May 5: Steaks with Horseradish Cream Sauce, Watercress Salad, and Crusty Bread

8 (1-inch-thick) medallions of beef tenderloin or 4 New York strip steaks, 8- to 10-ounces each and 1 inch thick, at room temperature

Extra-virgin olive oil, for liberal drizzling

   Coarse salt and coarse black pepper

4 to 5 cups trimmed, washed, and dried Watercress

1 lemon

   Crusty bread, warmed in a low oven until crisp

FOR THE HORSERADISH CREAM

1 cup sour cream

1 shallot, minced

2 rounded tablespoons prepared horseradish

2 to 3 tablespoons snipped or chopped chives

Preheat a heavy skillet over high heat. Drizzle the steaks with EVOO and season with salt and pepper on both sides. When the skillet is screaming hot, cook the steaks for 2 minutes on each side for rare, 3 on each side for medium rare, 4 minutes on each side for medium, 5 minutes on each side for medium well, and 6 -7 minutes on each side for well done. Let the meat stand for 5 to 10 minutes for the juices to redistribute in the meat.

Combine all ingredients for the horseradish cream in a bowl and season with salt.

Toss the watercress with the juice of the lemon. Squeeze the lemon with the cut side up to keep the seeds from falling into the bowl. Drizzle the greens liberally with EVOO and season them with salt and pepper.

Serve the steaks with the watercress, plenty of horseradish cream, and crusty bread to pass.

4 SERVINGS

This is the variation of steaks with two tapenades; it is Rachael Ray's "Simple UK Steak Supper." It is not much different than the Italian meal, except for the difference of lettuce and cheese in the salad, and the horseradish sauce instead of tapenades. I really liked the horseradish. Our bread was delicious, the steaks were a little burned, but I should have turned the heat down a bit. The watercress wasn't bad, but could have used some complimentary flavors besides just lemon juice. I sure do like these steak suppers, although they are pretty expensive. That's why I halved the recipe. I spent over $150 today on groceries, so this week's meals better be pretty darn good!