Mad Men Era Bourbon Glazed Pan Steak

Tonight we were going to make a family favorite - veal parmigiana. But there in the fridge were a week-old set of Beef Eye Round Steaks from Fairway, whatever those were, a few days past the sell-by date but smelling fine. Use it or lose it time. Table the veal, it'll keep.

The steaks were small but looked like they might cook up tender enough to eat like steaks. But somehow, too small to broil. Just a hunch. I don't even know what that means. The word "saute" kept creeping into my brain.

Dusting off the dim recesses, I remembered reading a recipe for pan-fried/sauteed steak in Craig Claiborne's venerable, trusty New York Times Cookbook (Copyright 1961). Ooh, 1961 -- prime Mad Men territory. There the recipe was, on page 91 -- Steak Au Poivre. Lots of butter and Worcestershire. Perfect with a high ball, a baked potato, and some overcooked vegetables and deep leatherette banquettes!

OK, time for the Improv Treatment. #1) The kid hates black pepper, Au Poivre is not going to lead to maximizing happiness. #2) Craig wants us to have thought ahead and pummelled the pepper into the steak and let stand 30 minutes. Nope, too hungry for that. Out with the pepper. #3) "Blaze with cognac" -- yee ha! Sounds like fun. With a match. Awesome. But: I have no cognac on hand. But I do have an unopened bottle of Knob Creek Kentucky Bourbon ("The Knob!"). That will more than do. #4) Fresh parsley and chives sound great, ain't got 'em. Dried parsley and nothing will be fine. #5) Tobasco? Can't find the Tobasco. We have some Frank's Red Hot, stuff that the kid likes to put on his scrambled eggs a la Camp Caribou. That works. #6) Heavy skillet. Don't really have one. Have a nice light non-stick skillet. Okey dokey.

So, here goes, with many apologies to Mr. Claiborne.

• 3 Beef Eye Round Steaks, whatever those are
• Salt - kosher and table
• 6 teaspoons butter
• Worcestershire sauce to taste
• Lemon juice - a splash - go really easy
• 2 tablespoons Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• 1 tsp dried parsley

For the chef:

• 3 oz. Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• 1 8 oz. old-fashioned glass
• 1 ice cube

No explanation needed.

1. Cover bottom of skillet with a moderate layer of the salts. Turn the heat to high for about 10 minutes and wait for the salt to brown like Craig says. Salt never browns.
2. Sip The Knob and ponder probable impact of non-browned salts. Decide it will be negligible and besides, have no bright ideas about browning salt. Put the steaks in anyway on unbrowned salt.
3. Brown the steaks on one side. Maybe a minute. Sizzle!
   
4. While browning steaks, melt the butter in the microwave, 45 seconds on high. Then throw the parsley into butter and stir a little.
   
5. Turn steaks, lower heat. Cook for a couple minutes.
6. Add the butter, lemon juice, Worcestershire, Frank's Red Hot. Pour over steaks while cooking, let it all flow into a delicious sauce in the pan.
7. When the steaks are done to your satisfaction (we went for medium rare), turn the heat way down.
8. Blaze the Knob! Splash in, light with match, say a little prayer for the non-stick coating.
9. Swish the solution to put out the fire if you get nervous. I did. A little. Have sip of Knob to calm those nerves.
   
10. Plate the steaks.
11. Swirl the sauce in the pan over low heat for about 45 seconds.
12. Spoon a little over the steaks, that's what it's for. Don't forget to taste it, it's amazing.

Served with Vigo Yellow Rice from a package (why? we like it, that's why) and a Caesar-ish salad (a topic for another time).

And more Knob.