The Best of Halloween

 

My husband, Andrew, is prone to (usually) fleeting romances with kitchen gadgets. As both of us dislike kitchen counter clutter and we have limited storage in our circa-1900 Uptown cottage, only the worthiest gadgets and appliances are kept around for very long. Instead, we foist them off on our daughter, Cecilia, or some other culinary enthusiast who may or may not provide a forever home. Andrew’s current flame is a Cuisinart air fryer/toaster oven combo that he picked up on sale at Costco a few weeks ago to replace the exhausted Cuisinart toaster oven that withstood the test of time until it devolved into an embarrassing rusty, greasy heap.

Like its predecessor, the gleaming new air fryer/toaster oven may be here to stay. It makes quick, healthy-ish work of things you want crispy or crackly but do not want to fry (because it is messy, smelly, and makes you feel icky). So, we have been using the air fryer to cook things like unbattered chicken wings, chicken tikka samosas, and veggie bites from Trader Joe’s with great results. We upped our game this past weekend when Andrew came across a recipe for rib-eye steaks in the air fryer. I will admit to feeling squeamish as I approached the dubious act of placing an expensive piece of meat from Whole Foods in an air fryer, but I soldiered on.

We coated a 2-inch, 1 1/4-pound boneless rib-eye thoroughly with the rub and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then we tossed it in the gadget on the air fryer setting at 400ºF for eight minutes, flipped it, cooked it for an additional seven minutes then removed it from the air fryer and let it rest for 10 minutes.

The results were amazing. The steak was perfectly medium-rare with a fantastic crust imparted by the complex, flavorful rub.

It was effortless. It did not smoke up the kitchen and set off the smoke alarm the way searing steak in cast iron always does – which leads our dog, Penny Lane, to bark and snarl frantically as she flings herself toward the ceiling attempting to take out the shrieking alarm. Cleanup involved rinsing the drip pan, a cutting board, and a knife. If you are planning a nice Sunday evening dinner to enjoy on Halloween night between rings of the doorbell, consider this dish.

This recipe calls for four 2-inch, 1 1/2-pound rib-eyes. Go for this if you plan to have either a high school football team or Paul Bunyan over for dinner. The 1 1/4-pounder we split was plenty for two. Simple roasted potatoes or a green salad will work well with this.

 

AirFryer Coffee and Chili Rubbed Rib-Eye Steaks with Compound Herb Butter (adapted from Gordon Ramsey)

4 Servings

Ingredients

  • 1/4-cup ancho chili powder (I looked everywhere and finally found I at Whole Foods)
  • 1/4 cup finely ground espresso (I used instant dark roast coffee and passed it through a spice grinder)
  • 2 Tbsp. paprika
  • 2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. dry mustard
  • 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
  • 1 Tbsp. coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. ground coriander
  • 1 Tbsp. dried oregano
  • 2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 2 tsp. Aleppo pepper
  • 4 boneless rib- eye steak – 2 Inches thick, approximately 1 1/2 lbs. each

 

Herb Butter Ingredients (NOTE: Instead of making this I just used Kerrygold brand Garlic)

  • Herb Butter, available in the dairy case
  • 1 Cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 Tbsp. parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp. shallot, finely diced
  • 1 Tbsp. chives, finely minced
  • Salt & Pepper to taste 

 

Coffee Rubbed Rib-Eyes

  1. Combine all the spices in a bowl and mix to thoroughly combine.
  2. Pre heat the air fryer to 390 degrees (I cooked it at 400ºF)
  3. Generously rub the dry spice mixture into the rib-eye steaks and then season with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes, the longer the better.
  4. Cook the steak for 10 minutes (I went with 8 minutes). Flip the steak and cook for an additional 10 minutes (I went with 7). Repeat with the remaining steaks. Top each steak with a pat of herb butter.

 

Compound Herb Butter

  1. Combine the room temperature butter, parsley, garlic, shallot, and chive in a bowl and mix to thoroughly combine. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Spoon the mixture onto a sheet of cling film and roll into a log. Twist the ends and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until firm. Cut into pats and reserve until the steak is cooked.

 

Looking for something to do with the kiddos for Halloween that will still have you home on Sunday to eat that steak and hand out candy? On Saturday, Bourrée  is hosting the BOO-ree BBQ Bash for families beginning at 1 pm with music by Mr. Ed’s Music Box (1 – 3 p.m.), a costume contest, pumpkin crafts and more. Kids tickets are $10 and include one pumpkin for decorating and balloons. Adult fun begins at 6 pm with music by Taylor and the Brudduhz followed by Cast Iron Cactus at 8 p.m., plus an adult costume contest. In addition to its full menu of fresh fruit daquiris, smoked wings, boudin, poboys and more, Bourree will serve BBQ Platters (See BBQ menu HERE) throughout the day with a choice of meat – Brown Sugar Brined and Smoked Chicken, Andouille, Whole Hog Pulled Pork, St. Louis Style BBQ Ribs, and Beef Brisket – plus corn bread and a choice of two sides (pimento mac and cheese, baked beans, potato salad).

Bourree is also partnering with Mr. Ed’s Music Box and friends to host a Children’s Winter Coat Drive during the event, collecting new and gently used items to be donated to the Louisiana community in need. Requested items include infant/child/toddler jackets, coats, gloves, hats, socks, blankets, along with baby wipes and latex gloves.

Also on Saturday, from 7:30-9:30 p.m. the Krewe of Krampus will present Swampus Returns Haunted Swamp Tour, a drive through haunted tour on the grounds of the NORD campus at 5420 Franklin Avenue. Event organizers promise that each of the spooky bayous along the route are crawling with creatures that have been lost in the swamps since the very first Mardi Gras. Tickets are $40 (for early entrance VIP from 7:30-7:45 p.m.) and $20 for everyone else from 7:45. Participants need only purchase one ticket per vehicle.  Participating Krewes include Krewe of Krampus, Disco Amigos, Krewe of the Rolling Elvi, Krewe de la Renaissance, Mother Tucker Presents, Krewe des Fleurs, Lucha Krewe, Crescent City Fae, Muff-a-lottas, Streetcar Strutters, Krewe O Kocks, Aerial Space Squad / Krewe of A.S.S., Sirens of New Orleans, and the Merry Antoinettes. Tickets can be purchased HERE. You should also check out the traffic plan.

 

That’s it from me. Have a fun weekend. Do something nice for someone.

 

 

 

 

Digital Sponsors

Become a MyNewOrleans.com sponsor ...

Sign up for our FREE

New Orleans Magazine email newsletter

Get the the best in New Orleans dining, shopping, events and more delivered to your inbox.