The Universe gave me a little present yesterday. I was just discussing prime rib with someone the other day and how I love finding it on sale at the grocery store. My eyes glazed over and I got that dreamy look of someone who has found “the one”, at a price that won’t require a small loan, or re-mortgaging the house, and who won’t leave you for someone younger with firmer breasts.
One reason I decided to start this blog is that I know there are others who have gone through a major life change, as I have, and who struggle, wondering how they’re going to make ends meet. For many of us, just making it through the month with the bills paid and the lights still on is monumental and worthy of celebration. And if you have a few dollars left to buy groceries on rent day, you feel like a queen. The world is yours for the taking. Da da da da!
I felt like a queen yesterday when I went into the grocery store intent on buying all the fixings for a rockin’ quesadilla feast. On my way to the salsa aisle, I spotted it. One of those cooler bin end caps, where the nirvana of grocery sales live, the home of serious saving and all things good and right in this world.
Prime rib! Lots of little packages of prime rib roast goodness at a reasonable price. Something something a kilogram! I don’t remember what the price per kilogram was but it was cheap and I almost lost consciousness at that point. My knees where trembling like a schoolgirl about to have her first kiss. I fondled a few roasts that were $17 something and few that were $18 something and $19 something. And then I saw it. A lone prime rib steak, which I didn’t realize was even a thing, all by itself, unloved and unwanted, awaiting it’s forever home. And the price! Oh, the price!
Screw you, quesadilla. Screw you. Tonight I am going prime rib steak for the win.
I had no idea how to properly cook a prime rib steak. I’ve done prime rib roast at something-something-a-kilogram-major-bargain-yay-me in the past but never a prime rib steak. This little beauty was about an inch thick and weighed in at just under one pound. Huh.
I decided to wing it and treat it like a steak.
I made a rub of salt, pepper, and a wee bit of cayenne pepper. I sliced up some red pepper and white mushrooms which were now on stand-by, ready to act as the back-up dancers for the main event.
Cue the cast iron pan, set to the highest heat known to…my stove.
Once it was smoking hot, I added a dash of olive oil and a dab of butter, carefully not measured whatsoever.
Enter the prime rib steak. I turned down the heat a bit, only because I was pretty sure my smoke alarm would be going off soon if I didn’t. I cooked the steak for 3 minutes and then flipped it over.
At this point I did something weird, even for me. I added some freshly grated Parmesan cheese. I had been looking in the fridge for ideas to make this steak amazing and the Parmesan cheese brick caught my eye. Actually, it fell of the cheese shelf onto the floor by my feet so I took that as a sign that I should use it. Again, no actual measurement. I just used a fine grater and grated until it looked good.
I cooked it on the second side for 4 minutes. I would like to tell you that the timing was carefully planned and executed but in reality, I was taking pictures of the steak cooking and went past my original plan of 3 minutes. Happy accidents and all that.
I removed the steak to a plate at this point and covered it with aluminum foil to let it rest and to keep it warm and make it feel special.
Next up, the back-up dancers. But first, I deglazed the cast iron pan with splash of red wine. I know, right? I sound like an actual chef. Don’t be fooled. I have no idea what I’m doing. I read about deglazing many moons ago and the article made it sound like an absolute must. So now I do it, of course. Who wants to mess with the natural order of things? Not I.
Fortunately for me and the world at large, I was drinking a glass of red wine at the time. I splashed a bit into the pan and watched, somewhat tearfully, as it sizzled and steamed. I added the mushrooms and red pepper, a bit of butter and sauteed my heart out.
Once the back-up dancers were adequately sauteed, I put the prime rib steak back into the pan to reheat it and cook it just a couple of minutes more each side.
I was blown away by the taste. I cooked the prime rib steak to medium-rare and it was superb. The cayenne pepper gave it a real kick and the Parmesan cheese added a nice flavour.
This entire meal cost under $10.00. I’d like to say that I saved half of the steak for the next night and that it cost me $5.00 per meal, but I was super hungry and managed to eat the whole prime rib steak plus the back-up dancers. I also drank all the wine but that has nothing to do with the recipe so disregard that part.
The message here is that even if you’re struggling, you CAN afford a fabulous, restaurant worthy prime rib dinner from time to time.
Thank you, Universe.