Griddled Rib-Eye steak with Béarnaise sauce

I rarely order steak in a restaurant, mainly because why risk it when you can cook it exactly as you want it at home? Everyone has their favourite cut of steak, mine was fillet, but after being introduced to rib-eye, it wins hands down every-time. The beautifully marbled steak has an awesome flavour and the melt in the mouth texture, so I decided to cook this as a treat for my folks and 4 year old boy, tj (he demolished it) on Sunday. Here's the recipe:

Griddled Ribeye steak with béarnaise sauce, roasted vine cherry tomatoes and asparagus wrapped in serano ham. Serve with really posh chips (see previous recipe) 

Serves 4
4 best quality angus ribeye Irish steaks, room temp, lightly seasoned and rubbed with olive oil. (Nb, oil the steak, NOT the griddle pan or smoke city will ensue) 
Bunch of asparagus spears, wrapped in serano (or streaky bacon)
Vine cherry tomatoes

For the béarnaise sauce 
One tablespoon of finely chopped shallots
One tablespoon of chopped fresh tarragon
Sprig of thyme
1 bayleaf
2 1/2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
2 egg yolks, mixed with a little water
4 oz butter
Salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 220

Firstly prepare your asparagus. Snap them at the end and they will naturally break where the woody part starts. Wrap in bacon, place tomatoes in roasting pan too. season with salt & pepper. Set aside

Prepare posh chips if using, and put them into a really hot oven until golden and crispy.

You can add the roasting pan of asparagus and tomatoes for 10 mins at the end, that's all they need. Limp asparagus? No thanks!

Heat a griddle pan until really hot. Place the seasoned and oiled steaks down and sear, turn 90 degrees to get a nice crisscross pattern on the steak. Allow steaks to rest between two warms plates. See cooking guide below. I like mine bloody and squishy... Sorry! If you like it more medium/ well done, I'd suggest searing with a high heat and then reducing the temperature to avoid it becoming charred and bitter.

Preparing béarnaise 
The key to this sauce, like hollandaise is to have a very low heat and a good heavy saucepan. I use a gas hob and have discovered a way to have the heat on a tinny winny flame, which means my sauces pretty much never split. If you are nervous, have a glass of ice water to hand, and add a teapoon or two in if you think it's splitting. This might save it.

Method:
Add the shallots, herbs and vinegar into heavy saucepan over a medium
Heat and cook until the pan is almost dry. Turn the heat down to the absolute minimum. Add the egg and water mixture and stir until thickened. Add the butter, bit by bit until you have a gorgeous thick, silky tangy béarnaise sauce. This cannot be reheated, but it can't be kept warm over a bain Marie or over a very low heat for a few minutes. I'd be nervous to leave it longer than that.

Serve to really appreciative friends and family. This is a lovely treat, a celebration of the steak dinner and not an onion or mushroom in sight. 

Steak Cooking times:

The times given here are a guide only and refer to a steak that is approximately 2.5cm or 1" thick. Thicker steaks may require a longer cooking time, and vice versa for thinner steaks.

Rare: 1-2 minutes per side - rest for 6-8 minutes

Medium rare: 2-2.5 minutes per side - rest for 5 minutes

Medium: 3 minutes per side - rest for 4 minutes

Well done: 4.5 minutes per side - rest for 1 minute