The other night one of my guy friends called me and said he wanted to cook a steak for a special girl. You know, the crucial third or fourth date so he wants to make her dinner. I guess he is thinking that, if it’s good enough, maybe she’ll be there for breakfast. He explained, if it doesn’t happen by the third or fourth date, it ‘ain’t happening!

Steak is just one of those special dishes that every guy should be able to make. Whether he is cooking for his date, his friends or a special occasion, steak pleases a wide range of people.

I suggested that he use the cast iron pan he bought a few months ago, after he asked me to make him a list of essential tools for his kitchen. His requirements were that items did not take up too much space or require too much maintenance, so the cast iron pan made the list.

The Steak
Go to your local butcher and buy two ten-ounce sirloin steaks. Take them out of the fridge at least one hour before cooking to bring up to room temperature.

Rub with olive oil and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat pan on medium high and add two tablespoons of light olive oil.

Once the pan is hot, cook the steak two minutes on each side. The great thing about a cast iron pan is that you’ll get a nice crust. Once cooked on both sides, remove from the pan and place on a plate or board and allow to rest for eight to ten minutes and insert thermometer. The steak will continue cooking while resting and the thermometer will read 145° for medium rare/155° for medium. Higher for well-done, but it’d be a waste of high quality meat.

Serve with crispy oven Parmesan fries or your favorite sautéed vegetables.  Pair with a glass of local La Ferme Martin Chardonnay from Wolffer Estate Vineyard.