Independence Day Grilling: Steaks with Herb Butter

In honor of our lovely Statue of Liberty—green, gift from France, get it?—take a note from French bistros and add a pat of herb butter to your Independence Day steaks. The butter melts over the hot beef of course, pooling with the steak juices to create an obscenely addictive sauce. It's a classic bistro presentation, alongside pommes frites (a.k.a. French fries, briefly known as Freedom Fries), and is so delicious that you'll soon be adding pats to everything. Grilled fish, boiled new potatoes, sauteed mushrooms, crusty bread... And on and on, all improved by that gorgeous green butter. Simple. Divine. Mon Dieu.

If you're up for deep-frying, try this recipe for garlic-truffle fries (seriously). If you're not, stay tuned for next week's recipe for New Potato Green Bean Salad, market/garden-fresh and a perfect accompaniment to grilled steaks.
 

Photo by Stephanie Meyer

steaks (your favorite cut)
Kosher salt (or other coarse salt; not table salt)
1 stick (1/2 c.) cold butter
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 small shallot, chopped
1/4 c. chopped fresh herbs (any combination you like of basil, parsley, rosemary, sage, oregano, chervil, etc.)
zest of 1/2 lemon
dash or two of Tabasco sauce (optional)

One hour before grilling, sprinkle coarse salt generously on both sides of the steaks. Cover lightly and let sit at room temperature while you heat the grill and prepare the butter.

Put butter, garlic, shallot, herbs, lemon zest, and Tabasco sauce (if using) in the bowl of a food processor. Process until butter is smooth and uniformly green. Taste and add salt as needed. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on the counter. Add the butter in spoonfuls to create a long log, about 1-inch by 8-inches. Roll the plastic wrap around the butter and gently roll the log of butter back and forth on the counter, to make the log relatively even and round. Twist off the ends of the plastic wrap to seal and put the butter in the freezer to firm it up. (Butter can be made two days ahead; chill in the refrigerator, covered.)

Heat the grill. Thoroughly pat the steaks dry with paper towels. Grill the steaks to desired doneness. Just before the steaks are done, slice off several 1/4-inch thick slices of butter. Top hot steaks with a pat of butter and serve. (Leftover butter will keep for a week in the fridge, a month in the freezer.)
 

Posted on Tuesday, June 22, 2010 in Permalink