Nine Below Zero..... Cap Steak and Apple Cake

Dearest Readers, 

Happy 2013 and welcome back. I apologize for my 9 month blogging break. In the past 9 months I have opened www.highlanddrive.ca A local butcher shop and produce store in beautiful Halifax N.S. Being my first time opening a storefront the last few months have been a wonderful adventure. Now  in 2013 my feet feel more firmly planted on the ground and I am very excited to start once again sharing recipes and tales of tasty treats to warm the stomach and heart. 

To ease back into the world of blogging, I will be posting an Ode To - Sunday Night Dinner 

Why you may ask?  I love Sundays, I love them at the shop, they are fun, relaxing and full of smiling regulars. I love the idea of making a big Sunday night meal, sharing with friends, and loved ones.  Then having leftovers as a pleasant reminder of Sunday for first few days of the week.

So here it is... My first Sunday Night Dinner Post

It is freezing here in Halifax so lately my eyes have been darting towards warm, easy cooking cuts of meat. This week it was a Sirloin Cap Steak that caught my attention. A easy cooking, tender cut of meat that is rarely ever talked about! Why?? Who knows. If you ask my head meat cutter at the shop what his favorite cut is there will be no hesitation in his voice: Cap Steak! Why? Because it is tender, juice, flavourful and can be cooked like a small roast but using a steak cooking technique. A full cap Steak should easily feed 4-5 People.

Recipe: Take the  Cap Steak out of the fridge and rub with dijon, thyme, sliced garlic, 1tsp honey salt and Pepper - Let the meat come to room temperature marinating for at least 15 minutes 
While this is marinating grab your favourit vegetables to roast and preheat your oven to 375F. 
Last night my vegetables consisted of: Carrots, Parsnips, Purple Potatoes, White Potatoes, Leeks and a bit of walnuts for crunch (YUM) Drizzle 1 tbsp oil and a pinch of salt and pepper onto your vegetables and put into the oven to roast for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown and cooked. 
While your harvest vegetables cook move on to the meat of the matter =). 
Preheat a pan with 2 tsp butter on medium to high heat. Once the butter has melted and begun to sizzle add in your steak fat side up. Brown the top of the steak for at least 3 minutes or until a nice dark brown crust has formed. Then flip!, and add 1/2 cup red wine into the pan. Turn the heat to medium and cover the pan. Cook for 5 minutes. Uncover and drizzle with sauce on the bottom of the pan over the steak while it continues to cook. Cover for 4 more minutes. Take your Cap steak out of the pan and let your pan juices reduce for 2 minutes or until it you are looking at a lovely sauce consistency (the liquid should easily cover the back of a spoon)  Let the Cap Steak rest for at least 5 minutes so that the juices do not run when you cut into it.  By this time your vegetables should be almost finished. Then they are spoon onto the middle of the plate, thinly slice your meat and drizzle with the pan sauce. !!!

Dessert: 1,2,3,4 Cake (Easy as pie... only it's cake ) 
3 Diced Apples
1 Cup Sugar 
1 Tsp Vanilla
Heat sugar on medium in a pan until it begins to caramelize and then add in diced apples and vanilla. Cook for 5 minutes until apples are softened and golden brown

Cake: Cream 1 Cup Butter with 1 Cup white sugar, add 4 eggs and beat until smooth. Add to mixture 1 tsp vanilla
Then sift 3 cups flour with 3 tsp baking powder and measure out 2/3 of a cup cream. You want to add 1 cup of flour, then 1/3 cup cream into the wet mixture slowing folding together as you go.

Place your apples on the bottom of your buttered cake pan (Butter safe than sorry!)  Then place your cake batter on top and bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour 350F.  I was able to fill two 8" cake pans with this recipe.

There you have it lovely readers. Sunday night dinner, perfect for the cold! 

Eat, Drink and Enjoy!