COCOA ESPRESSO STEAK

Ingredients:

Cocoa Espresso Steak

• 8-12 oz. steak cut of your choice (ideally filet, ribeye, top sirloin, or strip steak)
• OBTC Cocoa Espresso Rub
• oil or fat of choice (olive oil, canola oil, or butter)
• salt & pepper (butchers cut)

Rosemary Garlic Potatoes

• 3-6 red potatoes
• 2 tsp. oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1-2 sprigs of rosemary
• salt & pepper

Lemon Parmesan Asparagus

• 1 bundle of asparagus
• salt & pepper
• oil
• lemon zest and juice
• parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cocoa Espresso Steak

1. Pull steaks out an hour or so before cooking to be one consistent temperature before cooking.
2. Pat steaks dry.
3. Season steaks liberally with Cocoa Espresso Rub, salt, butchers cut black pepper. 
4. Heat cast iron pan (or any pan that you have) on medium-high heat.
5. Oil pan with canola or vegetable oil.
6. Just as oil begins to smoke, place seasoned steaks carefully on pan and let sear for 3-4 minutes, or until a nice crust has began to form
7. Do this on both sides and sear briefly on the edges too. 
8. Once the edges have a crust check the temperature of the center of the steak. I prefer rare to medium rare and pull the steak off at 110-115° F. The meat will continue to cook, so pull it off the hot pan and set on a separate dish to rest for 10-15 minutes. 
9. If you like a more well done steak, once the crust has formed, put the whole pan in the oven along with the steak for a few more minutes at 400°F and continue to check the temperature to check doneness, this should take no more than 5-7 minutes.

Optional Pan Sauce:

1. Once the steak is done, you can pull the steak (and while the pan is still quite hot, but no external heat is required) you can deglaze with alcohol of choice. Some common ones are: brandy, red wine, or cider.
2. This will release the fats from the pan (fond) and allow to add those to the sauce. 
3. Once deglazed you can add some butter, heavy cream, and/or chicken stock, and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Make sure when adding cold ingredients to something hot to do it slowly and let the temperatures find an equal place! That way the sauce won’t break (separation of fats from liquids)
5. Easy as that you have a delicious pan sauce with the caramelized fats from the steak!

Rosemary Garlic Potatoes

1. Cut the potatoes into quarters and place in a bowl.
2. Pour oil, minced garlic, and minced rosemary over potatoes.
3. Salt and pepper potatoes, and mix by hand or with spoon in bowl so all surfaces are covered lightly with oil and seasonings.
4. Put in oven at 400°F for roughly 25-30 minutes.

Optional tip: Put the pan in the oven while it is heating, so it is hot when you put the potatoes on. Makes for a crispier outside. 

Lemon Parmesan Asparagus

1. Rinse asparagus.
2. Put on oven safe pan and put olive oil over and mix in to cover all of the asparagus.
3. Add salt and pepper.
4. Squeeze lemon on and grate lemon peel onto asparagus.
5. Bake at 400° F for 12-16 minutes or until crispy.
6. For the last 2-3 minutes pull asparagus and grate parmesan on top