,AJUN RIB STEAK, SWEET PEPPERS, and Hot Chiles
We have a very powerful meal before us with this dish. The heat of the chiles is a perfect challenge to the richness of the beef; their spark and the garlic's warmth help lift what might ordinarily be a very heavy dinner. It seems natural that many people who live on an island or in a coastal town like Key West crave the flavor of a steak from time to time, but people from all over the world have asked me for this recipe. Part of this recipe was, of course, inspired by Paul Prudhomme. The sauce was my invention to complement this roast. (The initial roasting of the beef must be done a day ahead, and you can make the sauce as much as two days ahead.)
Serves 12
An 18-pound prime rib of beef, bone in 6 to 8 ancho chiles, toasted and softened in
8 to 12 garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers water
V4 cup coarse kosher salt 2or3 Spanish onions, peeled and thickly
*/4 cup butcher-grind black pepper sliced
1. The flap that covers the meat of a prime rib can be pulled back to expose the meat. (A butcher can explain it for you.) You need to open this flap, leaving it connected, and proceed in the following manner.
2. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Take a thin knife and puncture the meat all over. You will need about 40 holes. Push a sliver of garlic deep into each of these holes.
3. Liberally season the meat with salt and pepper. (It will seem like quite a bit.) Discard' the stems and seeds of the anchos, cut the softened chiles into strips, and cover the salt and pepper mixture with them. Arrange the onion slices over the chiles and carefully fold the flap over this combination.
4. Put the beef in a roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven and allow to cool. Discard accumulated fat. Refrigerate the meat overnight.
SAUCE
% cup olive oil
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, ribbed,
and sliced into strips 1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded,
ribbed, and sliced into strips
1 yellow bell pepper (or 1 more red pepper), stemmed, seeded, ribbed, and sliced into strips
3 jalapeno peppers, stemmed, seeded, ribbed, and sliced into strips
1 cup marsala wine
1 quart rich Brown Sauce (page 248)
1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy saucepan. Add the peppers and stir. Cook a few minutes. Towel off any excess oil.
2. Deglaze the pan with marsala, being sure it ignites to burn off the alcohol. (Naturally, you should exercise caution when deglazing anything.) Reduce the wine to a glaze and add the brown sauce.
3. Cook the sauce until its consistency will coat the back of a spoon. It should be sweet, rich, and spicy.
4. Strain the sauce into a container and chill until you are ready to serve. Discard vegetables.
TO PREPARE AND SERVE
1. Either heat up a broiler or prepare a grill. It should be very hot. While it is heating, spoon off any fat that may have accumulated on top of the sauce, and gently reheat the sauce.
2. Broil or grill the beef to the degree of doneness you prefer.
3. Spoon the sauce over the sliced meat and serve with your choice of starch and vegetable. (I recommend a sweet potato gratin for the starch.)
If there were ever a time for a big Zinfandel, this is it. If you prefer a French wine, however, a rich
Comas from the Rhone would be appropriate.