My thanks to the readers who have been sending me feedback and asking questions. Hopefully my answers have proved useful and informative. In addition to working on another book, I have been spending a lot of time lately developing web sites, including Grillmates. I decided to start a recipe section to my site in an effort to improve content. It is far from complete; however I have been adding many recipes weekly. Some of the recipes have been published here at Seasoned Cooking, and others have not.

Several times a week I will experiment in the kitchen. Lately I have been experimenting with bread baking. Sometime in the future, I'll devote a column to my bread making failures and successes.

Since the weather lately has been too cold and wet for an outdoor BBQ, I decided to cook a few steaks indoors for a change. Most people will put steak into the broiler, turning it once before serving. I have done this on quite a few occasions. However, this time I decided to try something a little different. Combining oriental and western cooking styles, I created this dish. I call it Teriyaki Skillet Steak.

I tend to be a picky eater. I guess that's why I learned to cook. I'm the only one who knows what taste appeals to me. Generally, my taste is pretty much on the mark as other people seem to enjoy the food that I prepare as much or more than I do. Being the creative cook that I am, I decided to make this new dish for my kids who are also picky eaters. The result was that they didn't even leave a scrap of food for the pets. I figure if the kids like it, so will others.

The choice of meat is varied, but I would use a New York or rib eye cut for this dish. A fillet is also a good choice. This dish can easily be cooked for a single person or several people, depending on the size of your skillet. This dish is great with steamed rice and a green salad.

Now, on to the recipe! Be well, and good eating!

Conversions  |

Teriyaki Skillet Steak Select steaks that are well marbled with fat, as this will assure a more tender and flavorful piece of meat. If you don't overcook the meat, it should be tender and juicy. I prefer steaks cooked medium-rare. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the cut. Plan your cooking time accordingly. For a 1 inch thick cut of steak, cook about the same time as you would on a grill, or about 6 to 7 minutes per side for medium rare. Add another minute per side for medium or 2 minutes per side for well done. Note: Steaks cooked well done tend to be dry and tough. Note: Allowing a steak to rest for 5 minutes before cutting or serving allows the meat to reabsorb juices. 2 good quality boneless steaks (rib eye, fillet, New York), about 1 inch thick 1/2 cup sweet mirin rice wine 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce (I use Annie Chun's or Kikkoman) 1/2 yellow onion, sliced thinly into rings 1 green onion, French cut (for garnish) 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms salt and pepper to taste 1 Tbsp. bacon grease Melt the bacon grease over medium heat in a large skillet. Add a little salt and add the onion slices. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the onions are well caramelized. Now, add the mushrooms and cook for an additional minute or so. Remove the onions and mushrooms from the skillet and set aside. Next, salt the steaks (helps prevent sticking) and place them into the hot skillet. Adjust the heat to medium high. Apply freshly ground pepper to the steaks and cook for 5 minutes per side. After cooking the meat for the specified time, pour the teriyaki sauce over the top of the steaks and stir them around in the skillet, turning once, for about 45 seconds additional cooking per side. Next, add the sweet mirin rice wine. Cook until the sauce begins to thicken, about 1 more minute. Now remove the steaks, reduce the heat to medium, and return the onions and mushrooms back to the skillet. Simmer until the sauce thickens a little more and the rice wine begins to caramelize. Stir frequently while the steaks rest for about 5 minutes. Arrange the steaks on individual serving plates and top with a portion of the mushrooms and onions. Spoon some of the sauce on top of the steak as well. Garnish the top of the steak with the French cut green onions. Serve with a green salad, steamed rice and a cup of green tea. For an interesting and less sweet variation of this dish, use port wine instead of sween mirin. Serve with potatoes and salad. Yields: 2 servings Preparation Time: 20 minutes