Peppered Rib-Eye Steaks With Watercress

Name: Peppered Rib-Eye Steaks With Watercress
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 10- to 12-ounce rib-eye steaks, about 1 inch thick; 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper; Salt; 1/4 cup dry red wine; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 large bunches watercress, stemmed

Recipe from "Fast: Over 150 Quick and Delicious Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less"

Adapted by William Grimes

Updated Aug. 10, 2020

Peppered Rib-Eye Steaks With Watercress — Jodi Hilton for The New York Times

Total Time: 15 minutes
Rating: 4(139)
Comments: Read comments

Back in 2004, William Grimes, a former Times restaurant critic, realized that his role had changed him. No longer could he be satisfied with quotidian meals. He wanted a way to one-star dining in his home every night, and in 30 minutes or less. On his quest, he found this recipe, adapted from Food and Wine’s "Fast: Over 150 Quick, Delicious Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less." The steaks are quickly seared, red wine reduced, and watercress tossed in butter until wilted. In 15 minutes, a restaurant-worthy dinner is served. —William Grimes

Featured in: I'm Cooking as Fast as I Can

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

210- to 12-ounce rib-eye steaks, about 1 inch thick
1tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
Salt
¼cup dry red wine
2tablespoons unsalted butter
2large bunches watercress, stemmed

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Season steaks on both sides with pepper, lightly patting it on. Place a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Season steaks to taste with salt, then place in dry skillet. Sear steaks without moving them until they are brown and crusty on undersides (about 4 minutes for medium-rare meat; adjust to taste). Turn steaks, and sear for 4 minutes more. Transfer steaks to a serving platter.
Step 2
Pour off any excess fat, and add wine to skillet. Cook over low heat until wine is reduced by half, about 30 seconds. Pour wine reduction over steaks.
Step 3
Wipe out skillet, and return to medium-low heat. Melt butter in skillet, and add watercress. Increase heat to high, and toss watercress until wilted, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt, and arrange around steaks. To serve, cut steaks in half. Place a portion on each of four plates, accompanied by a serving of watercress.

Ratings

4 out of 5

139 user ratings

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Comments

Wendy in Las Vegas7 years ago

I substituted arugula for the watercress; I live in Las Vegas, and watercress is poor quality, and scarce. This was quick and delicious.

monkeyfish687 years ago

So good. I never learned how to cook meat, vegetarian for years. This recipe was easy and my partner keeps saying, "Oh, God, I'm loving this!" Substituted kale because I had it in the fridge. Worked beautifully.

Montana1 year ago

Perfect! Thank you for teaching me how to cook rib eye! Cooking meat is difficult for me, but this was excellent and easy! Having no form of greens, I served it with sautéed broccoli with garlic and chili and potato, shiitake, and Brie gratin. The ribeye, being lightly seasoned with all of those complex tastes made it a Superb dinner.

Alice Allen3 years ago

With no watercress, I used kale and added garlic. This will be a go-to meal now. A truly quick and versatile base recipe. Delicious.

JC4 years ago

Absolutely delicious, and so easy to make! Skipped the wine reduction, and we didn't miss it. Used parsley, no watercress available. If you're new to cooking a steak, this is a great start.

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