Pan-Seared Steak With Garlic and Chives

I recently saw a segment on a cooking program about making restaurant-quality steaks. I was surprised to discover that the chef recommended pan searing instead of grilling. His technique looked simple and the results seemed yummy that I decided to give it a try.

The steaks are cooked in a cast iron frying pan then topped with butter. I decided to make a garlic and herb compound butter for mine. I don't know if I am convinced that this steak is better then one cooked over an open fire, but it was pretty tasty.

I'm not sure what types of steaks I used. They were nicely marbled with a layer of fat on the top that the butcher cut off for me. There was no bone, but a bone-in steak didn't seem to be an option. The butcher called it "roast beef," but what I got was certainly not the same thing that we refer to as roast been in the states.

2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons chives
2 tablespoons butter, slightly softened
4 steaks
Salt and pepper

Finely mince garlic, then lightly sauté it in 1 teaspoon olive oil until the garlicky aroma just starts to come out. Remove from heat and place in a small bowl. Finely chop chives and add to the bowl. Add butter and mix to incorporate herbs. Season with salt. Using plastic wrap, form the butter into a log and refrigerate for at least one hour. The longer the butter sits, the stronger the garlic and chives will be. The butter can be made ahead and keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Preheat a cast iron frying pan. Brush the bottom with the remaining olive oil. Season the steaks with course salt and pepper. Add steaks to the pan and cook on one side for three to four minutes. Flip steaks and cook for another thee minuets on the second side. Turn off the heat and add half a tablespoon of butter to the top of each steak. Allow butter to melt, then serve.