February 16, 2014 Grilled Rib Eye Steak with sautéed mushrooms, Spaghetti Squash and steamed asparagus

February 16, 2014 Grilled Rib Eye Steak with sautéed mushrooms, Spaghetti Squash and steamed asparagus

This meal proves that simple can be elegant and delicious.

I had bought six rib eye steaks for $6.77/lb., two bunches of asparagus ($.99/lb.) and a hot house cucumber ($.99) at Albertson’s Valentine’s Day sale on Thursday.  All of Albertson’s beef is graded Choice, so it is better than most other store’s meat.  These steaks were heavily marbled, which is what one wants in beef. 

We decided early in the day to grill one of the steaks and serve it with the other half of the spaghetti squash we roasted on Wednesday with some of the asparagus.  We discussed whether to grill or steam the asparagus.  We decided that they were the very tender Spring asparagus so they would not hold up well to the hot grill and so we decided to steam them.

     At 6:00 p.m.  Suzette suggested that we make a sautéed mushroom sauce for the steak and we launched into motion.  Suzette heated the propane grill and heated the spaghetti squash in the microwave oven.  I sliced four large white mushrooms and about two ounces of the lobster mushroom and one shallot.   Suzette put the steak on the grill and de-stemmed fourteen stalks of asparagus and put them into our steamer to steam and started sautéing the mushrooms and shallot.  After about ten to twelve minutes she brought the steak in from the grill and sliced it on a board, while I took over the mushrooms' skillet and added about 1 tsp. of Herbs Provence that Katheryn and Mike brought us from Paris at Christmas, about 3 Tbsp. of Amontillado sherry and a dash of salt and we were ready to eat.

 Suzette started plating up our dishes while I went to the basement and fetched a bottle of Wellington Vineyards, 2007 Mohrhardt Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.  To my taste, Wellington’s Mohrhardt Ridge Cab tastes as good or better (because it is more delicate) than the cabs from the Chimney Rock district on the east side of Napa Valley, such as those from Shafer, Chimney Rock Vineyards and Clos du Val along Silverado Trail, which is saying a lot.

This simple California Cuisine dinner of freshly steamed spring asparagus, a tender grilled steak garnished with a light sautéed mushroom sauce, a pile of lovely golden threads of spaghetti squash and a fabulous California cabernet sauvignon  took us less than thirty minutes to prepare and it was delicious..  What more could you ask for?

We were completely satisfied with our simple but elegant dinner, which I think exemplifies California Cuisine; the freshest ingredients cooked simply and sauced, so their individual characteristics are not obscured by heavy sauces, served with a great California wine.

We are wine club members of Wellington Vineyards and I am happy that we have another bottle of their 2007 Mohrhardt Ridge cab ($25.00) in the cellar.

The purchase of these great steaks has convinced me to buy several Clos du Val cabs from the Chimney Rock District of Napa Valley at Costco to try with one of them in the near future.

Bon Appétit