Campfire Cooking – Rib Eye with Brioche and Date Salad

While we have tent camped in the past, these days I am more into glamping, otherwise known as glamour camping. All the fun parts of camping are the same, cooking over a campfire, sitting around the campfire in the evening talking, and roasting marshmallows. The accommodations are a bit upscale from traditional camping, though. (Read a luxurious bed and indoor plumbing.) I’m all for it!

We still cook impressive meals while glamping.  No hot dogs for us! On our last camping trip downstate, it was a bit rainy over the long weekend. But that didn’t stop us from making this delicious steak accompanied by a toasted brioche, arugula, and date salad. The sweet aspect of the salad comes from the dates which contrasts nicely with the piquant arugula. This is a complete and great meal that works perfectly over the campfire!

Rib Eye with Brioche & Date Salad

Rib Eye with Brioche and Date Salad (adapted from Mallmann on Fire by Francis Mallmann) Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds (2-inch-thick) bone-in rib-eye steak
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 ounces brioche rolls or loaf, torn into rough 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
  • 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 4 dried dates, pitted and halved
  • 1 bunch arugula, tough stems removed

Directions:

Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Pat the steak dry with paper towels. Brush the skillet generously with olive oil. When the oil shimmers, sprinkle one side of the steak with salt and set the steak salt side down on the hot surface.

Cook the steak.

After about 10 minutes, when the steak is browned and crusty on the bottom, season the top with salt and flip it over to cook on the other side for about 8 more minutes, or until nicely browned.

Cook the steak on both sides.

Stand the steak upright on its side to brown the fat for several minutes, then lay it back down and cook on each side for a minute or two, until the internal temperature reaches 120°F for rare or 130ºF for medium. Transfer it to a carving board and let it rest for 10 minutes while you make the brioche salad. The temperature will increase slightly as the steak rests.

Stand the steak on its sides to brown the fat.

Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan drippings. Arrange the pieces of brioche on the hot surface to toast for about a minute, keeping an eye on them and turn them before they burn.

Toast the brioche in the skillet.

As the bread is toasting, dot it all over with the mustard, and season with salt, black pepper, and the red pepper flakes. Drizzle olive oil generously over the bread pieces and add the orange juice to the skillet.

Drizzle the oil, mustard, and orange juice over the bread.

Fit the dates into the skillet, cut sides down.

Add the dates to the skillet.

After a minute or so, remove the skillet from the cookfire. Scatter the arugula over the top and, using two spatulas, toss it all together as you would a salad, scraping up the drippings, oil, and mustard to combine. Sprinkle the salad generously with olive oil and heap it on a serving platter.

Add the arugula to the skillet.

Slice the meat, season it with salt and pepper, and drizzle it with olive oil. Serve the steak with the salad, spooning the juices over it all.

Serve the steak over the arugula salad.

Campfire cooking is so delicious!  ~Linda

Rib Eye with Brioche and Date Salad (adapted from Mallmann on Fire by Francis Mallmann) Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds (2-inch-thick) bone-in rib-eye steak
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 ounces brioche rolls or loaf, torn into rough 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
  • 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 4 dried dates, pitted and halved
  • 1 bunch arugula, tough stems removed

Directions:

Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Pat the steak dry with paper towels. Brush the skillet generously with olive oil. When the oil shimmers, sprinkle one side of the steak with salt and set the steak salt side down on the hot surface. After about 10 minutes, when the steak is browned and crusty on the bottom, season the top with salt and flip it over to cook on the other side for about 8 more minutes, or until nicely browned. Stand the steak upright on its side to brown the fat for several minutes, then lay it back down and cook on each side for a minute or two, until the internal temperature reaches 120°F for rare or 130ºF for medium. Transfer it to a carving board and let it rest for 10 minutes while you make the brioche salad. The temperature will increase slightly as the steak rests.

Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan drippings. Arrange the pieces of brioche on the hot surface to toast for about a minute, keeping an eye on them and turn them before they burn. As the bread is toasting, dot it all over with the mustard, and season with salt, black pepper, and the red pepper flakes. Drizzle olive oil generously over the bread pieces, add the orange juice to the skillet, then fit the dates in, cut sides down. After a minute or so, remove the skillet from the cookfire. Scatter the arugula over the top and, using two spatulas, toss it all together as you would a salad, scraping up the drippings, oil, and mustard to combine. Sprinkle the salad generously with olive oil and heap it on a serving platter.

Slice the meat, season it with salt and pepper, and drizzle it with olive oil. Serve the steak with the salad, spooning the juices over it all.

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