Dinner tonight....

Will be venison stew and dumplings, care of friends. Followed by a trip out for ice cream... good ice cream.

As wonderful as that sounds, and it will be, I have a taste for STEAK right now.
Good, juicy, marbled beef from a cow who died happy and young.

First massaged with Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, fingers digging in deep.
Then, a coating of canola oil, just enough so it won't stick.

Next, into a rocket hot cast iron pan on the stove, two minutes per side. No more, no less. Pan so hot, the angels weep to hear the meat searing. Smoke rolling so thick the windows are flung open and neighbors cry in envy at the smell.

Then to finish, the steak, pan and all, is thrust into a five hundred degree oven for just two more minutes, as the heat soaks into it's core, leaving it just the other side of rare. Almost black, crisped on the outside, seared to perfection, and still pink on the inside, juicy and ripe with flavor. The salt has done it's magic, bringing juices to the surface for the heat to sear, sweeten, melt in flavor.
The fresh ground pepper, now almost burnt, gives up it's richness into the meat with an air of exotic passion.

Pulled from the oven, slid quickly onto a plate, and covered with another plate. Given five minutes to rest, as it relaxes into a piece of heaven normally kept for the Gods.

While the steak rests, the pan with it's juices is used to saute sliced sweet Texas onion. Butter added, boiling off, the heat caramelizing the sweetness of the onion, crisping the outside while the rest turns translucent, giving up all it's flavor.

The steak uncovered, the onions and browned butter sauce are spilled on top, and the first bite is eaten right there, almost too hot, at the counter. Washed down with a sip of sweet red wine... then another bite, and another with onions this time....

Hmm....

Anyway, thats what I was kinda hankering for.
That, and the right person to be gnawing away at the other side of the steak.

(update: The stew was bloody fantastic! Venison roasted in a pressure cooker, stewed with tomato juice and beef stock. Lima beans, mushrooms, herbs...
Dumplings simmered in stock, bobbing in the bowl of stew. I ate two bowls... with fresh spinach anti-pasta salad before and spinach dip on toasted french bread after..... Piggy! Piggy I am! Oh... plain vanilla ice cream later... not needed, but not bad either.)