A Romantic Dinner with Sizzle -- and Crunch!

You know what they say:  Nothing says lovin' like something from the oven.  And I'll bet you thought I was going to talk about steak. Well, I am!  Just hold your horses.

Valentine's Day is the perfect occasion to give your honey the sizzle and the steak.  And I have an easy way to cook your steaks perfectly to taste, even if you don't have the same preference.

Now I grew up in a household where there was only one way to cook a steak -- and that was under the broiler.  Today my broiler doesn't even have a nodding acquaintance with a steak, thanks to Julia.

Years ago, our French master convinced me to trade in my broiler for a heavy skillet, which produces both a succulent sear and a delectable sauce .  One problem, I could not get a thick filet minon done to Bruce's taste without torching the outside and burning the sauce-makings in the pan. Enter the oven.  I can now produce two steaks:  one medium(his) and one rare(hers) -- and we're both happy!  And the pan produces a perfect fond for a rich wine sauce. Yum Watch the video: Beef Steak in Red Wine Sauce.

But wait -- there's more.  Here's the crunch -- the crowing glory.  They're called 
Tabacco Onions because of their rich bronze color (and yes, we should have a contest to rename them).   Paper-thin onion rings dredged in spices and sizzled to a snap are the perfect topping to rival any dinner you can buy in an expensive steak house.

Enjoy.  And I'll leave the rest of the sizzle up to you.