Steak Oscar

How about serving this to Dad on Father's Day?  Thick cut rib eye steaks and then topped with crab meat and Bearnaise sauce? What's not to love there for the meat lover in your life?

Start with 2 - 4  1 1/2 inch thick cut rib eye steaks or Filet Mignon.  

Season the steaks liberally with salt and coarsely ground black pepper on both sides. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat until it's almost smoking, then sear the steaks on each side for 1 minute.  

Lower the heat to low and cook the steaks for about 7 to 10 minutes, turning once, until very rare in the middle. Remove to a plate, cover tightly with aluminum foil and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Serve with the Bearnaise sauce on the side or on top or under......

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup good white wine

2 T. minced shallots

3 T. chopped fresh tarragon leaves, divided 

Kosher salt 

Freshly ground black pepper 

3 extra-large egg yolks 

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted 

For the sauce, put the vinegar, white wine, shallots, 1 tablespoon tarragon leaves, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is reduced to a few tablespoons.  Cool slightly.

Place the cooled mixture with the egg yolks and 1 teaspoon salt in the jar of a blender and blend for 30 seconds.  With blender on, slowly pour the hot butter through the opening in the lid.  Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of tarragon leaves and blend only for a second.  If the sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon of white wine to thin.  Keep at room temperature until serving.

For this meal, I spooned some of the sauce on the plate and then placed lightly blanched asparagus spears.  Next came the steaks and then I put crab meat with additional sauce on top.  

Adapted from Ina Garten's recipe.