HOME, FARM, & GARDEN p.8 OUT & ABOUT p.16 SIMPLY DELICIOUS

with Rynn Hennings

thehouseofelynryn.com

Afew years ago, we changed our Christmas dinner food tradition. Instead of the traditional ham or turkey holiday meal, my mother suggested serving steaks for a change. So, a new tradition was born, and we have had grilled steaks au Poivre with smashed potatoes on Christmas Eve ever since. Au Poivre is a French pepper sauce usually made in the same pan used to cook the steaks. However, I changed the recipe to work with a grilled steak without sacrificing taste. There is a lot of coarse ground pepper in this sauce. However, after serving it so many times, I adjusted the amount of pepper to suit the most palates.

STEAK AU POIVRE

Servings: 2 Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients for au Poivre

• 3 tablespoons butter • 1 ½ tablespoons black pepper, coarse ground • ¼ cup shallots, minced (can substitute minced onion) • ¼ cup cognac • 1 cup beef or chicken broth • 1/3 heavy cream

Ingredients for Steaks

• 2 filet mignon steaks • salt • pepper • food probe thermometer • grill

Directions for au Poivre

1. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add the pepper and shallots and cook on medium heat to wilt the shallots. 2. Slowly pour the Cognac into the side of the skillet. Stir.

Be careful because Cognac will flame if the pan is too hot.

Have a lid nearby in case you need to smother a flame. 3. Cook the Cognac until it reduces and most of it evaporates. 4. Add the broth. Stir. Simmer until it reduces into a thick liquid. Using a wooden spoon, scrape it across the bottom of the pan while the sauce simmers. If the wooden spoon makes a scraped path that stays open across the pan for a couple of seconds, the sauce is ready for the cream. If the broth immediately runs back over the scrape, simmer it longer. Perform the scrape test periodically until the sauce has thickened, and you can scrape a distinctive path across the pan. 5. Add the cream and stir. Simmer until the cream has thickened and has a brown appearance. Use the same scrape test to pull a path through the cream to determine if it is ready. If the sauce should get too thick, add a little more cream. The sauce can be made before the steaks. Cover it and then reheat it with a little more cream just before serving.

Directions for Steaks

1. Set the steaks out of the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature. This will take about 20-30 minutes.

Generously salt and pepper on both sides of the steaks. 2. For outdoor charcoal and gas-grilled steaks, set the grill temp to 400 degrees. 3. Cook each steak for about 6 minutes on each side. Then check the internal temperature with a thermometer probe.

Rare 115-120 degrees F; Medium Rare 125 degrees F;

Medium 135 degrees F; Medium Well 145 degrees F; and

Well Done 160 degrees F. If the steaks need more time to reach the correct internal temp, move them to the outer edge of the grill to finish cooking. Recheck their internal temperature every 1-2 minutes so they don't overcook. The steaks will continue to cook after you remove them from the grill. The temperatures listed above take the continued cooking into account. 4. Remove the steaks at the correct temperature for the doneness you desire. Place them on a platter and cover them.

Let them rest for 5 minutes. Place them on dinner plates and spoon au Poivre sauce over them. Serve immediately.

SMASHED POTATOES WITH DILL SAUCE

Servings: 6 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients for Potatoes

• 3 pounds yellow potatoes • 4 tablespoons olive oil (divided) • Salt to taste • Pepper to taste • 1/16 teaspoon garlic powder • 1/16 teaspoon onion powder • 1 tablespoon butter, melted • 2 teaspoons rosemary, dried (optional)

Ingredients for Dill Sauce

• 1 cup sour cream • 1 teaspoon lemon juice • Pinch white ground pepper • 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (discard large stems)

Directions for Potatoes

1. Wash potatoes and cut out any spots, leaving the skins on. If potatoes are large, slice them in half or thirds. Boil potatoes for 20-25 minutes until tender. Drain. 2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Using a large baking sheet with sides, coat it with 3 tablespoons of olive oil or more if needed, using a brush to spread it around the pan. The oil will crisp the bottom of the potatoes. Place the potatoes skin side up on the baking sheet. 3. Using an oversized fork, mash the potatoes until they are flattened. Then spread out the potatoes so they aren't touching. 4. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and melted butter over the tops of the potatoes. 5. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and rosemary. Bake for 30 minutes. Then turn oven to broil and cook for 5 minutes or until the potatoes are browned and crispy. Serve hot.

Directions for Dill Sauce

1. Mix all the ingredients and stir. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Use as a dipping sauce for the potatoes.

Savory Tips

The au Poivre recipe makes enough for four steaks. For more photos and tips for pan frying steaks, go to Houseofelynryn.com

HOLIDAY MEATS AND MEALS

Many families have traditions when it comes to holiday meals. In my husband’s family, the celebration began on December 23 with supper at Granny Long’s, then the eating continued until Christmas day with lunch at his maternal grandparents. Both grandmothers prepared large family meals including ham, turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, green beans, dumplings, rolls, and the list goes on. Actually, their tables looked very similar – with only a couple of individual specialties. For dessert, one had carrot cake and the other made a jam cake. My mother-in-law made her Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve, duplicating many of the dishes her mother and motherin-law prepared. Eventually, she added peel and eat shrimp and Honey Baked Ham to the menu for some variety.

When we began celebrating Christmas at our own home, we decided to start new traditions. Already full of turkey and ham, tenderloin became the meat of choice. The cooking of the tenderloin has become as much a part of the tradition as the final product. My husband, Brent, loves to grill and cooking the Christmas tenderloin is something he looks forward to each year. Truth be told, he probably enjoys the escape from the house which tends to be a little warm and full of people, excitement, and noise. The grilling area is cool, quiet, and calm providing a peaceful place to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. Grilling the meat also frees up the oven for other items which need to be baked.

There have been some changes in cooking recommendations for whole cuts of pork. In 2020, the USDA lowered the recommended safe cooking temperature for whole cuts of pork from 160ºF to 145ºF with the addition of a threeminute rest time. Cooking pork, roasts, and chops to 145ºF as measured with a food thermometer before removing from the heat source and letting it rest for three minutes before carving or consuming will result in a product that is both safe and at its best quality—juicy and tender.

This year’s tenderloin features a dry rub.

CHRISTMAS TENDERLOIN Ingredients:

1 – tenderloin appropriate for the number of servings needed. Approximately 4-5 lbs. (Hint- Cooked tenderloin is a versatile meat and freezes well. Plan ahead. This would be a good way to meal prep for future meals.)

Dry Rub Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons paprika • 1 Tablespoon seasoning salt • 1 Tablespoon chili powder • ½ teaspoon garlic powder • ½ teaspoon cumin • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Pour mixture over tenderloin and rub in thoroughly on all sides. Let rest for approximately 1 hour while your grill (or oven) is heating to approximately 300 degrees. Cook over indirect heat until internal cooking temperature reaches 145 degrees. Cooking time will depend on size of the meat. Start checking after 1 hour. Remove from heat and let rest for 3 minutes before slicing to serve. For an easy side dish, wrap sweet potatoes in foil and grill those at the same time your meat is cooking. Freeze leftovers or use within 3-5 days.

N.C. Department of Insurance Mike Causey, Commissioner 855-408-1212 (toll free) • www.ncdoi.com DECEMBER 5–1 1 IS

NATIONAL INFLUENZA VACCINATION WEEK

National Infl uenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) is a national observance that highlights the importance of continuing infl uenza vaccination through the holiday season and beyond.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends an annual infl uenza vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older to reduce the risk of illness and hospitalization. Now is a great time to vaccinate – to protect your family, friends and yourself. Medicare Part B covers one infl uenza vaccination and its administration each infl uenza season for Medicare benefi ciaries. If medically necessary, Medicare may cover additional seasonal infl uenza vaccinations.

Ask your SHIIP counselor for more information.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: NC COOP. EXTENSION, SURRY CO. @ 336-401-8025

Now Open every other Thursday!