BC Living
From Scratch: Chicken Soup Recipe
Earl Grey Cream Pie Recipe
The Lazy Gourmet’s Lamb Meatball Shakshuka Recipe
Top Tips for Workout Recovery
5 Tips to Prevent Muscle and Joint Pain When Working a Desk Job
Skincare Products for Fall
Inviting the Steller’s Jay to Your Garden
6 Budget-friendly Holiday Decor Pieces
Dream Home: $8 Million for a Modern Surprise
Local Getaway: Hide Away at a Lakefront Cabin in Nakusp
6 BC Ski Resorts to Visit this Winter
A Solo Traveller’s Guide to Cozy Accommodations
B.C. Adventures: Things to do in December
Disney on Ice Returns to Vancouver This Winter
5 Boutique Art Galleries to Visit in BC
11 Advent Calendars from BC-Based Companies
10 Nourishing Hair Masks and Oils for Dry Winter Days
The Best Gifts for Travellers in 2024
Take steak and potatoes to another level with my new secret ingredient (and one of my favourite red wines)
Don’t skip out on getting fresh rosemary and sage for this steak and potatoes meal, they’re worth the extra expense
I tend to get pretty excited when I make a fabulous meal – there’s something about that twinkle in my dinner-mates’ eyes that tells me I’ve really nailed it. This was one of those meals.
You can never really go wrong with steak and potatoes but one of my favourite new finds took this meal to another level.
Nonna Pia’s balsamic reduction is a local product out of Whistler that is super delicious and really versatile. One-up your usual bread dip by using balsamic reduction instead of vinegar, use it to marinate meats or drizzle over vegetables, or serve with ice cream and fruit for dessert. They have four different flavours (classic, rosemary, strawberry/fig, and lemon/ginger) which are available at various retailers.
We first tried Nonna Pia’s at our best friends’ place in Whistler and I’m pretty sure I put a dent in their supply over the course of a weekend and ate nearly a whole loaf of bread just to have something to dip in the balsamic reduction.
Is there anything better than freshly baked bread dunked in balsamic and olive oil, accompanied by a glass of red wine?! Heaven.
I used the butternut squash and potato recipe from the Nonna Pia’s website for one of the sides, recycled an old favourite – stir-fry zucchini – for the other side, and thought up my own marinade for the meat.
When making dinner, I try to cut as many corners as possible. I never peel potatoes, it seems like way too much effort, and I usually buy organic so I feel better about eating the skins. The recipe for the potatoes calls for peeling them but I skipped that step.
I also have an extreme aversion to doing dishes so I like to throw everything into one pot when possible. The recipe for the potatoes calls for cooking the squash and potatoes in separate pots but I cooked them together, adding the squash towards the end of the potato’s cooking time. I’m sure they’re less swirly and impressive-looking than they’re supposed to be but my way required washing one less pot.
To elevate this meal even further, get a really special wine like Laughing Stock’s Portfolio. I like to enjoy a glass on its own while I prepare dinner, and perhaps another glass after dinner while someone else tidies up!
Wondering what to do with your leftover rosemary and sage? Try making the following:
Ingredients
This recipe serves 5
Instructions
For instructions on how to make stir-fry zucchini, go to my Spectacular Side Dishes post.
Catherine Roscoe Barr, BSc Neuroscience, is a Vancouver-based writer, editor, and fitness professional. Before settling on the west coast she lived in Sydney, Toronto, Oregon, Montana, and practically everywhere in Alberta. She can be found jogging with her adorable dog, dining with her fabulous husband or voraciously reading anywhere comfy.