T-Bone Steak with Arugula
This dish is a fairly recent addition to Kitchen 511, but it's quickly risen through the ranks to become a most-loved one. Especially by Bella. It was inspired by our summer holiday in Venice, where we stayed in a low-key and lovely district called Cannaregio. On our last night, we made a reservation at a neighborhood restaurant called Al Timon. When we arrived, the waiter informed us there were no tables available but offered us a choice: we could either wait 30 minutes for an inside table for six, or they could set up a table outside on the owner's boat and seat us immediately! Only in Italy would the proprietor of a happening restaurant sooner offer up the table on his private boat than turn away customers. Needless to say, we opted to dine afloat the Ormesini Canal. At the waiter's urging, we ordered a house specialty--a giant platter of T-bone steaks atop a bed of arugula. Lightly drizzled with olive oil, the real flavor of the greens came from the steak's scrumptious, salty juices. A spicy sauce was served alongside the steak for anyone who wanted to add a little bit of heat to their meat; but it was simply delicious on its on. It was a memorable evening and meal and ended with a yummy round of limoncello. Within two weeks of returning to the States, we recreated the dish at home and served it with a large platter of roasted fingerling potatoes. A word of caution: a good cut carries a hefty price tag. But just ask Bella...it's worth it!
Serves 5-6
Ingredients
3 T-bone steaks, app. 1 1/2" thick
Coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
5 oz. of arugula (or a container if you buy the pre-packaged variety)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Preparation
Remove steaks from fridge 30 minutes before grilling. Pat dry and generously season with salt and pepper.
When grill is hot (we use a gas grill), lightly oil the grates. Place steak on grill (with the tenderloin--smaller side of the meat--facing the cooler part of grill; if necessary, reduce the heat in one section of the grill so as not to overcook the tenderloin). Cover and grill for about 5 minutes. Flip steak and continue grilling for about 5 minutes more. Insert thermometer to check internal temperature. For medium-rare, steak should register about 120°F on tenderloin side of the bone, 125°F on the larger side (the strip loin). If your steaks are thinner or thicker than 1 1/2", adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Let steak rest for 10 minutes before slicing. While waiting, arrange a bed of arugula on a large, flat platter and drizzle with olive oil.
Slice and serve steak atop arugula.
