Choice Of One Entrée Recipe

Prepare steaks

Remove steaks from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Pat dry, then season both sides with kosher salt and ground black pepper.

Sear and grill

Heat a heavy skillet or grill over high heat until very hot. Add olive oil. Sear steaks 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare (internal 125–130°F / 52–54°C), or cook to desired doneness. During the last minute, add butter and baste steaks. Transfer to a rack and rest 5–8 minutes.

Make mushroom sauté

In the same pan used for steaks, reduce heat to medium, add 1 tbs butter. Add chopped shallot and sauté 1 minute until translucent. Add sliced mushrooms and cook 4–5 minutes until browned and tender. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Balsamic red wine reduction

Pour off excess fat, then deglaze pan with dry red wine, scraping brown bits. Add beef stock, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer and reduce by about half until slightly syrupy (8–12 minutes). Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in crushed Madagascar peppercorns. Return mushrooms to the sauce and keep warm.

Assemble

Slice steaks against the grain, place over garlic mashed potatoes, spoon mushrooms and balsamic reduction over top, finish with a light sprinkle of crushed Madagascar peppercorns.

Place potatoes and whole garlic cloves in a large pot, cover with cold water and add 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil and simmer until potatoes are fork-tender, about 15–18 minutes. Drain well and return to pot.

Warm the milk and butter together (microwave or stovetop) then mash potatoes and garlic until smooth. Add warmed milk-butter mixture, season with salt and pepper to taste, and mix until creamy. Keep warm until plating.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tbs olive oil. Add carrots and cook 3–4 minutes until beginning to brown, add asparagus and cook 2–3 more minutes until tender-crisp. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a warmed plate for service.

Marinate

Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, chopped rosemary (optional), salt and pepper. Place lamb chops in a shallow dish or resealable bag and pour marinade over. Marinate at least 30 minutes, up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.

Grill

Preheat grill or skillet to medium-high heat. Remove chops from marinade and let excess drip off. Grill lamb chops 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare (depending on thickness) or until desired doneness. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Serve

Arrange lamb chops with lemon roasted potatoes and a portion of Greek salad.

Combine romaine, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives and crumbled feta in a bowl. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper and toss with salad just before serving.

Prepare chicken

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil and 1 tbs butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear 4–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (internal 160–165°F / 71–74°C). Remove chicken to a plate and tent with foil to rest.

Make sauce

In same skillet, add shallot and sauté 1 minute. Add sliced mushrooms and cook until browned, about 4–5 minutes. Deglaze with dry white wine, scraping up brown bits, and reduce by half. Stir in heavy cream and thyme, simmer 2–3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Return chicken to pan to warm through and coat with sauce.

Serve

Place chicken on garlic mashed potatoes, spoon creamy mushroom sauce over top, and serve with garlic roasted carrots and asparagus.

Marinate and prepare

Rub lamb chunks with olive oil, lemon juice, sliced garlic, dried oregano, cumin, salt and pepper. Add bay leaves. Marinate at least 1 hour, preferably overnight in refrigerator.

Slow roast

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Place lamb in a Dutch oven or ovenproof dish, cover tightly with lid or foil. Roast 2.5–3 hours until lamb is very tender and falling apart. Check once and baste with cooking juices if needed.

Finish and serve

Remove bay leaves. Shred or serve lamb pieces with lemon roasted potatoes and Greek salad.

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss halved baby potatoes with olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet cut-side down and roast 25–30 minutes until golden and tender, turning once halfway. Keep warm for plating.

Prepare potatoes and tomatoes

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss boiled waxy potatoes, cherry tomatoes and olives with 1 tbs olive oil, salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Roast 10–12 minutes until tomatoes blister and potatoes are warmed and lightly browned.

Sear branzino

Pat branzino fillets dry, season with sea salt. Heat a heavy skillet or grill pan over high heat with remaining 1 tbs olive oil. Place fillets skin-side down and sear 3–4 minutes until skin is crisp, then flip and cook 1–2 minutes more until flesh is opaque and flakes easily.

Finish

Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon over fillets, sprinkle chopped parsley. Serve branzino with warm potatoes, roasted cherry tomatoes and olives.