This is the weekend to start celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and for us, Jack’s birthday too. I’ve invited our friends to come for dinner on Saturday night for Peppered Steaks with Whipped Mustard Butter, which isn't Irish, but is one of our favorite ways to make steak in the winter, before we start grilling outdoors (see recipe below).
For dessert, I'm making Irish Coffee. It is so quick and easy to make, I made one last night so I could share a photo of it with you in this blog.
Irish Coffee
1. Fill an Irish Coffee mug with very hot water to pre-heat; drain.
2. Spoon about a tablespoon brown sugar into the bottom of mug. Pour a shot of Irish Whiskey over the sugar and stir to dissolve the sugar.
3. Pour hot coffee into the mug; top with lightly whipped cream.
Irish Coffee came to the U.S. after a travel writer, for the San Francisco Chronicle, tasted it at the Shannon Airport. He worked with the Buena Vista Cafe in San Francisco, where they started serving it in 1952.
Peppered Steaks with Whipped Mustard Butter
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 /4 teaspoons kosher (coarse) salt
1 tablespoons cracked peppercorn blend
4 beef tenderloin steaks (1 1/2 inches thick)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1. In small bowl, stir together butter, mustard, honey, lemon peel and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt until smoothly blended and of whipped consistency. Let stand at room temperature.
2. Heat oven to 425°F. In another small bowl, stir together peppercorn blend and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Brush steaks with oil; sprinkle with peppercorn mixture, pressing evenly onto both sides.
3. Heat large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add steaks; cook 4 minutes. Turn steaks; place skillet in oven. Bake 10 to 15 minutes for medium-rare or until of desired doneness. Serve steaks topped with mustard butter.
4 servings