Ribeye Steak with Bacon Mushroom Gorgonzola Rigatoni

This meal is a two-part entry, a dinner and dessert combo that I stumbled upon separately and that I later realized pair perfectly with each other. I'll post the dessert entry sometime within the next few days.

I think of this entree as a casual elegant meal that's pretty affordable (probably ~$25-30 for 4 people), and I definitely capitalized on Trader Joe's 2 (3) Buck Chuck Sauvignon to save on wine costs. I really don't even think you would taste that much of a difference if you used a $15 wine vs. this $3 wine. Awesome!

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
3 slices bacon
1 lb ribeye steak, about 1 inch thick
Salt and pepper, to season
1 8-10 oz container of cremini (baby bella) mushrooms
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic (1 large clove)
1/2 tsp minced fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup beef broth
6 oz Gorgonzola, crumbled
2/3 cup heavy cream
2/3 of a 1 lb box of rigatoni
Chopped chives, for garnish

Equipment:
Medium-large cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet
Tongs
2 sharp paring/chef's knives (one for meat and one for vegetables/herbs)
Large pot
Colander

It would probably be best to prep all your ingredients before cooking so that you can have them ready and handy to throw into the pot once you start cooking. So slice those mushrooms, mince that garlic and herbs, and trim the fat on the outside of the steak.



Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook rigatoni to be al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a serving plate; drizzle pasta with olive oil and toss lightly to prevent pasta from sticking together as they dry. Meanwhile, place room-temperature bacon in skillet and turn the stove to medium-low heat. Fry bacon until crispy, turning occasionally, about 7-8 minutes. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels, leaving the rendered bacon fat in the pan. Turn the heat to high.


fry, my pretties!

When hot, add the steak and season with salt and pepper. For a medium steak at 1 in thick, cook for 3-4 min on both sides. Remove and transfer to a plate, tent with foil, and allow meat to rest.



To the skillet, add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are softened and their liquid has evaporated. Add the shallots, garlic, rosemary and thyme and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until nearly completely reduced. Sprinkle with the flour and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and cook, stirring to release any browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the cheese and cream to the pan and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy, 2 to 3 minutes.


looks tasty even without the cheese and cream

When the sauce has been cooked down to desired consistency, spoon over rigatoni. Slice rested steak, and place over pasta. Sprinkle chives for garnish and serve immediately.

YUMMM!!!!