Buffalo Parmesan (serves 2)
Note: My Valentine asked if I could make Buffalo Parmesan for our Valentines dinner, and my answer was, “of course”. I started researching recipes, but they all seemed a bit too heavy for the slightly sweet grassiness of Wild Idea Bison steaks. So I went about piecing a few recipes together to get a true Buffalo Parmesan, without masking the clean flavors of the meat. I prepared the dish using both the 12 oz. Round Heal Steak, which I cut into medallions and lightly pounded out, and also an 8 oz. Tenderloin, which I sliced in half, creating two equal round steaks. Any tender steak cut would work. Adjust pan- frying time based on desired thickness. The late Marcella Hazans simple tomato sauce was the key in keeping the dish light. For best results, purchase high quality canned tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. Lastly for the pasta, I made a Parmesan Pesto and tossed it with the pasta, which coated it nicely and gave the pasta a little crunch while under the broiler. A real restaurant style meal, that is super easy to prepare! Enjoy.
Ingredients:
For Sauce:
1 28 oz. canned diced tomatoes
1 onion, peeled and cut in half
5 tablespoons butter
salt to taste
For Pasta:
2 cups (or desired amount) fettuccini, cooked el dente
1 cup pasta water, reserved from cooking
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup grated Parmesan
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
For Steak:
8 to 12 oz. Bison Steak
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ cup flour
1 egg, beaten
½ cup panko crumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Preparation:
1) In saucepan over medium heat add canned tomatoes, onion, butter and a pinch of salt. Simmer, mashing occasionally for 45 minutes.
2) Remove onion, and season with salt to taste. Set aside or reheat for later use.
3) Boil pasta to el dente, according to directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Rinse under cold water and set aside.
4) In a blender or food processor, mix ¼ cup olive oil, Parmesan, and salt and pepper, pulsing until well mixed. Set aside.
5) Arrange top oven rack to the middle of the oven. Preheat broiler to high.
6) Rinse steaks under cold water and pat dry. Cut into desired medallions. Pounding out is optional. Season steaks with desired amount of salt & pepper.
7) Mix panko crumbs and 2 tablespoons Parmesan together. Rub mixture together with your hands to incorporate.
8) Place flour and panko on shallow plates and beat egg. Arrange in order of use; flour, egg, panko crumbs.
9) Heat two tablespoons of oil in heavy sauté pan over medium heat.
10) Dust steaks in flour, dip in eggs and roll in panko crumbs. Place in hot oil and brown on both sides about 30 seconds per side. Remove and set aside.
11) While steaks are cooking, bring reserved pasta water to a boil and add el dente pasta to reheat. Drain again and immediately toss with desired amount of Parmesan Pesto.
12) Twirl pasta with fork and arrange on baking dish, top with steaks and spoon ½ cup tomato sauce over each steak. Divide remaining grated Parmesan over the steaks and place under the broiler. Broil until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.
13) Transfer to plates and garnish with chopped parsley or green onion.
For a complete meal, serve with green salad and artisan bread. Finish with something chocolate!