Steak Diane

[eppefour]

Medicine man turns to food
EHT pharmacist cooks feast for wife, Grub Club
By MICHAEL HUBER For The Press
Published: Sunday, November 26, 2006
John and Joyce Eppehimer have been married for 38 wonderful years. Two children and two grandchildren later, the Eppehimers moved from their Ocean City home to an adult community in Egg Harbor Township. And then the fun began.
Joyce was a great family-style cook, but after the kids left home, they began to eat out more often. John loves fishing and grills most of what he catches on the grill outside, even in winter. Joyce doesn't like fish or the smell.

After the move, John became more interested in cooking. They started to mingle with their new neighbors and informal get-togethers turned into a kind of gourmet group that members dubbed the Grub Club. Every month during the winter they have dinner at one member's house.

One couple is assigned appetizers, another dessert and two share the wine duties. The host couple prepares the main course. The only rule is that everything has to be made from scratch (i.e. not take-out or pre-prepared).

The Eppehimers say they're having a ball trying new recipes and enjoying the social aspects of the Grub Club. After a few disasters, the couple try out recipes in advance of the monthly meetings.




“We tried a recipe for Italian tuna salad as an appetizer. It was the most disgusting mixture I ever made,” said John.
For another event, the couple attempted a mini crab quiche. The first time it burned. The second time, even with a lower heat, it burned. Finally, on the third go-round using more grease, still lower temps and a slightly longer cooking time, they go it right.

The Eppehimers also use their cruises to Europe to broaden their culinary horizons by eating on shore to sample the local cuisine.

When the Grub Club decided to have a pig roast, John and the other members went whole hog. They decided to build a grill rather than rent one. John found a metal plant that had empty steel drums in front. He stopped in and came across a drum that had been used to import apple juice. It was clean and in good shape. John offered to buy the barrel but the owner said he could have it.

The drum was cut in half lengthwise, legs were attached and a top was made. The whole thing cost less than $50. The Grub Club bought a headless pig — nobody wanted to look at the head), set the grill up and had their pig roast.

When John contacted the Clueless Gourmet, he said he would like make Steak Diane since his wife does not eat much seafood. Maybe garlic mashed and a string bean dish and maybe a little something to add color to the plate, he added. Oh, and the recipes had to serve 10.

John Eppehimer: mild-mannered pharmacist by day, Grub Club member by night.

Michael Huber is a chef/educator at the Academy of Culinary Arts at Atlantic Cape Community College.


STEAK DIANE

10 6- to 8-ounce filet mignons

Salt and pepper to taste

5 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons olive oil

5 shallots, minced

6 tablespoons Madeira

20 ounces brown sauce (see recipe below)

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Worcestershire to taste

Lemon juice to taste

3 tablespoons parsley

Season filets with salt and pepper then saute in 3 tablespoons of butter mixed with 3 tablespoons of oil. For medium rare cook approximately three minutes on each side (internal temperature 130 degrees). Remove steaks from pan. Pour off remaining fat then add 2 tablespoons of butter and shallots, saute until tender. Add Madeira and flambe. Add brown sauce and bring to simmer. Remove from heat and season with mustard, Worcestershire, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped parsley.


BASIC BROWN SAUCE

4 ounces onions, chopped

2 ounces carrots, chopped

2 ounces celery, chopped

2 ounces butter

2 ounces flour

32 ounces brown stock

2 ounces tomato puree

Saute onions, carrots and celery in butter until brown. Add flour and stir to mix then brown. Whisk in the stock and tomato puree. Simmer for two hours then strain.


TOMATO PROVENCAL

5 ripe tomatoes, cut in half

2 cups breadcrumbs

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon basil, chopped

1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Make breadcrumb mixture by combining breadcrumbs, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper in bowl. Add oil, stirring until mixture holds together. Mound some of mixture on top of each tomato half. Bake in 350-degree oven approximately 20-25 minutes.


GREEN BEANS ALMONDINE

5 large handfuls of fresh green beans, ends removed

3 tablespoons butter

6 ounces sliced almonds

Juice 1/2 lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Blanch and refresh green beans in boiling salted water until tender. Melt butter in saute pan, add almonds and toss until lightly browned. Add green beans and toss until heated through. Season with salt and pepper then squeeze juice of half a lemon over all.


GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

6 large russet potatoes, peeled

2 ounces butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup heavy cream

Salt

White pepper

Simmer potatoes in salted water until knife tender. Drain well. In small saute pan, saute garlic in butter until soft. Puree potatoes with hand mixer, then add butter/garlic mixture. Add warm heavy cream and mix. Season with salt and white pepper to taste

[flatbottom]

how much are tickets to the Grub Club Dinners. I wash dishes !!!!! Beef loin or the whole crown rack, melt me everytime.

[Jer]

Cool story, eppefour

[Admin]

Dad that is wild , sounds like a good time and ill have to come down and try that steak

Congrates again on the article sounds great

[gradywhite273]

Those are going in the recipe book for sure.


Tim

[Proheat]

Sounds like a great recipe!!
I love steak Diane!! I gotta try this one myself!
Sound like you have alot of fun with your club !!

[eppefour]

The club is neat. We do it during the winter months only. The steak was a lot of fun although it was tough to get 10 steaks on the table all at once

[WAHOONBOX]

NOW THIS IS ONE OF GRILLIN & CHILLIN'S BEST!!! NOT TO MENTION THAT NOW I SEE YOU HAVE MORE QUILL TALENT THAN YOU HAVE RENDERED IN PAST.......NO EXCUSES FROM ON BIG DADDY!!! BRING IT ON!!!

YOU CAN WRITE!!!

[gradywhite273]

GREEN BEANS ALMONDINE

5 large handfuls of fresh green beans, ends removed

3 tablespoons butter

6 ounces sliced almonds

Juice 1/2 lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Blanch and refresh green beans in boiling salted water until tender. Melt butter in saute pan, add almonds and toss until lightly browned. Add green beans and toss until heated through. Season with salt and pepper then squeeze juice of half a lemon over all.


i used this one from eppefour recipe for christmas dinner, just kicked it with some shallots to taste, went over like gangbusters, thank eppe

tim

[chum1up]

Thats a good story any more...???