Steak time! Nuff said. As always, click on the recipe card below for a 4×6 printable version.
Remove the steak from the refrigerator 10 minutes or so before cooking.
Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Season the beef with salt and pepper and transfer to the pan. Sear for 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate to rest.
Return the skillet to the heat and add the fennel, white wine, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté until the fennel softens and the edges just begin to brown.
Transfer to a serving platter leaving space for the steak.
Slice the beef and arrange it on the platter surrounded by the fennel.
Garnish with fresh watercress and a generous pinch of Maldon salt.
Serve immediately.
Pairing Suggestions:
Currently, we’d pair this dish with our Lot 905 Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The more elegant, less extracted stylings of this wine make for the perfect pairing, and perfectly weighted Summer Cab. If you have a cellar, you can pull out any lighter styled Zinfandels, 18+ year-old Bordeaux, or any elegant (traditionally full-bodied, but done in a lighter, less extracted style) reds you may be sitting on. If you’re feeling experimental, a widely regarded and renowned Michelin starred chef recently spoke about why he paired Brut Champagne with steak. The reason being, you wouldn’t want a huge extracted big red’s tannins to affect your palate distinguishing between the fibers of the meat and the wine itself. When you have a Champagne with a fine steak, your palate has the ability to decipher the mineral, terroir and iron content you want to taste from fine meats, enjoy the fat content and the flavors it has to offer, then cleanse and refresh the palate from the bubbles of the wine while enjoying the classic brioche, apple and pear notes in the Champagne itself. Fennel and apples are a great flavor combination, so we’d stand by the assessment that this would be a great dish with some great bubbles, as weird as that sounds. By the way, the chef in question isn’t skinny, so you can trust him.
5 QUESTIONS ABOUT PAIRING FOOD AND WINE