Porterhouse steak with pan-seared cherry tomatoes

This dish showcases the bounty of summer for a quick and easy dinner that's full of flavour. Even my tomato-averse husband enjoyed the sauce paired with the steak. Be careful when digging in as some of the little tomatoes have a tendency to spray everywhere. I added a sliced chili pepper and a bit of balsamic just to give the sauce even a bit more depth, but I think it would be fine omitted as well.

One year ago: (on hiatus)
Two years ago: Peanut-Crusted Lamb Kebabs in the Style of Burkina Faso
Three years ago: Roast Chicken with Sumac, Za'atar and Lemon
Four years ago: Pork Tenderloin in Creamy Mustard Sauce
Five years ago: Minestrina Tricolore
Six years ago: Corn and Black Bean Tamale pie

Porterhouse steak with pan-seared cherry tomatoes (from The Epicurious Cookbook)

Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 porterhouse steaks (1 3/4 lbs each)
4 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper
6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 (1/2 pint) containers mixed cherry tomatoes
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 - 2 red chilies, thinly sliced (optional)
1 1/2 cups coarsely torn fresh basil
1 - 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Meanwhile pat steaks dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Sear steaks one at a time, turning once, until well browned, ~10 minutes.
5. Transfer steaks to a shallow baking dish and cook in oven until thermometer reads, 110 - 120F, depending on desired level of doneness, ~6 minutes.
6. Transfer to a platter and let steaks rest for 15 minutes.
7. While steaks rest, pour oil off from skillet and add remaining 2 tbsp. Heat over medium-high heat.
8. Add garlic and saute until golden. Remove with slotted spoon.
9. Add tomatoes, thyme, and chili if using. Season with salt and pepper and cook until tomatoes begin to wilt, 2 minutes.
10. Remove from heat and stir in any steak juices from the platter. Scatter basil over tomatoes and add balsamic to taste if using.
11. Spoon tomato sauce over steaks and serve.

Basil, Anchovy, and Zucchini Pasta

It feels strange to be enjoying the bounty of summer produce in December, but here with are with an abundance of greens and zucchini. I've never tried growing zucchini so I've never felt the pain of garden overload, but our CSA box seems to want to share it nonetheless. I had a zucchini recipe earmarked in Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, but when I went to make it, I realized we were out of eggs. This one became the hasty backup and to be honest, I was a bit suspicious of how much I'd like it. I shouldn't have worried though. It's an explosion of cheesy pasta with plenty of umami thanks to the anchovies. It's also a great quick and easy dinner option for those days when you want to minimize cook time and heat in the kitchen.

Note the recipe calls for small zucchini. Ours were big, so I sliced them before boiling. I've also simplified a bit to only dirty one pot.

One year ago: Lemon Rosemary Chicken
Two years ago: Sole Stuffed Crab
Three years ago: Galveston Crab Cakes
Four years ago: Pork Meatball Banh Mi
Five years ago: Baked Green Lasagne with Meat Sauce
Six years ago: Arugula and Cheese Pseudo Frittata

Basil, Anchovy, and Zucchini Pasta (from Maggie's Harvest - a gorgeous Australian cookbook!)

Ingredients
400g (about 12) small zucchini, ~8cm long
sea salt
500g pasta
extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
freshly ground black pepper
12 anchovy fillets, chopped
20 basil leaves
100g freshly grated pecorino

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and cook the zucchini for a few minutes.
2. Remove the zucchini with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile, add pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving a bit of pasta water, and transfer to a serving bowl.
4. Slice the zucchini into 2 or 3 pieces, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, and grind on black pepper. Add zucchini to pasta.
5. Toss anchovies in pasta with basil, pecorino, and another drizzle of olive oil. If the pasta need moistening, add some of the reserved water. Serve.