June 7: Shrimp Martinis and Manhattan Steaks

   Zest of 1 lemon plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 celery rib, very finely chopped
   Several drops of Tabasco, to taste
2 cups prepared cocktail sauce
3/4 cup good-quality, well-chilled vodka
   Salt and coarse black pepper
1 head of broccoli, cut in spears
4 1- to 1 1/4-inch-thick new York strip steaks or porterhouse steaks, each 10-12 ounces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons grill seasoning, such as McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large shallot, chopped
1 shot sweet vermouth
3 shots rye whiskey
4 slices white bread, toasted and cut into points
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
20 cooked jumbo shrimp, cleaned and deveined

In a small pitcher, combine the lemon zest, celery, hot sauce, cocktail sauce, and vodka and season with salt and coarse black pepper. Place the sauce in the refrigerator to chill.

Drizzle the steaks with EVOO on both sides and coat them evenly with the grill seasoning. Heat a large nonstick skillet or heavy cast-iron skillet over high heat. Cook the meat for 5 minutes on each side for medium rare, 7 minutes per side for medium well, and 10 minutes per side for well done.

Remove to a platter to allow the meat to rest and the juices to redistribute. Loosely tent the steaks with foil to keep in some heat.

Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a sauce pan. Season the boiling water liberally with salt. Add the spears and simmer the broccoli for 5 minutes, until just fork-tender but still bright green.

Return the skillet to the stove and reduce the heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon of the EVOO, plus 1 tablespoon of the butter and melt together. Add the shallots and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the vermouth and whiskey and ignite to burn off the alcohol (don't you look impressive doing this!)

Once the flame dies, turn off the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of butter, and gloss up the reduction of, essentially, a Manhattan cocktail and the steaks' pan drippings. Place the toast points on dinner plates. Serve the steaks on the toast points and spoon the pan sauce over the meat. Garnish with parsley, and place broccoli spears alongside the steaks.

Chill 4 martini glasses by filling them with ice. Rinse the shrimp in cold water and pat dry. Squeeze the lemon juice over them and season with a bit of salt. Pour out the ice in the glasses and hook the shrimp, 5 per glass, over the edge of the martini glasses, tails hanging on the outside of the rim. Go get the chilled sauce, fill the glasses to the rim. Serve with the steaks for a very unusual Surf n' Turf!

4 SERVINGS

Rachael Ray says: "I usually make the shrimp martinis while the steaks cook, but if you prefer you can make the shrimp first and let them chill in the fridge." I made this meal just like the recipe, except that I didn't have any martini glasses so I used ramekins. I considered changing it to only make 1/2 of the martini cocktail sauce, but I figure if you're using martini glasses, you might need that much to fill them up. Otherwise this makes way too much sauce. I didn't even like it because of the vodka. I've always wondered what vodka tastes like. Now I know I don't like it. I wish I could have had the plain cocktail sauce that I gave to my daughters. Now, the Manhattan cocktail on the steaks on the other hand was delicious! I did burn off the alcohol, so I'm sure that makes a difference, but the flavors were great!