Steaks with Parmesan-Chive Butter

"Yum, did you put parmesan in the butter?"... That's how dinner started; and then got better from there. This is one of the best things I've ever had the pleasure of making and serving. Juicy rib-eye steaks, seasoned ONLY with salt and pepper, and then served with liquid gold: melted butter spiked with parmesan, chives and garlic. Ready in about 15 minutes, this dish will rock your world.

It's almost implausible to believe that you can get SO MUCH flavor from 5 ingredients. But it happens; right here, with this dish. The steaks need nothing but salt and pepper before a quick pan-sear (either in a skillet or on a grill pan). The char seals in the juices and the steaks are insanely fork-tender (you barely need a knife).

Then that butter... It's such a simple combination of butter, chives, garlic, and parmesan, but all those flavors play off each other creating an explosion on the palate. The steak and butter combo is simply one of the best experiences on earth.

About the steak: If you follow my blog, you know that I'm typically a fan of sirloin and lean eye-of-round steaks. Until I discovered how freaking amazing rib-eye and T-bone steaks can be. Yes, there's often a bumper of fat around the lean middle of the steak, but that's what keeps the meat juicy and flavorful during cooking. Simply cut the fat away and enjoy the best steak you've ever put on your tongue. Even without the butter (but don't skip the butter here; it's just too dang good).

For perfectly cooked steaks, use a meat thermometer. Since the steak continues to cook after you remove it from the heat, pull it from the pan when it's about 5 degrees shy of its final cooking temperature. That means, for rare steak, pull it at 120 degrees, for medium-rare, 130 degrees, for medium, 140 degrees, for medium-well, 145 degrees, and for well-done steaks, pull them from the heat at 155 degrees.

Steaks with Parmesan-Chive Butter

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 steaks of choice (I used boneless rib-eye), about 6 ounces each
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons butter, preferably unsalted
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
Chopped fresh parsley for serving, optional

Brush a stove-top grill pan or large skillet with the olive oil and preheat to medium-high. Season both sides of the steaks with salt and pepper and add to the hot pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side for rare meat, or longer for more fully cooked steaks (see note above). Remove the steaks from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is bubbly, whisk in the parmesan cheese, chives and garlic. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
Spoon the butter over the steaks and serve with parsley if desired.
Serves 4