Most of you have probably been introduced to my approach to steaks before: start with beautiful meat and don't fuss a lot. But sometimes, that gives you a beautiful steak on your plate and a bit of worry about what to have alongside it. You want something that will stand on its own there, but something that also complements the beautiful flavors and textures a good steak can offer. Look no further:
That bit of beauty resting alongside that gorgeous rib steak is something I call Steak-Worthy Bruschetta. Now, late in summer, I might opt for a more traditional, tomato-based bruschetta for my steaks. However, this time of the year, I put together some of my favorite things that often end up as toppings offered at steak houses and nestle them on top of lightly-toasted French bread. Then I add a round or two of chèvre and let the heat from the vegetables make the cheese warm, melty, and delicious.
Of course, you could opt to use other veggies, but I adore onions, peppers, and mushrooms with steak anyway, so that's what I used. Of course, you'll want to let some of those beautifully-seared vegetables wander over onto your steak, too. After all, a good steak dinner is about decadence and letting flavors and texture transport you to culinary bliss. Now you have a quick and easy side that's worthy of the ride there!
Steak-Worthy Bruschetta
- 1 loaf French bread, bias-sliced into 1" slices
- 1 T. olive oil, butter, or bacon fat
- 1 medium-sized sweet onion, cut into thin wedges
- 6-8 small sweet peppers, sliced into rings
- 8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 T. Italian seasoning
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 2 oz. chèvre
Slice the French bread as directed above and lightly toast it in a 300° F oven. Set aside until ready to serve.
In a large, nonstick skillet, heat the fat of your choice until hot and add the onions, peppers, mushrooms, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until all of the vegetables are softened and lightly browned. The vegetables will render a lot of liquid into the pan, but the heat of the stovetop should cook off most of that liquid and allow browning to occur. If this isn't happening, increase the temperature a bit, but be cautious about burning or charring the vegetables. Add the seasonings in the last minute or two of cooking.
To serve, arrange several slices of the toasted bread on a plate and generously spoon the sautéed vegetables over the bread. Carefully slide rounds of chèvre over the warm vegetables. Serve while warm.
- Yields: 3-5 servings
- Preparation Time: 15 minutes