Garlic Butter Steak and Potatoes Skillet (Donna Reed)
Gilmore Girls: Season 1 Ep 14 - Housewives and Other Lives
The food game is going to get a little wonky/sparse toward the end of season 1 and into season 2 (getting to the “meat” of the story, I suppose), so do expect to see some gaps in the episodes moving forward. Terrible Dad jokes aside, I’m jumping ahead today because well, I can. I’ll be cooking something up back in episode 10 later this week, but for now, let’s jump ahead.
I have a confession: I have no idea who Donna Reed is. Every time I watch this episode, my brain just goes straight to June Cleaver from Leave It to Beaver, and it seems I still get most of the gist: a woman whose main personality is caring for her family, cooking and keeping house.
The Gilmore Girls will have none of this. To them, a world of domesticity is not only unfathomable, but also worth mocking for an entire episode. When Dean dares to voice that he thinks a wife caring for her family seems “kind of nice,” he is put in his place.
The irony of this episode, is that Donna Reed made a whole successful career ( 8 seasons, 267 episodes, a Golden Globe win, and 4 Emmy’s) playing a character the Gilmore’s can’t stand. The show only ended when Donna Reed herself decided she was done.
Donna Reed got some guff for the role, but I like her gumption:
"I felt that I was making, for women, a statement. This mother was not stupid. She wasn't domineering, but she was bright and I thought rather forward-thinking, happily married."
Young me is totally team Gilmore - down with domesticity! Adult me thinks Donna might not be the worst female on television to emulate…
Perhaps Donna Reed was a bit confining; perhaps she was also a little bit right - a mirror the Gilmore Girls could not handle having reflected back that them?
Maybe.
Rory determines to find out for herself if a life of domesticity is for her by preparing Dean a homecooked meal of steak and potatoes, and for dessert, the the Utah state food, green Jello.
Lorelai meanwhile, is a terrible friend to Luke and cannot be trusted with live animals possibly ever.
Let’s eat!
Garlic Butter Steak and Potatoes Skillet
Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 30+ Servings: 4 Original Recipe
Hay Note: The meat was so tender and delicious and made lovely leftovers. I tend to overcook meat (preference), and this steak was still tender after my abuse. This may not be the quickest way to make steak and potatoes, but any excuse to use a cast iron, and avoid grilling in the snow is awesome in my book.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb (650g) flank steak, sliced against the grain (or ribeye steak, tenderloin, strip loin, strip steak…)
1 1/2 lb (650g) baby yellow potatoes, quartered (I used red because that is what I had)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
Salt and fresh cracked pepper
Crushed red chili pepper flakes, optional
The marinade
1/3 cup soy sauce (or coconut amino for paleo and gluten-free)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon hot sauce (Siracha or other)
Fresh cracked pepper
Instructions:
1. To prepare the garlic butter steak recipe with potatoes wedges: In a large bowl, combine the steak strips with soy sauce, olive oil, pepper, and hot sauce. Set aside and allow steak strips to marinate while you cook potatoes.
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, mix 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When butter is melted, add potatoes wedges. Cook for about 5 minutes, stir and cook an additional 10+ minutes until potatoes wedges are golden and fork-tender. Transfer sauteed potatoes to a plate and set aside.
3. Keep the same skillet over medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, garlic, red chili pepper flakes, and fresh herbs. Lay the steak strips in one layer in the skillet, keeping the drained steak marinade for later. Cook the steak strips on each side for 1 minute each, until nicely browned – adjust timing depending on how you like your steak.
4. Right before the Garlic Butter steak is done, you can stir in the reserved marinade if you like and cook for one minute. Add the potato wedges back to the garlic butter steak pan and heat through. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
5. Remove from heat and serve immediately your steak and potatoes, garnished with more crushed chili pepper, fresh herbs, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese over the potatoes if you like. Enjoy!
