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You are here: Home / Beef / Virtual Mad Men Finale Party – Steak in the Pan with Butter, Potatoes au Gratin, and a Perfect Manhattan

April 3, 2015 By Kaitlin 6 Comments

Virtual Mad Men Finale Party – Steak in the Pan with Butter, Potatoes au Gratin, and a Perfect Manhattan

This Sunday is the beginning of the end of Mad Men. Sniffle. I have been a huge fan of the show for years and am sad to see it end. But that doesn’t mean I can’t still throw a little party of my own in celebration of the final premiere!

Steak in the Pan with Butter, Potatoes au Gratin & a Perfect Manhattan #PartyLikeAMadMan

All week, bloggers have beenĀ  featuring their own spins on Mad Men-inspired recipes to gear up for the premiere this Sunday, when we will have a Virtual Mad Men Finale Party!

Party-Like-Mad-Men

I adapted some recipes from The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook: Inside the Kitchens, Bars, and Restaurants of Mad Men by Judy Gelman and Peter Zheutlin. I wanted to cheers to Mad Men in style, so I made a version of Trudy’s Rib Eye in the Pan, Individual Potatoes au Gratin, and Perfect Manhattans.

Steak in the Pan with Butter, Potatoes au Gratin & a Perfect Manhattan #PartyLikeAMadMan

If you’re a Mad Men fan, you probably remember Trudy calling Pete at the office early into their marriage asking what he wanted for dinner. His response: “Rib eye, in the pan, with butter.” So Pete, this one’s for you! This version is a pan-seared New York Strip Steak with cognac butter. (I made New York Strip Steaks instead of Rib Eye, because that would have just been way too much meat for me.)

Steak in the Pan with Butter

The steaks are paired with an adapted version of Julia Child’s Potatoes au Gratin, served in individual crocks.

Potatoes au Gratin

And what’s a Mad Men Party without a cocktail?? I decided to make a more modernized version of a classic, called a Perfect Manhattan, which refers to using equal parts sweet and dry vermouth.

Perfect Manhattans

If you want to also Party Like a Mad Man, you’re in luck! I also have a copy to give away! Details after the recipes.

 

Adapted from The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook

Ingredients:

Steak in the Pan with Butter:

  • 4 boneless New York Strip Steaks, ~1 inch thick
  • 4 teaspoons canola oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 4 oz cognac
  • 8 tablespoons butter

Potatoes au Gratin

  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1 cup finely chopped onions
  • 1/2 pound raw potatoes (about 2-3 large potatoes), peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups half and half
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, crumbled (I used Valley Thunder from Valley Shepherd in Reading Terminal)

Perfect Manhattan

  • 8 oz rye whiskey (I prefer Dad’s Hat’s version that is finished in Vermouth barrels)
  • 2 oz dry vermouth
  • 2 oz sweet vermouth
  • 8 dashes bitters
  • maraschino cherries for garnish

Begin by taking your steaks out of the refrigerator and letting them come to room temperature.

Meanwhile, begin the potatoes au gratin. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Place a cast-iron skillet on the bottom rack to preheat with the oven.

Add 2 tablespoons butter to a saute pan over low heat.

IMG_1214

Add the onions and cook in the butter until tender but not browned. (I kept mine on for 15 minutes to really have them break down.)

IMG_1215

When the pot is boiling, add your potatoes and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until slightly cooked. Drain thoroughly.

IMG_1216 IMG_1217

Butter your 4 individual crocks (you can use any small oven safe dishes). Add just enough potatoes to each crock so that you can no longer see the bottom.

IMG_1218

Divide the cooked onions among the 4 crocks.

IMG_1219

Top evenly with the remaining potatoes.

IMG_1220

Add the eggs and half and half to a medium sized bowl and beat to combine. Add the salt and pepper, stirring to combine. Pour the eggs and cream mixture evenly over the potatoes and shake the dish to send the liquid to the bottom.

IMG_1221 IMG_1222

Sprinkle each crock with the cheese. Cut your remaining tablespoon butter into 8 small pieces and dot the crocks with 2 piece of butter each.

IMG_1223

Once you add the potatoes to the oven, turn the temperature to preheat to 500 degrees F. Bake for 30 minutes in the upper third of your oven until the top is browned.

IMG_1226

While the potatoes are in the oven, coat the steaks lightly with oil and season generously with salt and pepper.

IMG_1225

Heat a burner on your stove to high heat. Remove the cast-iron skillet from the oven (carefully, it will be hot!) and transfer for your burner. Add two of the steaks to the pan and cook for 30 seconds without moving the steaks. Turn and cook for an additional 30 seconds without moving the steaks. Remove from heat and set aside. Repeat with remaining 2 steaks.

IMG_1227 IMG_1228

Add the reserved steaks back to the pan and add the skillet to the oven. Cook for 2 minutes (put it on the bottom rack, your potatoes will still be cooking). Flip the steaks and cook for another 3 minutes.

IMG_1230 IMG_1229

Remove the pan from the oven and add to a burner. Remove the steaks from the pan, cover with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. While the steaks are resting, pour cognac into the pan (you don’t need to turn on a burner, the pan will be plenty hot). Stir the cognac with a wooden spoon, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Add the butter and stir until melted.

IMG_1231

Pour the butter sauce over the steak and serve with the potatoes.

 

Before digging in, don’t forget to make your Manhattans! Add a maraschino cherry or two to the bottom of 4 cocktail glasses. (Aren’t these gorgeous? They are actually vintage glasses from the 1960’s I found at a local store that specializes in vintage glassware, More Than Old. Betty Draper would be so proud!)

IMG_1191

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the rye, dry vermouth, sweet vermouth, and bitters.

IMG_1181

Stir well for about 20 seconds. Strain into 4 cocktail glasses and serve.

IMG_1188IMG_1192

Well don’t I feel fancy pants? This was quite the indulgent dinner party!

Steak in the Pan with Butter, Potatoes au Gratin & a Perfect Manhattan #PartyLikeAMadMan

The steak had a really nice sear on it and came out medium rare (if you like it more medium, add another minute to the cooking on each side in the oven).

Steak in a Pan with Cognac Butter

The potatoes au gratin were cheesy, creamy, deliciousness. I honestly could have halved this recipe and we still would have been fine!

Potatoes au Gratin

 

The balance of sweet and dry vermouth in a Perfect Manhattan is, well, perfect. The Dad’s Hat Rye Whiskey that is aged in vermouth barrels really makes for a smooth cocktail!

Perfect Manhattan Cocktail

 

Want to win a copy of the Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook? Enter using the widget below. Good luck!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Virtual Mad Men Finale Party – Steak in the Pan with Butter, Potatoes au Gratin, and a Perfect Manhattan
Recipe Type: Beverage, Main Dish, Beef, Sides,
Author: I Can Cook That
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • Steak in the Pan with Butter:
  • 4 boneless New York Strip Steaks, ~1 inch thick
  • 4 teaspoons canola oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 4 oz cognac
  • 8 tablespoons butter
  • Potatoes au Gratin
  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1 cup finely chopped onions
  • 1/2 pound raw potatoes (about 2-3 large potatoes), peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups half and half
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, crumbled (I used Valley Thunder from Valley Shepherd in Reading Terminal)
  • Perfect Manhattan
  • 8 oz rye whiskey (I prefer Dad’s Hat’s version that is finished in Vermouth barrels)
  • 2 oz dry vermouth
  • 2 oz sweet vermouth
  • 8 dashes bitters
  • maraschino cherries for garnish
Instructions
  1. Begin by taking your steaks out of the refrigerator and letting them come to room temperature.
  2. Meanwhile, begin the potatoes au gratin. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Place a cast-iron skillet on the bottom rack to preheat with the oven.
  3. Add 2 tablespoons butter to a saute pan over low heat.
  4. Add the onions and cook in the butter until tender but not browned. (I kept mine on for 15 minutes to really have them break down.)
  5. When the pot is boiling, add your potatoes and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until slightly cooked. Drain thoroughly.
  6. Butter your 4 individual crocks (you can use any small oven safe dishes). Add just enough potatoes to each crock so that you can no longer see the bottom.
  7. Divide the cooked onions among the 4 crocks.
  8. Top evenly with the remaining potatoes.
  9. Add the eggs and half and half to a medium sized bowl and beat to combine. Add the salt and pepper, stirring to combine. Pour the eggs and cream mixture evenly over the potatoes and shake the dish to send the liquid to the bottom.
  10. Sprinkle each crock with the cheese. Cut your remaining tablespoon butter into 8 small pieces and dot the crocks with 2 piece of butter each.
  11. Once you add the potatoes to the oven, turn the temperature to preheat to 500 degrees F. Bake for 30 minutes in the upper third of your oven until the top is browned.
  12. While the potatoes are in the oven, coat the steaks lightly with oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
  13. Heat a burner on your stove to high heat. Remove the cast-iron skillet from the oven (carefully, it will be hot!) and transfer for your burner. Add two of the steaks to the pan and cook for 30 seconds without moving the steaks. Turn and cook for an additional 30 seconds without moving the steaks. Remove from heat and set aside. Repeat with remaining 2 steaks.
  14. Add the reserved steaks back to the pan and add the skillet to the oven. Cook for 2 minutes (put it on the bottom rack, your potatoes will still be cooking). Flip the steaks and cook for another 3 minutes.
  15. Remove the pan from the oven and add to a burner. Remove the steaks from the pan, cover with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. While the steaks are resting, pour cognac into the pan (you don’t need to turn on a burner, the pan will be plenty hot). Stir the cognac with a wooden spoon, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Add the butter and stir until melted.
  16. Pour the butter sauce over the steak and serve with the potatoes.
  17. Before digging in, don’t forget to make your Manhattans! Add a maraschino cherry or two to the bottom of 4 cocktail glasses.
  18. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the rye, dry vermouth, sweet vermouth, and bitters.
  19. Stir well for about 20 seconds. Strain into 4 cocktail glasses and serv
3.2.2929

Filed Under: Beef, Cocktails, Giveaway, Gluten Free, Main Dish, Sides Tagged With: #PartyLikeAMadMan, Bitters, Butter, Cast Iron, Cheddar Cheese, Cheese, Cognac, Half and Half, I Can Cook That, Mad Men, Manhattan, Maraschino Cherries, New York Strip Steak, Onions, Pan, Perfect Manhattan, Potatoes, Potatoes au Gratin, Recipe, Rye, Rye Whiskey, Steak, The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook, Vermouth

Comments

  1. Lauren G. says

    April 4, 2015 at 5:46 am

    I’m a Joan Holloway fan. She knows all the tricks of the trade and how to get those men to do what she wants. She’s also got killer style.

    Reply
  2. Denise M says

    April 5, 2015 at 9:16 pm

    i like Joan

    Reply
  3. beth says

    April 8, 2015 at 4:13 pm

    I like Peggy.

    Reply
  4. Claire says

    April 10, 2015 at 4:54 am

    i like Joan

    Reply

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