Monday, January 18, 2010

Steak Tips, Bow Ties with White Sauce and Peas

1 1/2 cups warm 2% milk
2 tbls butter
2 tbls flour
1 lb steak tips
2 tsps chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tbls minced onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 lb mostly cooked bow tie pasta
salt and pepper


Cut steak tips into 1" chunks and season them with salt and pepper. Brown them well in a skillet, then set them aside on a ceramic plate tented with foil. Deglaze the skillet with the chicken stock and once all the brown bits are up and it's reduced by at least 1/2, pour it off and set it aside. Turn the heat in the skillet down to medium-low and melt the butter in it. Add the onion and garlic and saute for a minute or so, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes. Slowly add the milk while still stirring, keep stirring until the sauce is thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until it's reduced to around a cup then add the deglazing liquid. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Let simmer for another minute or so, stirring frequently, then add juices from the rested steak tips, the peas and pasta (and tips, if you want it all combined). Toss it all together and let it simmer for another minute or two, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has absorbed some of the sauce. Add the basil, stir to combine and serve.

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The other day my girlfriend came up to me and said, "I want steak tips. And bowties with peas."

I said, "Ok". And made this. She sat across the blue plastic tv tray we've been using as a table, eating it with a little smile on her face.

"Is it good?" I asked.

"Oh yes" she said, "it's exactly what I wanted."

That, kids, is my personal favorite response. Sure "I love it! ", "it's even better than I thought it would be" or an enthusiastic thumbs up because their mouth is too busy to talk are all great. But really, there's nothing better than craving something and getting just what it was you wanted. Well, when it comes to food anyway. Heh.

The icing on the whole deal here is that this is a surprisingly low fat dish considering how rich it is. I used homemade stock which makes a big impact with texture and richness, but was almost completely fat free. The sauce didn't taste chickeny at all, but you got the smooth, rich mouth-feel from all the collagen in the stock so I could use 2% milk and still have it be really creamy. Other than that it was just the two tablespoons of butter, perfectly reasonable for something that serves 4-6 people, and the tips. The tips weren't too fatty, although I did cook them in bacon grease. Because I could. I didn't get many pictures, but fortunately it's nice and simple. I don't see why you couldn't do this with something other than steak. You would just want something that leaves good fond since that's where most of the flavor for the sauce comes from. Next time I'm going to add a tablespoon or two of sour cream to it to brighten up the flavor a bit.

Speaking of the sauce, does anyone know if it's still a white sauce? Does adding the broth, fond and meat juices change it? I think it might, technically, be gravy. Not that I'd mind, of course. In fact if that were so I'd probably change the title of the post to reflect it. Heh.

24 comments:

Angie's Recipes said...

The pasta with white sauce must have tasted creamy and flavourful.
Which part is the 'steak tip'?

Karen said...

I love it when I can cook something that somebody has been craving. Makes it all worth while! Looks like a delicious dinner.

tamilyn said...

That is the best compliment ever. The peas give it a great pop of color.

Jenn said...

Geez! Now you've got m craving steak tips and pasta.

Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

So if I came to your house and thought up something for you to make, you would? I mean nothing crazy of anything.... ;-)

this looks really good, i really like how you put the pasta sauce together.

Your girlfriend is a lucky woman, but then you know that!

noble pig said...

I love that you indulged her...YUM!

Reeni said...

What a good man you are! I can see why she liked it. It's a great combo of delicious flavors and very comforting.

Velva said...

This is a great dish you put together-I like it!

Donna-FFW said...

You have a very lucky girlfriend!! What a fabulous dinner, how very nice you are to try and please her!!

Caroline@BudgetMeals said...

Talk about cravings... I want to sit down to a big plate of this right now. How yummy! Thanks for sharing!

Lo said...

Always the best when you're fulfilling someone's food fantasy! :) I don't think I've ever had steak tips with white sauce and peas -- but it looks like something my mother would have made for us when we were kids. Comfort food at its finest!

Hungry Dog said...

This sounds great--so American and comforting! I like it. Sure, you can call it a white sauce, why not!

Joanne said...

I love that you cook for your girlfriend! Too cute. And yes it is awesome to hear someone say that you cooked something exactly the way they wanted it. Definitely priceless.

The white sauce sounds delicious! I love the combination you made here.

NKP said...

I love good, simple lovin' feedback from the S.O. too.
That's the best!
What a tasty meal, I would have been pleased as well.

pigpigscorner said...

I'm so jealous of your gf! This is such a flavourful and comforting meal!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a wonderful meal indeed!

Thistlemoon said...

This is definitely one of those comfort food meals! Nice job on getting it just right! :)

The Duo Dishes said...

Ooh, steak. If there's a white sauce on something, it's good. A homemade white sauce is even better.

Kate at Serendipity said...

I agree--"it's just what I wanted" is the best thing to hear! I think you should call the sauce "Sauce Bob". That neatly avoids the issue. :-)

Unknown said...

white sauce turned gravy....sounds like an identity crisis to me haha. Whatever it is technically, it sounds great! and ya, there's nothing better than fulfilling a craving. isn't that why we enjoy cooking so much?

My Little Space said...

This is a perfect meal for those on diet!

whatamk said...

Delicious! I tried the recipe today, and it was amazing. Thanks for putting the instructions together! Very easy to follow.

Bob said...

Micah: Fantastic! I'm so glad you enjoyed it, thanks for letting me know. :)

KennQ29 said...

i like the presentation.. peas are perfect to this meal. :)

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