GRILLED FILET’S AND LOBSTER TAILS: A START TO A BEAUTIFUL DAY.

When it’s time for a steak, give me a butter basted filet any day.

Butter basted anything is a good idea, and if you’re a meat eater butter basting a gorgeous cut after it’s been given a good hard sear imparts such terrific flavor. Top it with a delicate and fragrant compound butter of thyme, salt, black pepper and it’s a winning combination.

The basics of cooking a steak everyone should know are these. Every single one matters. Luckily, they’re simple.

• Bring the steak to room temperature before cooking. This takes about 30 minutes once you remove the steak from the fridge. A steak at room temperature is much closer to its best cooked temperature, which means, as you cook it, you are cooking it less time (better) and more evenly (better). It’s just … better. Don’t let it rest too long though.

• Cover the steak on both sides with plenty of salt. You can do this while it’s coming to room temperature.

• Get your EuroCAST grill pan super hot. You can test for heat by sprinkling a little water on the pan. If it sizzles and skitters around the pan, you’re good to go.

• Bones in a steak may create a gentle curling of the meat as you cook. Gently press the steak against the grill to ensure contact without pressing out any juices.

• Cook your steak to the right temperature (ideally minimizing cutting into the steak to check, which releases juices, or even just slightly under. Because, as you’re about to read, there are chef secrets you can exploit to make your steak the best ever.

THE TWO SECRET STEPS

Rest the steak when you’ve cooked it enough. The steak will continue to cook while it’s resting on a plate. This is why you can pull it off the grill pan just slightly under. If you like medium, pull it off the pan just shy of medium, more like medium-rare. And let it rest. How long? Simple. For every inch of steak thickness, it should rest five minutes. If you’re lucky and found a great 2-inch thick T-bone on sale, that’s 10 minutes of rest.

While it’s resting, put a knob of compound butter on top. A compound butter is butter in which you have blended special ingredients, usually herbs and spices. Take the compound butter in its ramekin out to the table, too. When the steak gets served, people can slather up their steak just a bit more, to taste.

Remember the delicate little twirl I talked about up there? I have a suggestion for a compound butter … scroll down for the recipe!

Bonus secret step: No matter what compound butter you wind up making as your signature magic potion, before you put even the first knob of it on your resting steak, sprinkle some garlic powder and Aleppo flake on the steak. You will thank me. Your family and friends will thank you.

A COMPOUND BUTTER TO RULE THEM ALL

INGREDIENTS

Cooked ingredients

• 6 cloves garlic, smashed, paper removed and finely minced and smashed

• 3 tablespoons high quality olive oil

Add to:

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

• Freshly cracked black pepper

• 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt

• 1-stick of softened unsalted butter (I like grass-fed — it really, truly does taste better)

PROCEDURE

Make sure your butter is softening while you prep the special goodies.

1. Sauté the garlic in a EuroCAST skillet over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant but not browned. about 7-9 minutes

2. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature

3. Add the cooked garlic into a small mixing bowl with the fresh thyme, softened butter

4. Store in a ramekin until ready to use

When the steak is resting, drop a knob of the butter on it. Multiple steaks, multiple knobs, of course.

And then take the ramekin to the table so people can add more of your magic. This is where the orchestra strikes up its pastoral tune in the hearts and minds of your diners, and you are the star.

A few beautiful sides: a bowl of sautéed tomatoes, garlic and green olives. And a cool plate of steamed artichokes take their place at the celebration.

Steamed artichokes require very little doing.

1. Once trimmed of it’s bottom woody end, pull off the tough leaves that surround the globe.

2. With a sharp knife, I suggest our featured Ron Knife by BergHOFF, cut off the razor like tips of those outer leaves.

3. In your EuroCAST dutch oven place the artichokes snuggly into the bottom and fill with water to about 1 inch below the top of the artichokes.

4. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid until the artichokes are tender and easily pliable. 30 minutes

5. While they are still HOT add diced tomatoes, diced garlic on top and around the leaves.

6. Sprinkle the tops with 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese and cover again with the lid off the heat.

7. You can serve warm, or at room temperature, or refrigerate for a wonderful cool salad.

WEATHER NOT ALL SUNSHINE AND UNICORNS YET? BRING THAT GRILLING INSIDE WITH EUROCAST’S 11” GRILL PAN.