July 23: Strip Steaks with a Side of Blue Cheese Spaghetti

4 slices bacon
4 8-ounce New York strip steaks
   Coarse salt
   Coarse black pepper
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces blue cheese crumbles
2 to 3 teaspoons dried sage
2 cups cleaned, trimmed, and shredded arugula

Put a large pot of water on the stove to boil for the pasta.

Preheat the broiler to high. Arrange the bacon on a slotted broiler pan and cook until crisp on both sides.

Season the steaks with salt and pepper on both sides. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel. Arrange the steaks on the broiler pan.

Place under the broiler and leave the oven door ajar to limit flare-ups and smoke. (Note that some broilers won't go on with the door open.) Cook for 4 minutes on each side for medium rare, up to 7 minutes on each side for medium well.

Soften 4 tablespoons of the butter in the microwave on High for 15 seconds. Mix in the chives and half of the minced garlic and reserve.

Salt the water for the pasta and add the spaghetti to the pot. Cook al dente, with a bite to it.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the EVOO and the remaining tablespoon of butter. When the butter melts into the EVOO, add the remaining garlic and the shallots, saute for 3 minutes, add the flour and cook for a minute more. Whisk in the stock, bring to a bubble for about 30 seconds, then stir in the cream. When the cream comes to a bubble, add the blue cheese and sage and a few grinds of black pepper. Turn off the heat. Stir until the cheese melts.

Remove the steaks from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Spoon one fourth of the chive and garlic butter on each steak to melt down over the meat as they rest.

Drain the pasta and toss with the blue cheese sauce to coat and combine evenly, then taste to adjust the seasoning.

Chop and crumble the cooked bacon.

Serve the steaks with heaping portions of blue cheese pasta alongside. Top the pasta with the shredded arugula and bacon crumbles to mix in as you eat.

4 SERVINGS

This meal is one of my absolute favorites! I love the blue cheese spaghetti! I could eat it every day. Well, maybe I'd get sick of it, but it is so good. I cooked the bacon in the microwave instead of the broiler because it's easier (it always sticks to the broiler pan). I cooked the steaks well done (about 15 minutes on each side). I missed shallots when I was writing out my grocery list, so I just used part of an onion. I realized my cream had expired when I opened it (it really smelled bad), so I used milk instead. It worked just as good, if not better. I changed the recipe to call for dried sage instead of fresh. I only made half of this recipe, too.