Steak with Friends

At Home, with Rick Tramonto

by Rick Tramonto

Price: $35.00
ISBN-13: 978-0-7407-9257-1
ISBN-10: 0-7407-9257-1
Format: Hardcover
Size: 8 1/2 x 10 1/2 in.
Page Count: 304 pages

“In creating this book, Tramonto has shared his secrets of not only cooking, but of the entire process of preparing food. The personal touches in this cookbook bring at-home-chefs into the kitchen with Tramonto and his friends” ––Gayot.com http://bit.ly/bT9Or8

“From the great family setting on the cover to the photographs inside you can feel the love Rick has for his family and food. Each chapter begins with an explanation of Rick’s ideas and philosophies about the recipes in that chapter.  Then each recipe has a short description and thought from Rick.  These short notes provide the reader with keen insights into just what makes Rick tick, in a food sense. Each chapter can be considered the course of a meal.  And as you move through the courses not only do you get the recipe, but you also get tidbits of information that make preparation and cooking even easier.” ––The BBQ Grail http://bit.ly/ct0Jt8

“This is a great, fun-to-read cookbook for anyone who enjoys entertaining or just wants to perfect his or her steak cooking skills.” ––2 The Advocate http://bit.ly/bWWykf

“[Steak with Friends] is a fine one with far more than steak recipes and while instructive, it’s not a how-to-grill book. Tramonto chose steak as the centerpiece because it’s a hallmark of Chicago and it represents an indulgence. He wants you to know how to cook it perfectly to your taste because “if you overcook it, there’s no going back.” The grilled steak section includes numerous cuts with tomahawk (aka Cowboy cut – a bone-on ribeye), flatiron, skirt and hanger among the lot, and then he moves to classics like Steak Diane, Beef Wellington, and Filet Oscar. There are 150 recipes and the variety beyond beef is superb (fewer than 30 recipes are actually “steak”) including Peekytoe crab salad, cioppino, garlic sausage, lemongrass duck, even the ubiquitous mac & cheese. Desserts like Killer Chocolate Pudding and Key Lime Brûlées are mouthwatering. The headnotes are charming, informative, and insightful and you’ll find the sidebars and tips useful. Don’t overlook the Sources section to learn where the pros buy when local isn’t available.” ––Pen and Fork http://bit.ly/dqKnbk

“A great book for steak lovers and anyone looking for simple, elegant food. ” ––Today http://www.today.msnbc.msn.com/id/38678442

“My experience with this book was a good one from start to finish. … This book is meant to bring all [Rick Tramonto] knows, and his experiences as a professional chef, to the home cook. He succeeds quite well at doing so.” ––Books Cooking By Ingredient http://bookscookingmy.blogspot.com/2010/08/check-out-steak-with-friends-at-home.html

““The title of this book says it all:  This is about eating steak dinners with good friends and enjoying all that implies,” states Tramonto.  Except it doesn’t stop at steaks.  It also includes hot and cold appetizers, salads, soups and sandwiches, fish and seafood, sauces, stocks, dressings, marinades, and syrups, other meat and poultry, side dishes, and desserts.  Shew! … It’s simple and honest food which I think was Chef Tramonto’s goal.  If so, he succeeded and this is definitely a go-to book for a family dinner on the weekend, or a casual yet nice dinner with friends.” ––100 Miles http://www.100miles.com/review-steak-with-friends/

“Here’s a corrective spit in the eye to mediocre steakhouses everywhere. … In this lavishly photographed cookbook, Tramonto provides clear and precise steps for preparing the perfect steak. Most of steak recipes here are for the outdoor grill, but he also offers his interpretations of classic steak house preparations such as Steak au Poivre. Steak with Friends keeps steak front and center, but there are other alternatives big in flavor and presentation: Grilled Pork Chops with Mushroom-Sausage Stuffing, Stuffed Leg of Lamb with Grilled Ramp Pesto, Grilled Chicken with Roasted Squash Salad, Cedar-Plank Salmon with Mustard and Maple and Grilled Shrimp with Garlic and Ginger.” ––Stovetop Readings http://bit.ly/b8EJnO

“Steak with Friends: At Home with Rick Tramonto is not your average ‘fire-up the grill’ manual. Established chef and cookbook author Rick Tramonto kicks the genre up a notch with fabulous appetizers and stunning preparation. His food is far from fussy; the flavours are robust and complex. His tips for BBQ beginners are invaluable. … There are tasty recipes for chicken, fish, and lamb too – and sinful desserts.” ––Dolce Dolce http://www.dolcedolce.com/?tag=rick-tramonto

“Nationally renowned chef Rick Tramonto has been an executive chef in the Chicago area for more than thirty years. He has won numerous awards and compiled six previous cookbooks including “Tru: A Cookbook from the Legendary Chicago Restaurant” and “American Brasserie,” both bestsellers. His latest collection focuses on steak and seafood along with the delicious accompaniments ranging from appetizers to desserts. In the hands of a pro like Tramonto, a steak isn’t necessarily just a steak but rather a gift from the gods. His cookbook features 150 recipes divided into 12 chapters: Cold Appetizers; Hot Appetizers; Salads; Soups and Sandwiches; Fish and Seafood; Steak on a Plate; Steak and Beef Classics; Steak Toppers, Rubs, and Glazes; Sauces, Stocks, Dressings, Marinades, and Syrups; Other Meat and Poultry; Side Dishes; and Desserts. There are also sections devoted to sources, metric conversions and equivalents.” ––Tucson Citizen http://tucsoncitizen.com/cooking/2010/05/26/peppercorn-steak-featured-in-new-rick-tramonto-cookbook/

“With recipes geared toward home chefs in an easy-to-read format and accented with warm photography of Rick and his family, Steak with Friends: At Home, with Rick Tramonto is for anyone who loves grilling or cooking at home with friends and family.” ––Cooking Nook http://www.cookingnook.com/steak-with-friends.html

“The 150 recipes for steak and seafood, along with side dishes and desserts in Steak With Friends are geared toward home chefs.  Written in a light, conversational tone Tramonto makes it clear that you don’t have to be a professional chef to cook a great meal. ” ––CommitmentNow http://bit.ly/9EJTcO

“[Steak with Friends is] devoted to home cooking for casual entertaining. It’s full of ideas for gathering friends around the grill and sharing fun, hearty meals, and it’s also about cooking the things that partner well with steak. So, in addition to steak recipes, you’ll find soups, salads, cedar-plank salmon with mustard and maple, rubs and sauces, grilled chicken with roasted squash salad, bread pudding with gruyere and shitake mushrooms, waffle-battered onion rings with maple-chili sauce, and even desserts. And, while this book is all about entertaining at home, it is clearly from a chef’s perspective with recipes like pan-seared foie gras with peaches and mint, hamachi sashimi with pineapple bubbles (foam), and filet oscar topped with an asparagus and crab salad layered with bread cut in rounds the size of the filet. I like that about this book. I appreciate learning chefs’ techniques as they’re adapted for home cooking.” ––Lisa is Cooking http://bit.ly/9NYyA7

“Just a glance at the book shows the Chicago culinary great in a different light. From scripture passages sprinkled throughout its pages to casual photos of family and friends enjoying table time and suggestions for music to play while cooking (everything from his favorite Led Zeppelin to Billy Joel, Elton John, Frank Sinatra, the Beatles and Metallica), Tramonto’s new work is not only a fun read but it sheds an interesting light on the man who takes his artistry to the hilt on the global culinary stage. Seen throughout “Steak with Friends,” co-written with Mary Goodbody, is Tramonto the family man, music lover, provider of plain good hospitality, simply great home cook and cordial host.” ––nwi.com http://bit.ly/908nPh

“While an accomplished chef in the restaurant, this book is written and targeted to the home cooks like myself who appreciate sipmle recipes with grand results. Rick really hits home [in Steak with Friends] with recipes that I really want to try and soon! I’m not sure I can wait to get my grill going.” ––Foodie in Disguise http://bit.ly/9zYlP4

“Steak with Friends will appeal to any steak lover, with its dazzling selection of 150 refined, yet easy-to-prepare recipes for steak and its many “friends,” from seafood, poultry and other meats, to salads and hearty sides, to tasty desserts. Chef Tramonto shares his steakhouse secrets, from decoding the dizzying array of cuts at the butcher shop to choosing well-marbled meat and coaxing that perfectly charred crust and juicy interior. ” ––WLS-TV Chicago http://bit.ly/b51haq

“”Steak with Friends” is full of mouth-watering, indulgent food that is homey but also has an elegant edge. The recipes I tried were all relatively easy to make and really delicious–exactly the kind of food you want to share with your family and friends. It is “guy friendly” but varied enough to appeal not just to men, and it is the type of book any grill master or home chef would love.” ––Kahakai Kitchen http://bit.ly/d8JmE1

“This delicious book with beautiful photos and personal stories would make a great Father’s Day gift for the man on your list.. and yes, it would be great for women too! ” ––Living in the Kitchen with Puppies http://bit.ly/cAD7aO

“Tramonto invites readers into his home, sharing his food, faith, friends and family. The book features 150 recipes for steak and seafood, along with all the accompaniments, ranging from appetizers to desserts.” ––Desert News http://bit.ly/ajhilo

“A couple of porterhouse steaks grilled to medium-rare and topped with a Gorgonzola crust rendered us speechless with delight” ––Janet Rausa Fuller, food editor Chicago Sun-Times http://bit.ly/bJ1lpn

“Tramonto’s seventh book showcases steak and the “friends” (sauces, glazes, and side dishes) that complement it. Readers can feast their eyes on full page close-ups of finished dishes like grilled T-bone steaks alongside a bright green streak of pesto as well as smaller photos highlighting the cooking process. Pictures of Tramonto shopping, cooking, eating, and relaxing with friends and family make it easy to imagine what it might be like to spend an afternoon with the famous Chicago restaurateur.” ––Library Journal http://bit.ly/cgM5H7

“Chef Rick Tramonto’s latest cookbook might be titled Steak with Friends. But red meat isn’t the only food that pops from the 300 colorful pages of his seventh cookbook project. This 150-recipe collection pays equal attention to “friends” of steak.” –Pioneer Local http://bit.ly/cog4Ak

“The phrase “Steak with Friends” plays on two levels: enjoying a great steak in the company of great friends and family, and enjoying a great steak in the company of great accompaniments like potatoes, wine and cheesecake. The recipes takes cooks through the menu, from cold and hot appetizers and salads (Hamachi Sashimi with Pineapple Bubbles, Chicago-Style Garbage Salad) to soup and desserts (Vidalia Onion Soup, Key Lime Brulees).” ––Daily Herald http://bit.ly/aB3crg

“Steak with Friends is an earthy, warm, and inviting book, a reflection of Chef Rick Tramonto’s love of food and friends.  The book is packed with recipes to cook with friends that are inspired and spectacular, but never complex in execution.  Filled with tips and hints for having fun in the kitchen and for eating well, Steak with Friends will motivate the most casual reader to host a get-together of friends and family to share a great meal at home.” ––In Mamas Kitchen http://bit.ly/9T3hoS

“Rick Tramonto’s seventh cookbook, Steak with Friends: At Home, with Rick Tramonto, takes you inside the north suburban Chicago home of the executive chef/partner of Tru and Tramonto’s Steak & Seafood. The cover depicts the author with his family, seated by a platter of hefty steaks and “friends”-natural pairings with steak-in the chef’s ample home kitchen. ” ––Publisher’s Weekly http://bit.ly/ciecjx

“Chef Rick Tramonto invites readers into his home in his new Steak & Friends: At Home, with Rick Tramonto cookbook, to release in April from Andrews McMeel Publishing. Focused on food, faith and family, each chapter of the 304-page hardcover cookbook, written with Mary Goodbody, opens with one of the chef’s favorite Scripture verses and includes 150 steak and seafood recipes with all the trimmings.” ––Christian Retailing http://www.christianretailing.com/index.php/newsletter/inspirational-gift-trends-bulletin/199-march-17-2010/21042-new-product

“Steak with Friends: At Home, with Rick Tramonto. Chef Rick Tramonto, of Tru in Chicago and Tramonto’s Steak and Seafood in Wheeling, Ill., invites readers to pull up a chair in his home kitchen in his seventh cookbook. He offers 150 easy-to-follow recipes geared toward the home chef that reproduce the flavors of the high-end steakhouse food he’s known for. He emphasizes proper selection and preparation of steaks and includes drink recipes and even music suggestions to play while you cook. The book is warmly accented throughout with light-hearted anecdotes and photography of Tramonto and his family.” ––Chef Magazine http://chefmagazineblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/chef-cookbooks-to-satiate-all-tastes.html

Anything with the flavor of citrus is satisfying after a rich, filling steak dinner and anyone who knows me knows how much I appreciate that particular flavor. These little crème brûlées are elegant and impressive and yet very easy to make ahead of time. The tang of key limes gives them just enough of a jolt.

I have always been a fan of the flavor of key limes, but if you can’t find them, use the more common limes. This recipe demonstrates what I learned from Gale Gand, who has been my culinary partner for years and who is one of the best pastry chefs in the business.

Serves 6

2 cups heavy cream
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon grated key lime or lime zest
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise
5 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed key lime or lime juice
¼ cup raw sugar
1 pint fresh raspberries

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the heavy cream, granulated sugar, zest, and vanilla bean for about 5 minutes, or until small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Set aside to steep for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the vanilla bean or reserve it for another use.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and then slowly add the warm cream mixture, whisking constantly so that the eggs do not curdle. Stir in the lime juice.

Divide the custard among six 6-ounce ramekins or custard cups. Place the ramekins in a roasting pan large enough to hold them easily. Pour enough warm water into the pan to come to a depth of about 1 inch. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the custards are set in the middle.

Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.

Blot any extra moisture from the tops of the custards with a paper towel. Sprinkle the raw sugar evenly over the custards. Caramelize the tops with a butane blowtorch or under a hot broiler. Take care that the sugar does not burn. Let the brûlées sit for a few minutes before serving topped with a few raspberries.

How to Split a Vanilla Bean

Lay the bean on a cutting board and draw the dull side of a paring knife over the bean’s husk to flatten it. With the sharp side of the knife, cut the bean along one side and open it. Scrape the seeds from the husk and use according to the recipe. The bean will infuse sugar sprinkled on berries or used to sweeten cream—or any other way you can imagine!

Steak with Friends: At Home, with Rick Tramonto is big and juicy, just like a steak dinner with all the trimmings. It showcases a dazzling array of steak and seafood recipes along with delicious accompaniments ranging from appetizers to desserts. Sophisticated, yet easy to prepare, these dishes will delight readers who love great beef cooked to perfection. Rick teaches the secrets to choosing and preparing the best steak, suggests music to listen to while cooking mussels, and recommends some of his favorite drink pairings. In this cookbook, Rick shows cooks how to reproduce the delicious flavors of his great steak house food at home.

What I like most about the recipes in this chapter is that they are all about relaxed celebrations. Most can be served on a big platter so that everyone can graze, pick and choose what they want, and decide how much they want to eat. These appetizers are perfect for sharing with good friends and family while enjoying a cold beer or a glass of wine.

After an hour or so of appetizers, I fire up the grill for the steaks, or whatever food I am cooking that evening, and most people drift toward the grilling action. This is the second phase of the party, followed by the main meal when we sit down and enjoy what’s on our plates and on our minds. But without the very first part of the evening, when we casually and happily share cold appetizers, the rest of the meal would not be as successful. It’s a natural progression, a train of good eats and conversation that first leaves the station with these delights, gaining speed as it moves through the party.

I thought long and hard about what recipes to include here—just as I did with every chapter in the book—and kept coming back to how well these dishes could be shared. I also relied on my own affection for “surf and turf.” Ever since I first discovered the marriage of seafood and beef, I have been an enthusiastic fan. I have even been known to stop at a sushi restaurant for a few bites before going on to a steak house. This explains why I have included the Spicy Tuna Roll, the Spicy Shrimp in Lettuce Wraps, and the RT Hamachi Sashimi with Pineapple. All are perfect before a steak meal.

I also like to start off a steak dinner with another meat, as evidenced by the charcuterie plate and the steak tartar. Both are sensational and both are updated with some tasty twists, such as the violet mustard with the tartar and the pickled onions on the charcuterie plate.
If you prefer appetizers with no seafood or meat, try the beets. I have never put out platters of these and had a single leftover! They are that good. And the spring rolls hark back to my fondness for Asian-style foods before the main course.

These are easy, light dishes for the most part, meant to be enjoyed with friends. They are great at a cocktail party, but can also be enjoyed on their own for a very casual meal.

Mussels are often overlooked when we think of shellfish; clams and oysters are favored in the United States. However, mussels are absolutely delicious and have a mild, briny taste that can only come from the sea. And they are inexpensive, which adds to their appeal. Always buy fresh mussels and cook them within a day of purchase. Choose those with tightly closed shells and avoid any with broken or chipped shells. Remove them from the packaging when you get home, wrap them in a moist towel, and refrigerate the mussels until you cook them. This keeps them alive.

Cooking the mussels in a heady broth of ale, smoked ham, garlic, and herbs leaves them bursting with great flavor. I like to use Belgian-style ale for its earthy, from-the-pub flavor, but you can use any beer you like. There is nothing fussy about eating mussels; serve these in a big bowl in the center of the table as an appetizer. To make a meal out of these, just add a salad and soup. Don’t forget some crusty bread to sop every last drop of the cooking juices.  Serves 4

2 pounds mussels
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup diced smoked country ham (about 4 ounces)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 shallot, minced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 (12-ounce) bottle Belgian-style ale
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 crusty baguette, cut into 1-inch-wide slices

Under cool water, scrub each mussel’s shell with a stiff-bristled brush. Remove the byssus thread (or beard), which connects the mussel to rocks in the water. Grab the fibers with your fingers and pull them out, tugging toward the hinged point of the shell.

In a medium-size saucepan or skillet, heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. After the butter melts, add the ham and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until crispy and the fat has rendered.

Add the garlic, shallot, and thyme and cook in the rendered fat over medium-low heat for about 2 minutes, or until soft. Add the mussels, stir to coat with the vegetables and pan juices, and cook for about 1 minute.

Add the beer, cover the pan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until all the mussels open. (Discard any that do not open.)

Add the parsley, tarragon, basil, lemon juice, and the remaining tablespoon of butter. Toss to distribute the herbs and lemon juice and allow the butter time to melt. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Using a slotted spoon, serve them in a large bowl or divide the mussels evenly among 4 smaller bowls. Pour the broth from the pan over the mustsels, and serve with the bread.

This amazing steak is my favorite.It’s cut from the rib section of the steer, or rib roast, and is one of the juiciest and most popular steaks available. It is well marbled—webbed with streaks of fat—so it is full flavored and moist, and particularly well suited to dry heat cooking, such as grilling or broiling. The rib eye can be cut with or without the bone and generally is 1 to 1½ inches thick, although when cut 2½ to 3 inches thick, it’s called a “cowboy rib eye.” This is an expensive cut that should be cooked carefully, but it needs no more embellishment than a little olive oil and salt and pepper. I like to serve it with Bordelaise Sauce, but you may omit it and savor the meat unadorned. When I was a judge on Bravo’s Top Chef, the Quickfire Challenge was to take a full rib eye and cut long-bone chops from it.   Serves 4

4 (20-ounce) bone-in rib-eye steaks, each about 1½ inches thick
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bordelaise Sauce (page 78)

Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to take off the chill.
Meanwhile, prepare a charcoal or gas grill so that the charcoal is medium hot and the heating elements are hot.

Brush both sides of the steaks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 6 to 8 minutes on each side for medium rare, turning the steaks with tongs so that you don’t puncture the meat. If using a gas grill, you may not need to grill the steaks for quite as long on the second side. (For medium steaks, extend the grilling time for 2 to 3 minutes on the first side; for rare steaks, grill for about 5 minutes on each side.)

Using tongs, remove the steaks from the grill and let them rest for 8 to 10 minutes.

In a saucepan, heat the Bordelaise Sauce over medium heat until bubbling hot. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside to keep warm.
Slice the steaks against the grain and serve topped with the sauce.

Most of us grew up loving macaroni and cheese and I am no exception. But now that I am all grown up, I prefer a more sophisticated version than the one my mom made for me. I add a little truffle oil to kick it into another sphere. If you really like truffles and have some fresh ones on hand, chop them up and stir them into the casserole before baking for even more flavor. On the other hand, you could omit the truffle oil and still end up with an amazing mac and cheese.  Serves 4

3 tablespoons white truffle oil
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half
¼ pound Swiss cheese, grated
¼ pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated
¼ pound Fontina cheese, grated
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces elbow macaroni

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a small bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of the truffle oil, the breadcrumbs, and the Parmesan and set aside.
In a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for about 3 minutes, or until the flour blends with the butter. Whisk in the half-and-half, bring to a simmer, and cook for 3 minutes.

Stir in the Swiss, cheddar, Fontina, and mustard. Remove the sauce from the heat once the cheeses have melted. Stir in the remaining truffle oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over medium heat and cook the macaroni for about 7 minutes, until al dente. Drain the pasta and add to the saucepan with the cheese sauce. Stir well.

Pour the macaroni and cheese sauce into a 1-quart buttered baking dish. (At this point you could refrigerate the casserole dish for up to 24 hours.) Top the casserole with the breadcrumb mixture and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the casserole is bubbling hot and the crust is nicely browned and crisp. Serve immediately.

He is an accomplished cookbook author with six titles to his credit, including Amuse-Bouche, which features the little bites Tramonto has become known for at Tru. He has been featured in USA Today, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Gourmet, Bon Appétit, Wine Spectator, and Condé Nast Traveler. He has appeared on the Today show, Good Morning America, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and most recently on Iron Chef and Top Chef. He lives in the Chicago area with his family.