The steak. The melted butter. The tang. This is steak with gorgonzola butter.

This all starts on a trip to Florida. My wife and I love going to Universal Studios Orlando. And we have gotten annual passes on two separate occasions. I’ve mentioned this before in another post. During one of our trips to the area, we decided to take a trip to the beach on a Saturday. Because you should never go to a theme park on a Saturday. The lines are crazy.

Our beach of choice was Cocoa Beach. And after spending some time in the sun and the waves, we were famished. Nothing makes you quite as hungry as being out in the sun and water. So we perused the local listings and settled on a place that had awesome reviews called Fat Kahunas. And we were not disappointed. I highly recommend checking them out if you are ever in that area.

We started our late lunch/early dinner with coconut shrimp. Then we split the surf and turf option for the main course. It was a steak and shark. The shark was unique because I had never had it before, but it tasted a lot like swordfish. The steak was steak. Seasoned and cooked well, but what set it apart was a gorgonzola butter that melted on top for pure tangy, salty flavor.

And that’s when I realized blue cheese – and specifically gorgonzola – was good.

Compound Butter and Steak

I’ve learned a lot about butter and compound butter since that time. I’ve even made my own butter at home. But compound butter is basically just butter with extra ingredients added for flavor. So it is a fancy way of saying flavored butter. The options are almost endless with compound butter – just mix together flavors that sound good. But for our case, we’ll keep it simple with a straight mix of gorgonzola and butter.

I’ve even discovered the joy of pre-made compound butters that can be purchased at the store. There is a Chef Shamy Garlic Butter that includes garlic, parmesan, and basil with the butter and makes a divine combination. From toast to vegetables, this butter makes things delicious.

It is fairly common practice to top grilled steak with a slice of flavored compound butter. It helps add both juiciness and flavor. Just cut off a pat of the butter and plop it onto the filet once you have taken it off the grill. Make sure to use an instant-read thermometer to get the perfect cook on your steak. The timing works perfectly because it is necessary to let the steak rest for a few minutes once you take it off the heat. And the butter can melt and spread while the steak rests.

After resting, you’ll have a perfectly grilled steak dripping with flavor from the melted butter on top.

Side Dish Perfection

Steak is delicious, but not a full meal in its own right. Fortunately, a whole lot of sides pair perfectly with a grilled steak. Try any of the following as side dishes for your steak with gorgonzola butter:

• Macaroni and Cheese
• Baked Potato
• Steamed Broccoli
• Roasted Asparagus
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I’ve even been known to spread some of the gorgonzola butter on top of the side dish for even more of its salty tang. This is simple (5 ingredients?!) recipe packs a powerful punch of flavor. Pick out some quality steaks and your favorite gorgonzola cheese and get to work on entertaining your taste buds. Whatever you pair it with, know that this is one of my absolute favorite ways to cook and serve steak.

Grilled Steak with Gorgonzola Butter

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: DinnerDifficulty: Moderate

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Resting Time

1

hour 

Total time

1

hour 

25

minutes

Sizzling seared steak topped with a tangy gorgonzola butter for melt-in-your-mouth flavor

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup salted butter (1 stick)

• 1/3 cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

• 4 six ounce steaks

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

• Making the Butter
• At least an hour before making the compound butter, take the butter out of the fridge so it can soften to room temperature
• When the butter is soft and workable, add the butter and gorgonzola to a mixing bowl
• Gently stir to combine until they are fully incorporated
• Scrape the butter out onto parchment paper or plastic wrap, form it into a log, and roll it up in the parchment or plastic
• Place it in the fridge until ready to use, can be stored for up to 2 weeks
• Grilling the Steak
• About 30 minutes before grilling, take the steaks out of the fridge and season all sides with salt and pepper
• Around 10 to 15 minutes before grilling, fire up the grill to a medium-high heat so it can come to temperature
• Place the steaks on the grill and cook them to your desired doneness* using an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature, usually 3 to 10 minutes per side depending on tastes: Rare – 125°F, Medium-Rare – 130°F, Medium – 135°F, Medium-Well – 145°F, Well Done – 155°F
• While the steaks are cooking, slice four 1/4 to 1/2 inch rounds off of the gorgonzola butter
• When the steaks have finished cooking, remove them from the grill, place them on a plate to rest, top each one with a slice of the compound butter, and loosely tent with foil
• Let the steaks rest 3 to 5 minutes and then serve

Notes

• The USDA recommends cooking steaks to at least 145°F for safe consumption
• Use the thermometer in the thickest part of the steak, push it into the center, and keep it away from fat and bone for an accurate read

The post Grilled Steak with Gorgonzola Butter appeared first on Do You Roux?.

For the longest time whenever I pictured a salad it was just a bland side salad that only really tasted good because it was doused in ranch dressing. And gorgonzola on a salad would never cross my mind. Perhaps that is why I would always turn up my nose whenever my wife would suggest salad for dinner. My canned response was that salad was not a meal. It was an afterthought on the side that you put on your plate if you had extra room.

How very wrong I was. My eyes were not yet opened. It took time to realize how much variety was possible with the simple salad. Instead of thinking just about the greens of the salad, think of all the toppings and what makes the salad unique. I mean, a salad with a fried and breaded chicken breast on top. Delicious.

I also did not approve of blue cheese for the longest time but came to my senses on that as well all because of one delicious meal. But that’s a story for another day.

Frying for Gorgonzola Pear Salad?

This will win no awards as the world’s healthiest salad. But I’m ok with that. Just look at that chicken up there in the photo. Breaded, pan-fried, delicious. Make sure to flatten the chicken to a relatively even thickness. This ensures that it will cook through evenly and will be fully cooked before any of the breadcrumbs start to burn. I actually had an extra breaded chicken breast from this recipe and had that for lunch the next day with just a squeeze of fresh lemon on top.

Heat and salads don’t typically mix. Greens like to wilt with higher temperatures. However, it is best to serve this salad with the chicken still warm. Not straight off the pan, you will need it to cool down enough to handle and slice. And at that point, it is ready to be served.

Salads really are all about how the different ingredients play off of each other for balance and this one has a perfect mix of fresh, sweet, creamy, salty, and crispy. So, bust out your salad bowl, get out your largest frying pan, and enjoy a homemade salad.

Gorgonzola Pear Salad with Chicken

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: SaladsDifficulty: Intermediate

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Total time

40

minutes

Salad with a tangy gorgonzola punch, pan-fried breaded chicken, and sweet juicy pears.

Ingredients

• Dressing

• 1 clove of garlic

• 1 small shallot

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• Breaded Chicken

• 2 cups panko bread crumbs

• 2 cups flour

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 2 eggs

• 4 chicken breasts

• 2 tablespoons butter, divided

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• Salad

• 2 ripe red Anjou pears

• 1 cup walnuts

• 3 ounces crumbled gorgonzola cheese

• 10 ounces arugula (or other mixed greens)

Directions

• Make the dressing by blending together the first 8 ingredients, then pour into a container and chill until ready to serve the salad.
• Pound chicken to 1/2 inch thick. I put mine in a gallon Ziploc and then used the flat side of a meat tenderizer to flatten the chicken.
• Prepare dredges for breading the chicken by getting three wide bowls or plates and putting the breadcrumbs in one, whisking the two eggs together in another, and mixing the flour, salt, and pepper together in the third.
• Coat chicken in flour on both sides, dip into the egg mixture to cover, and then crust it in breadcrumbs. Place the chicken aside on a plate. Repeat for all of the chicken.
• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat. Add 2 pieces of coated chicken and fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes on each side. Place on a plate with paper towels. Repeat with the other two chicken breasts using remaining butter and olive oil.
• Once the chicken has cooled enough to touch, cut into 1/2 inch slices.
• Core and slice pears.
• Assemble the salad in a large bowl with a bed of arugula, pears, blue cheese, and walnuts. Add chicken and drizzle with dressing.

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