4 minutes.  Drain thoroughly.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive in cast iron pan over medium high heat.  Cook onions until cooked through and starting to brown in areas. Season and stir in butter and mix until melted.  Add to a large serving bowl. Tent with foil to keep warm.

Do the same with the potatoes and brussel sprouts, separately in two batches:  Heat a cast iron pan with the oil medium high heat, add the vegggies and season, cook until starting to brown in spots, and melt in the tablespoon of butter.  Add to serving bowl.  Once all veggies are done, give it all a good mix and serve with steaks and shrimp.

Our dinner table at the Beach House

The Hubs Loves his Lamb

If I want to make my husband very happy, all I have to do is suggest lamb for dinner.  We had bought a rack of lamb from Trader Joe’s a few weeks ago and tossed it into the freezer.  I had kind of even forgot we bought it until Thursday evening when I was poking around in the freezer trying to determine what I was going to make for dinner.  I set it in the fridge to thaw, and told the hubs the good news that lamb would be on the menu for us on Friday night.  That with a nice big Cabernet Sauvignon from California made for a good Friday night at home date.

Rack of Lamb with Onion Jam and Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts