Title: Dr. Digit's Bavarian Steak With Onions
Categories: Dr. digit, Beef, Bavarian, German, Main dish
Yield: 4 Servings
4 10 oz. strip steaks, not too
Salt and pepper
10 sl Bacon
1 tb Butter, clarified
4 Onions, peeled and sliced
1 tb Butter
1 tb Flour, optional
1 c Beef bouillon
Sauerkraut, cooked
Spatzle, cooked
When Becky and I were in Munich, we found a neighborhood café we
liked, the Marianenhof, and hung out there quite a bit. One day, the
proprietor asked if we would like a surprise -- some REAL Bavarian
food. We looked at each other -- both of us thought that was exactly
what we had been eating all along. Sure! Becky got some fish thing,
and this was what was served to me. At first glance, I was startled
at how American the dish seemed. I guess all food has to originate
somewhere, so here is as close as I can get to the probable ancestor
of what we know as steak and onions. It is remarkably different,
though, and remarkably good, although not for the cholesterol-
conscious.
Sprinkle the steaks with pepper on both sides and set aside. Saute the
bacon in a skillet until it has become cooked and translucent, but not
totally crispy. Remove the bacon and set aside. Add the Tb of
clarified butter to the bacon fat in the pan, and over medium-high
heat, saute the onion slices until they are golden brown. With a
slotted spoon, remove the onions from the pan and set aside. Try to
get out as many bits of onion as you can, as they tend to burn if
left in for the next step. Saute the steaks in the fat, about 3
minutes a side. Sprinkle with salt, add the other Tb of butter to the
pan, and saute for an additional minute on each side. Remove the
steaks to a heated platter.
(Optional: Sprinkle the flour into the saute pan, and cook, stirring
constantly, until it becomes a bit brown.)
Now stir in the beef bouillon and scrape up all the flavorful brown
bits from the bottom of the pan. Strain into a sauceboat.
Arrange the steaks, one each in the middle of a warm plate. Put the
cooked sauerkraut on one side, covered with a couple of the strips of
bacon, and Spatzle on the other. Pour the pan gravy over the Spatzle,
put the fried onions on top of the steaks, and serve.
