An Old Fashioned Steak Trade

I'm a good cook, and I generally feel very comfortable in the kitchen. When it comes to using a camera, my cousin Adam is the expert. He does freelance video and photography in his spare time, and he is very good at maximizing a camera and then improving the shots in Photoshop. We decided on a steak dinner trade. I would give him and his girlfriend a cooking lesson, and he would give me and my girlfriend a camera lesson. A reasonably fair tradeoff, and a good excuse to spend some quality time together.

For the dinner, I made the steaks with some shallot butter, roasted asparagus, and potatoes au gratin. This is a classic steakhouse dinner, which is pretty simple to prepare, and beautiful to photograph. The bright red steaks contrast well with the green asparagus, and the rich flavors of the steak and gratin go together perfectly. The result was a simple, delicious, and beautiful dish that made for a wonderful photography subject and a satisfying dinner.

Ingredients:
For 4 people
4 8-10 oz. steaks
1 lb asparagus
1/4 stick of butter
1 shallot chopped
4 sprigs rosemary
1/2 lemon, squeezed
1.5 lbs yukon potatoes sliced
.5 lb gruyere grated
1 clove garlic peeled
2 cups heavy cream
1 tbsp fresh ground nutmeg
salt and pepper
olive oil

To Cook:

Steaks:

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Rub the steaks with salt and pepper and let rest to get near room temp before cooking 
3. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter on low heat, and once melted, add the shallots, a pinch of salt, and 2 of the rosemary sprigs
4. Once the shallots are translucent and starting the brown, remove the pan from the heat, take out the rosemary, and pour the shallot butter into a bowl. Place the bowl in the fridge to harden.
5. Heat a cast iron skillet to medium high, and once heated, add some olive oil
6. Put steaks in pan, sear one side for 5-6 minutes, flip, and put the pan in the oven.
7. Remove steaks from the oven after 10-12 minutes (depending on desired doneness) and let rest for 5 minutes
8. Spoon a little of the shallot butter on the steaks, and garnish with half of a rosemary sprig

Potatoes Au Gratin:

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Coat the potatoes with salt, pepper, and nutmeg thoroughly
3. Rub the garlic clove in a glass baking dish or gratin dish
4. Lay the potatoes in one layer, slightly overlapping, and then add a layer of grated cheese on top. Repeat for 2 additional layers.
5. Pour the cream over the potatoes and cover with foil
6. Place the gratin in the oven for 20 minutes covered, and then remove the foil and cook for 20 minutes uncovered. Finish in the broiler for a crisp brown top.

Asparagus:

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Cut the ends off of the asparagus, and toss in olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice
3. Lay in one layer on baking sheet and roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes