Vaquero Steaks With Pepper Relish And Goat Cheese Recipes

Steps:

• Using electric mixer, beat cheese and butter in medium bowl until fluffy. Stir in tomatoes and capers. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon butter onto sheet of plastic wrap, forming 3-inch-long log. Wrap and refrigerate until firm. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Pat steaks dry. Heat heavy large nonstick skillet over high heat. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Add steaks to hot skillet; cook about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to cutting board. Tent with foil and let stand 5 minutes.
• Cut steaks across grain into §-inch-thick slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Divide among plates. Using hot sharp knife, cut butter log into 4 rounds. Place 1 butter round atop each serving.

Steps:

• About 30 minutes before grilling, prepare the rub from the steaks and set aside 1/4 teaspoon of the mixture for the pepper relish.
• Rub the remaining rub into the meat and allow to sit at room temperature.
• Prepare the relish by whisking together the vinegar, Dijon mustard sugar and reserved rub mixture.
• Drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly to blend; add the bell peppers and green onions tossing to blend.
• Preheat the grill to high and grill steaks on both sides until cooked to desired doneness, 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare.
• Remove the meat from the grill and allow to rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing; slice and serve topped with the relish and sprinkled with the goat cheese.

Steps:

• In a small, shallow bowl, mix the bread crumbs with salt and pepper, to taste. In another small, shallow bowl, beat the egg just until blended. Dip each goat cheese round in the egg, and then in bread crumbs, patting the crumbs in place. Cover and refrigerate the coated cheese rounds for about 15 minutes.
• Center the tomato slices on 4 salad plates and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over moderately high heat and pour in 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is almost smoking, add the cheese rounds. Cook until lightly browned, about 45 seconds. Turn them over and cook on the other side until the cheese just feels quivery, about 45 seconds longer, depending on the thickness of the rounds. Place a cheese round on each tomato slice.
• In a bowl, toss the herbs with a light drizzle of olive oil, a splash of red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper, to taste. Mound the herbs on top of the cheese, dividing them evenly. Serve immediately.
• Michael's Notes: This salad looks best when the tomato slice and the goat cheese slice are about the same size. So if you can only find goat cheese in small logs, you may want to serve 2 goat cheese rounds to each diner and perch them on slices of smaller tomatoes.
• Be sure you take all the stems off the herbs carefully so your guests can enjoy just the soft leaves.