New York Steak with a Vodka Martini Sauce

Cooking With Nick Stellino
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Ingredients:

4 New York steaks (totaling approximately 3 pounds), cut approximately ¾ inch to 1 inch thick
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons DaVinci® Extra Light 100% Pure Olive Oil
1½ tablespoons butter (Needed only if Option Two is used for cooking the steaks; see recipe directions.)

Vodka Martini sauce:
4 tablespoons DaVinci® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ cup diced onion
½ cup diced carrot
½ cup diced celery
2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, loosely packed
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 thick slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ cup tomato sauce
¾ cup vodka
¼ cup dry vermouth
4 cups veal or chicken stock
2-4 tablespoons softened butter
8 pimiento-stuffed olives, cut into thin rounds.

Serves 4

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Start by making the Vodka Martini Sauce (see below). Keep warm.

To prepare the steaks:

Salt and pepper the steaks to your liking, and prepare using one of the methods below.

Option one:

Brush the steaks with the extra light olive oil and grill on the barbecue on medium-high heat, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. After grilling, place the meat on a tray and cover with foil; let it rest.

Option two:

In a pan large enough to hold all the pieces of meat, preheat the extra light olive oil over high heat until it starts to sizzle. Add the meat, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes per side, basting the steaks with the olive oil and juices from the bottom of the pan. After turning the steaks to cook on the second side, add 1½ tablespoons of butter for basting. Place the cooked meat on a tray and cover with foil; let it rest.

To prepare the Vodka Martini sauce:

In a saucepan, cook the extra virgin olive oil over high heat for 1 minute. Add the onion, carrot, celery and parsley leaves; reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 4 minutes, until the onions have softened. Add the lemon juice and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring well.

Add the garlic, bacon and tomato sauce. Stir well; cook for 1 more minute. Increase the heat to high, and add the vodka and the vermouth. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring well. Add the stock, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot and let the sauce simmer for 45 minutes. Strain the sauce and discard the solids.

Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 8 to 10 more minutes, until it thickens. Store the sauce in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it. It will keep for 2 days.

Reheat the sauce before serving and reduce once again on high heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until it coats the back of a spoon. Turn off the heat and add 2 tablespoons of the softened butter to thicken the sauce even more. Use the rest of the butter if you like a richer sauce.

To serve:

Pour some of the Vodka Martini Sauce around the meat and decorate the sauce with the thinly sliced pimiento olives. Bring the rest of the sauce to the table in a sauce boat.

Mashed potatoes and broiled asparagus or roasted carrots with Parmesan make great accompaniments for this dish.