Cooking for Zo

Taste Level: VGR
Cost: $20 and under
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10-15 min.
Cook Time: 30-35 min.
Difficulty: 1

Growing up I had one meal dreaded above all the rest, PEPPER STEAK... I hated pepper steak, I hated it so much that I thought I hated any kind of steak. What I did not know until I got older was, it could be made cheap and quick. Being that both my parents worked and my mom was in college cheap and quick meals were a must. Still I could not even eat pepper steak, I would pick at my plate and eat around anything that resembled steak. It did not help that I was going through a phase where I preferred not to have rice. Zo and I had just bought some thin cut new york strips that were on sale and I decided I would take my bad memory and turn it into a good recipe! I have to admit... I had a hard time taking the first bite but once it hit my palate, I went through two servings!

Ingredients:
Steak
1 lb of thin cut new york strips
1 tbsp black truffle oil
kosher salt (to taste)
Fresh crack pepper (to taste)
4 servings of rice
soy sauce (to taste)

Gravy
1/2 pint heavy cream
2 tsp flour
3/4 tsp fresh sage (diced)
1/8 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp essence
fresh crack pepper medley (to taste)
kosher salt (to taste)

Pepper Mixture
2 1/4 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 small yellow onion (chopped)
1 shallot (diced)
1 jalapeno (seeded, diced)
4 oz baby Bella mushrooms (sliced)
1/3 of a red bell pepper (chopped)
1/3 of a green bell pepper (chopped)
1 yellow vine sweet mini pepper (diced)
1 red vine sweet mini pepper (diced)
1 orange vine sweet mini pepper (diced)
2 green onions (sliced)

Gravy
In a small to medium mixing bowl vigorously mix all ingredients into cream until smooth and then sit aside.

Steak
Heat a 2-3 inch deep medium to large skillet (I used a a 12 inch 2 1/2 inch deep skillet) to medium high.

Rub truffle oil over steaks and then lightly dust both sides with your desired amount of crack pepper and kosher salt. Gently rub salt and pepper evenly into both sides of steak. Immediately place both steaks into heated skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until just cooked through (you do not want the steaks to get chewy.) Remove steaks from frying pan and place in a warm area.

Pepper Steak
Drizzle olive oil into skillet and scrap bottom with a wooden spatula. Add yellow onion, garlic, shallot and mushroom to the skillet and cook for 6-7 minutes stirring often. Now fold in the peppers and green onion and cook for 5 minutes stirring often.

Whisk your gravy one last time for about 1 minutes and then gently fold into the pepper mixture. Once the gravy is folded in, cover but leave the wooden spatula in the skillet to create a crack for steam to escape. Turn heat down and let simmer for 7 minutes.

While simmering slice your steak meat into 1 1/2 inch long by 1/4 inch pieces. Fold steak into mixture and let simmer for an additional 3-4 minutes.

Prepare your rice in between making the Pepper mixture.

Spoon Pepper Steak over four separate servings of rice and then drizzle 1/2-1 1/2 tsp of soy sauce over each serving (depending on your taste.) Serve warm and enjoy!