Beef Wellington
Wrapped in golden, buttery puff pastry and filled with deeply savory mushroom duxelles, beef Wellington is an unforgettable centerpiece to any feast. Dried porcini deliver extra umami to the beef, while a touch of Dijon and chopped herbs adds a layer of freshness as well. Skipping the foie gras makes the dish more approachable, and swapping out the traditional crepe lining for phyllo (thanks to a trick from Kenji Lopez-Alt) streamlines the process, but beef Wellington still demands several hours of searing, stuffing, rolling, and chilling to ensure its magical result.
Beef Bone Broth
This rich, long-simmered beef bone broth is terrific when used as stock in recipes, but is just as satisfying and delicious enough when enjoyed straight from a mug, gently warmed and topped with a bit of freshly ground pepper. You’ll want to make a trip to the butcher to find your soup bones, since they’ll need to be halved by the butcher with a bandsaw for maximum flavor in the broth.
You've Made It This Far, Might As Well Make Your Own Steak Tartare
Make tartare for someone you really love—like yourself.
Prakas' Rib Eye
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano adds an unexpected hit of nutty, sweet flavor to rib eye steaks marinated in Thai seasoning sauce, white pepper, and soy sauce in this Night + Market recipe by Kris Yenbamroong, who named the dish for his father, Prakas. Quickly searing the steaks allows them to develop a dark, flavorful crust before resting, slicing, and finishing them in the pan sauce, where they absorb even more flavor and cook to a perfect medium-rare. Stirring fresh Thai basil into the warm steak and tomatoes just before serving allows it to gently perfume the whole dish.
Garlic-Butter Steak Bites
These quickly stir-fried beef bites deliver all the savory luxury of a steakhouse-caliber steak, without the stress over cooking one at home. The buttery, velvety sauce coats every piece nicely, and the vermouth’s herbal richness pairs nicely with the savory Worcestershire. Serve as an appetizer with toothpicks, or enjoy over mashed potatoes or polenta.
Hanger Steaks with Cabbage-and-Beet Salad
“Cabbage is a hard sell on restaurant menus, so it’s very underutilized but a great vegetable,” says chef Craig Koketsu, of New York City’s Quality Bistro. “This salad is sweet, salty, savory, and acidic. It’s so dynamic when you’re eating it, even though it’s all red.” Though it stands alone on Koketsu’s menu, we’ve topped our version with hanger steak for a quick weeknight dinner. While the steak cooks, the cabbage and beets marinate in a tangy mixture of Champagne vinegar and horseradish. Bleu d’Auvergne cheese is worth seeking out for its mild flavor.
