Going Coastal Recipe: Steak Oscar

Ah Steak Oscar, a dish that brings eloquence to a hearty steak.  It is a recipe that adequately demonstrates the brilliance of simplicity.  At it’s heart is a steak, crab meat, asparagus and a cream sauce.  I challenge you to show me where that is not the stuff of luxury.There are some variations of course.  Most recipes call for tenderloin but some use sauteed crab meat while others use crab cakes and the cream sauce varies from béchamel to hollandaise and the most common bearnaise sauce.  The asparagus can be boiled, steamed or grilled.  Following is my variation that simplifies the technique even more.

Steak Oscar
4 12 – 16 ounce dry aged, grass fed ribeye steaks
12 stalks organic asperagus
1 pound West Indies Salad (recipe follows)
Cajun seasoning to taste

Season the steaks with Cajun seasoning and cook (charcoal grill or pan fry) to medium rare.  Allow steaks to rest while you grill, saute or steam the asparagus.  When the asparagus is done season it with Cajun seasoning.  Assemble with a steak topped with 1/4 cup of West Indies Salad then with the asparagus and serve.

West Indies Salad (recipe from the Third Coast Cuisine cookbook)
1 pound lump white crab meat (Gulf blue crab is best)
3 tablespoons finely diced red onion
4 oz. Olive Oil
4 oz. unseasoned rice wine vinegar
4 oz. ice water
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine onions, crab, salt and pepper in a glass bowl. In order add oil, vinegar, and ice water then mix.  Let set at least 1 hour before serving.