JLQ Makes One Delicious Steak!

Last night, I trekked to my buddy JLQ's house in Dorchester for some "grilled steaks" (according to his email invite) and the US soccer friendly vs. Mexico.  I quickly learned, upon arrival, that I was in store for a perfect summer meal: enormous steaks (see below), grilled veggies, rice pilaf, and a few brews.

As the title of this post suggest, JLQ has perfected the recipe for the rib eye.  He begins by seasoning the steaks with vegetable oil and generous amounts of salt and pepper.  In a separate, large dish, he prepares what he refers to as  a "type of chimichurri" sauce - olive oil, parsley, lemon juice, shallots, and salt and pepper. 

The sauce just sits in the plate, all of the ingredients getting to know each other, sharing stories, and blending into the finished product.  I had never had anything like this, especially on a steak, which I like to keep about as simple as possible - salt, pepper, and olive oil. No steak sauce for me!  But I was intrigued by it, and he assured me it was going to be "awesome."

 While the steaks are on the grill - and JLQ and I are hovering over the grill, because that's what men do, they hover over the grill, mouths watering with anticipation - the whole wheat rice pilaf cooks on the stove.  And the skewers of red and green peppers and onions, marinated lightly in olive oil, sit idly by, waiting for their turn over the fire.  JLQ turns the steaks a few times, throws the veggie skewers on the fire, and you can see his eyes begin to light up.  He knows the steaks are nearly ready![FN1]

Once the steaks are done, he places them on a non-wood cutting board (because the juices can soak into wood - learned that from the fiancee), and lets them sit (to keep the juices from running out like pent up water behind a now-bursting dam).  Then, he places each steak on the plate with the sauce, flipping to cover each side, and then returns the steaks to the board and covers them with the rest of the sauce.  Now they are ready to cut and he slices them into huge slabs, which reveals a medium-rare center that takes your breath away.

The steak is beyond flavorful.  One thing about the rib eye, as you can see in the first pictures, is that there is a considerable amount of fat.  Don't be afraid of it!!! Fat adds flavor, and you are free to exercise some restraint and not eat the "unhealthy" pieces (a difficult task).[FN2]  The sauce is essentially 15 yards for excessive celebration - the steak was great without it and now you're just showing off.  You get all of the flavors - the shallots, the parsley, the lemon.  When the excess runs into the pilaf, well, it makes that instantly better as well. 

Well done, JLQ. Well done.[FN3]

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FN1: Everyone has their own technique for determining when a steak is perfectly cooked.  Some cut into it, some press it to see how much juice comes out.  JLQ just seems to know - it's a gift.

FN2: "Unhealthy" is in quotes because its hearsay.

FN3: Was not hungry when I woke up this morning.  Yes, it was that kind of meal.