Cooking Up the Perfect Date Night

By Paige Rhodes

Delight your man with a delicious steak dinner that is easy to make. 

While date nights are an important part of any relationship, it might be a good idea to forego reservations and set up shop at home. However, just because you’re staying in doesn’t mean you have to skimp on the menu. No date night is perfect without a juicy steak dinner and bourbon-based cocktail. These recipes mixed with your hard work are sure to impress your love.

New York Strip Steak with Bourbon Peppercorn Cream Sauce (shown)
Yield: 2 Servings     Time: 1 hr

Ingredients
2 -12 oz New York strip steak
1 clove of garlic
1 Tbsp Kosher salt
3 Tbsp black peppercorns
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 shallot, minced
3 Tbsp bourbon
1/4 cup beef stock
2/3 cup heavy cream
chopped parsley to finish

Instructions
Ten minutes prior to cooking, remove steaks from the fridge and let them come to room temperature. Pat steaks dry with a paper towel.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel garlic clove and cut in half horizontally. Rub the entire surface of the steak with the garlic and coat both sides liberally with salt.

In a bowl or plastic bag, crush the peppercorns, keeping them coarse. Coat the steaks in the crushed pepper and heat a cast iron skillet with oil on high heat. You don’t want the skillet to smoke, but almost.

When skillet is hot, sear the steaks five minutes on each side and transfer them to a foil-lined baking sheet.

Finish cooking the steaks in the oven, 5-10 more minutes depending on your desired level of doneness.

Remove the steaks from the oven and let rest, covered with foil for 10 minutes to let the juices redistribute throughout the meat.

While the steaks are resting, start the sauce. Place the pan you used to sear the steaks back on medium heat (do NOT clean out the pan first. You want all of that yummy flavor!). Melt the butter and add the shallot. Sauté for 1 minute and add the bourbon, scraping the bottom of the pan to release all of the bits on the bottom. Let that reduce for one minute and add the beef stock.

Reduce one minute further. While at a simmer, add the cream and swirl furiously to combine. Let that simmer for one more minute and finish with about a tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley.

Top your steak with the bourbon peppercorn cream sauce and serve immediately.


Brown Derby Spritzer
Yield: 2 Servings     Time: 5 Minutes

Top off your meal with a good drink.

Ingredients
3 oz bourbon
2 oz fresh grapefruit juice
1 oz honey syrup (one part honey, one part water)
sparkling water

Instructions
Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into glasses. Fill the rest of the glasses with sparkling water and garnish with a twist of grapefruit zest.

Are you searching for more recipes? Check out Paige Rhodes' food ideas here.