Strip steak with sauteed mushrooms and a baked potato.
Edit: I posted the pictures before I forgot to. Now I’d like to give a few details on the dinner.
I cooked the steaks using my usual method: Vacuum sealed and cooked with an immersion circulator between 128 and 131 degrees. There isn’t much difference in the doneness in that range, it’s more a matter of timing. I finished using my new favorite method. I finish in a cast iron skillet directly on a bed of coals on my grill. You get a super crisp char without any flare ups.
The mushrooms were sautéed using this recipe.
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2007/12/dinner-tonight-bittmans-sauteed-mushrooms-recipe.html
The stars of the dish were the baked potatoes. It was the best baked potato I ever had. Crackling crispy skin and fluffy interior. I saw the method on TV and immediately wanted to try it.
This is the recipe/method we used.
Ingredients
Salt and pepper
4 (7- to 9-ounce) russet potatoes, unpeeled, each lightly pricked with fork in 6 places
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees (425 degrees for a convection oven). Dissolve 2 tablespoons kosher salt in 1/2 cup warm water in large bowl. Place potatoes in bowl and toss so exteriors of potatoes are evenly moistened. Transfer potatoes to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and bake until center of largest potato registers 205 degrees, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Turn up oven to 450 degrees if previously set to 425 degrees. Remove potatoes from oven and brush tops and sides with oil. Clarified butter also works well. Do not use whole butter as it has too much water. Return potatoes to oven and continue to bake for 10 minutes.
3. Remove potatoes from oven and, using paring knife, make 2 slits, forming X, in each potato. Using clean dish towel, hold ends and squeeze slightly to push flesh up and out. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
If you like baked potatoes I highly recommend this recipe.
Enjoy.
-Dave