pan-grilled steak with creamed corn and roasted carrots

it's been a while since i've cooked steak. while i, and probably many of you out there, regard steak as somewhat of a special occasion food, it's amazingly well-suited to hungry and beat professionals who come home from a long day at work just dying to slave over preparations for a home-cooked meal.

ok maybe we aren't "dying to slave." but steak cooks amazingly fast and requires only the simplest of seasonings. pair it with a couple of vegetables and a starch, if you want, and voila! a $25 steak dinner is served. yes, steak can be amazingly inexpensive too.

when you're at the grocery store, look out for the max packs and specials. while these may not include the choicest cuts, have irregular bones and may contain more fat, they'll often be a pretty good value and is usually from the same quality sides of beef. they just don't look as pretty. of course if you're used to purchasing $14.99/pound rib-eyes, this post ain't for you. but honestly, cooked correctly, you really won't notice. especially after a long day at work and you're starving.

i fired up my trusty non-stick grill pan on med-high heat and added a light drizzle of olive oil. the steaks, salted and peppered on one side, went down on the grill, salt-peppered side down. i then sprinkled the top surface with more salt and pepper and let it grill for 4-5 min. i then flipped the steaks over and grilled for another 4-5 min. this gets you to medium doneness. i highly recommend using a timer with an alarm. steak cooks very quickly and can result in a slab of dry, grainy grossness if you don't mind it.

beforehand i had tossed a 1 lb bag of peeled baby carrots with olive oil, salt and pepper and tossed that in the toaster oven on broil to roast for about 20 min. roasting brings out the natural sweetness of the carrot and concentrates its flavor. this method, usually done in a regular oven for a longer period of time, works well for any root vegetable.

i also opened 2 cans of unsalted creamed corn and simmered that slowly in a saucepan over low heat with a pat of butter and salt and pepper. i know, i know. canned corn. not fresh. blah blah blah. hey, i'm a hungry, tired working professional. convenience is good sometimes. anyway, use low heat or the bottom of the corn will scorch.

to plate i placed the steak on a bed of arugula leaves alongside the corn and carrots. the heat and moisture from the steak helps wilt the arugula by the time you're ready to sit down and eat.

you can see the grill pan created a wonderful browned crust on the steak, full of flavor. a drizzle of excellent quality extra virgin olive oil on top of the steak gives it a grassy note and the peppery arugula picks up the pepper in the steak beautifully.

the carrots are sweet and tender, the creamed corn, buttery and sweet.

all this was done in about 20 min. and for about $11 for 2 steak entrees. so, busy professionals, toss out those microwavable frozen meals. you have no excuses anymore.