Start by making dad breakfast in the morning. If you're lucky enough to live in the same city, nothing beats waking up to the smell of bacon in the frying pan. Trust me!!
The Tie! I know what you're thinking. However, the tie does not have to be the same old same old. Try out our friend Social Primer and their unique play on fantastic ties. It will keep dad fresh and hip! It's the rage all over the country these days. You can find them at www.socialprimer.com
Beer of the month club: this is a tried and true option for dad. So get a gift certificate and get it done quick!
Finally let's make some dinner for him. What does dad like? Here is an awesome recipe for steak au poivre. Anthony Bourdain has my fav recipe.
4 8-ounce steaks
2 ounces olive oil
2 ounces freshly cracked peppercorns (crushed but not ground to
powder!)
4 ounces sweet butter
1 ounce good Cognac
4 ounces strong, dark veal stock (something to keep in your freezer)
Salt and pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Moisten the meat very slightly with oil,
then dredge each of the steaks in the crushed peppercorns to thoroughly coat.
Don't be shy with the pepper.
2. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet over high heat. Once the oil
is hot, add 2 ounces, which is half of the butter. Place the steaks in the pan
and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per side.
3. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook until desired doneness, about
5 to 7 minutes for rare, 10 minutes for medium rare, and so on. Remove from the
oven and remove the steaks from the pan to rest. Have I told you yet to always
rest your meat after cooking? I've told you now.
DIRECTIONS FOR SAUCE
1. Return the skillet to the stovetop and carefully stir in the
Cognac. As much fun as it is to create a column of flame as you add flammable
material to an incredibly hot pan, it's not really desirable or necessary —
especially in a home kitchen. Unless you're a pyromaniac, I recommend carefully
adding the Cognac to the still-hot pan off the flame, stirring and scraping
with the wooden spoon to get every scrap, every peppercorn, every rumor of
flavor clinging to the bottom of the pan.
2. Now place the pan on the flame again and cook it down a bit, by
about half. Stir in the veal stock and reduce over medium heat until thick
enough to coat the back of a spoon. Whisk in the remaining butter and season
with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with French fries or sautéed potatoes.
Note on searing: With any recipe that calls for searing meat
and then using the pan to make a sauce, be careful to avoid blackening the pan;
your sauce will taste burnt. Avoid by adjusting the heat to, say, medium high,
so it will still sear the meat but not scorch the pan juices. But stoves and
pans vary, so pay attention.
