Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do. – Ecclesiastes 9:7

It has been a while since I shared any “foodie” posts, which is probably a good indication of how uninspiring my cooking has been recently. Today, however, I wish to make up for the lull with something both amazingly delicious and easy.

Typically when it comes to steak I am a Filet Mignon guy. However, what passes for tenderloin in the stores recently has been beyond disappointing. Disappointing and ridiculously expensive.

But this week I saw a Flat Iron Steak that looked inviting, so I brought it home and for a fraction of the price. I have prepared this cut before so I know the flavor is good. The real issue then was going to be dealing with the toughness.

So, while preparing lunch I put my Flat Iron in a ziplock bag along with a marinade. Salt, pepper, finely chopped garlic, olive oil, a little horseradish, soy sauce and a quarter cup of apple juice. Pop in the refrigerator and leave for three hours. At five o’clock I took the ziplock out to return the steak to room temperature (it cooks more evenly).

Meanwhile I prepared some red and yellow baby potatoes for the air-fryer, cutting each one in half, coating them in olive oil, then tossing with a mixture of salt, pepper, turmeric, rosemary, celery salt and grated parmesan.

Air-frying the potatoes took around 17-minutes at 400-degrees in the basket. The steak cooked on an iron skillet (at medium-high) for five minutes each side before resting another five minutes. While the steak rested I added some butter and a little balsamic vinegar to the drippings in the skillet to make a really tasty reduction sauce for the meat.

This, served along with mixed vegetables, turned out to be one of the best meals I have prepared this summer. Tender? You bet! Certainly more tender and flavorful than any over-priced fillet I have purchased this year.

“Bon appétit! – DEREK