Fried Green Tomatoes!

A few weeks ago, I impulse-bought some green tomatoes and fried them with some panko and some random baharat seasoning.  It was supposed to be a side dish, but three tomatoes was more than enough food to be an entire meal for two people and they were so good that whatever it was that was supposed to be the main course got put to the side.

Last night, I made them again as a main course.  I used three tomatoes again, which was (again) too much food.  You'd think I'd learn.  I served them with a steamed artichoke because it's a standby side dish at my house that involves very little effort.  The sauce for the tomatoes is sriracha mayo and the sauce for the artichokes is Greek yogurt and dill.

Blue Cheese Crusted Steak with Port Wine Sauce

Success!

We don't eat steak very often.  Generally it's when we want to enjoy a nice bottle of cabernet sauvignon and can't think of something to go well with it other than "steak."  I've had blue cheese crusted steak in restaurants many times and made a strip steak with a gorgonzola sauce.  But I've never attempted the crust myself.  Tonight, I was inspired.  I wanted to both enjoy some cabernet sauvignon and eat enough blue cheese to stop my heart. The crust turned out perfect!  The cheese had just the right level of softness and the panko mixed in with the cheese was crispy.  I reduced the port wine sauce a great deal so it didn't ruin the crisp of the crust. Asparagus isn't the best side dish for this steak because asparagus is the wine killer.  But hey, I love asparagus.  The side dish is irrelevant, really.  The showcase is the steak, the cheese, and the sauce.

I know my presentation is mostly always the same: meat on one side, veggie on the other, ne'er the twain shall meet.  Someday, I'll get better.  Just not tonight.