Help complete a menu.

have a special occasion coming up this friday. My Mom has quit a job she wasn't happy with and is starting in on a new career. So since Friday is her last day with the patient she was unhappy with, I am going to surprise her by making her a special dinner.

One of her favorite wineries is Ravenswood, particularly their Zinfandels, so i got one of their top Zinfandels (name slips my mind right now, but of their various price ranges, this one is in 40-45 dollar range.). She normally gets their vintner's blend lines, and loves them, and I got one of next level up, maybe the county ones? can't remember, and she loved it. So anyway, picked up a bottle of this as I know she will appreciate it.

Main course I will be serving a recipe I found for "Zesty Red Wine & Herb Steak". Olive Oil, red wine, montreal steak seasoning, italian seasoning, garlic powder, worchestire sauce, and top round (least, that's what it calls for, may get something else depending on what butcher has that looks good).

So looking for any input on side dishes to serve with this.

Will likely start the night with some bubbly, probably Domaine Ste. Michele Brut

Thanks everyone

With a classy steak dinner I like green beans first blanched and then tossed in bacon fat (with pieces of crispy bacon) and chopped onion with a touch of salt, pepper, and fresh nutmeg.

[Jenise]

Good on you for doing something so nice for Mom.

I'm not clear on the dish. The ingredients sound like a marinated steak, but top round signals a braise coming on. Would you clarify that? Textures will make a difference in what I and others might reccomend.

Cubed up red potatoes and onions cooked in a cast iron skillet - hopefully in some duck fat, so they get all crispy.
I like the sound of Gary's green bean dish, so I would second that.
Complement with a heart of romaine salad, spruced up with her favorite add ins.

Great suggestions John and Gary, both for my taste and my mom's. Suspect that might just be the menu right there, though of course always willing to hear any further suggestions (if i don't use them this time, will use them next time I make this).

Jenise, it is a marinade. Don't have it open now, but believe recipe called for marinating for at least half an hour, dispose of marinade, then grill or broil (I will likely grill as that's how I prefer to do my steaks).

[Jenise]

Joel, sounds like you've got it done. But DO spring for something nicer than top round for a grilled steak, no reason to rattle mom's teeth on a tough cut!

I love Gary and John's side dishes...YUMMY!

When I do steak, I usually do a brussel sprout hash (similar to Gary's Green Beans but with Brussel Sprouts)...I know not everyone is a big fan of the sprouts, but I love them. To make it you half a container of brussel sprouts, steam for about 5 minutes. Then, slice them thinly (shred). Cook two strips of bacon until crisp. Saute the shredded brussel sprouts in the bacon fat, add a teaspoon of butter and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with crumbled bacon.

Sometimes I just serve steak with steamed broccoli that was drizzled with EVOO, salt, pepper and a few squeezes of fresh lemon.

I usually make mashed or baked potatoes.

I also agree with Jenise...you would be better off getting some really nice grilling steaks. I am guessing that what you have is a London Broil? If you don't braise it, make sure, after you cook it, you slice it very, very thin on the bias. So it's not too chewy.

GL...let us know how it turns out!

I actually still ahven't bought the steak yet. parents have a great butcher in town they live in, will probably go see what he has Friday and Pick what looks best. Definitely won't be getting the round that the recipe calls for, as y'all suggested (and as i had already decided). I can make a mean beef jerky from top round, and even some good steaks, depending on recipe, etc, but for special occasion like this not going to use it.

When I do steak, I usually do a brussel sprout hash (similar to Gary's Green Beans but with Brussel Sprouts)...

For me Brussel sprouts are the ultimate green vegetable. I just refrain from suggesting them because there is such a large anti-Brussel-sprout lobby.

Maria, try planing a little fresh nutmeg on your hash ... yummmmmmmm!!!

GaryB!
This proves it..we really ARE related!

JuliaB

GaryB!
This proves it..we really ARE related!

JuliaB

What are we to tell the children!?

To me, the ultimate green vege is asparagus. Another thread suggests the use of nutmeg. Nutmeg is great in a lot of things, including mashed potatoes and asparagus.

The suggestions so far have been great, but I'll throw in another one. There's a gratin of Belgian endive on one of Richard Olney's books that involves scattering bacon, bread crumbs, parmigiano, and some heavy cream over the endive and baking it for a while. Very tasty, with the endive retaining a little of its bitterness (if you like that kind of thing). I can post the RC if you're interested. (But the sprout hash sounds pretty darn good if you can get some good sprouts!)


Mike

Mike - I would definitely be interested in the endive recipe, when you have time. Sounds delicious!

Gary - I never even thought to add nutmeg (I do it for my creamed spinach). I will certainly add some next time I make it. Thanks for the tip!

The suggestions so far have been great, but I'll throw in another one. There's a gratin of Belgian endive on one of Richard Olney's books that involves scattering bacon, bread crumbs, parmigiano, and some heavy cream over the endive and baking it for a while. Very tasty, with the endive retaining a little of its bitterness (if you like that kind of thing).
Mike

I almost hate to admit it, but my favorite recipe for Belgian endive is a Racheal Ray recipe for grilled salad. It is very simple and makes a pretty presentation:
Slice the endive (one per person or 1/2 per person if the endive are large) along the length, but not through the core, then flatten to fan it out. Grill in olive oil until crispy edges start to form (the longer it is grilled the more the bitterness is assuaged, so do this to your liking). Serve on a salad plate with a slightly sweetened balsamic vinegrette, toasted walnuts and red grapes and I often sprinkly on a bit of blue cheese (not much).

Joel, let's talk about the essential part of dinner. What's for dessert?????

I hadn't given it much thought Cynthia, but I probably should have. I will probably send my dad out to local restaurant for her favorite pie. Nothing fancy on my part, but I know she'll enjoy it.

And before anyone asks, restuarant is Baker's Square and the pie is French Silk.

Mike - I would definitely be interested in the endive recipe, when you have time. Sounds delicious!

Gary - I never even thought to add nutmeg (I do it for my creamed spinach). I will certainly add some next time I make it. Thanks for the tip!

It's posted. Hope you like it, Maria!


Mike

Thinking of you tonight Joel...hoping everything is going well...let us know how it turns out!

Joel, if you get this in time and you are doing asparagus, for God's sake man, grill it! Grill the asparagus! EVOO, S&P, and grill until slightly charred and tender. You won't regret it.

rwj

Thanks for the tips everyone, the dinner went great. Only slightly dark spot was that some of the steaks were slightly overdone, jsut on outside, little crispy. Was cold as the 7th circle of hell out there, so didn't spend a whole bunch of time outside tending the grill as I normally do.

Went with a "field greens" bagged salad, green beans (frozen ones from Trader Joes, they're best frozen i've ever had, and better than mroe than half the fresh beans we get around here) with bacon, new potatoes, tossed with olive oil and herbs, baked in foil packets, the wine and herb steaks, and the french silk pie. Opened the bottle of Ravenswood Zinfandel (was definitely nicer than their regular 9-10 dollar bottles which we get at grocery store, and we actually like those. But this was ddefinitely better).

She was completely surprised, and really enjoyed it. Even though so many friends knew about it, somehow they all kept the secret.

We only had one glass of wine each, as were dancing that night, but was well enjoyed. Believe mom and dad probably split rest of it later that night.

Sounds fantastic Joel!! What a wonderful Son you are...I hope someday, mine will want to do something like that for me. I am sure your Mom was over-the-moon with the whole night. Thank you for letting us know how it went...everything sounded delicious.