great, fast sides for a Friday night steak

A nice grilled steak can be a great treat, and a nice way to kick off the weekend.  I prepare our steaks quite simply, with just a dusting of salt and fresh black pepper.  So I really want to have some tasty sides to go along for the party.  And if it's a Friday night, they need to be quick and simple to prepare.

Two great ones combine the flavors of traditional steak house sides, but with a lighter, and more modern twist.  The first, which are cheesy potatoes, assemble in about 10 minutes, and can bake while the rest of the meal comes together.  They start with a simple white sauce, ready in just a couple of minutes.  A tablespoon and a half of butter is melted on the stove, then an equal amount of flour goes in, and the whole gets cooked for just a minute or two, to get rid of the raw flour taste.  Off the heat, stir in about about a cup of milk -- whole or even 2% will work, but I don't recommend skim milk.  It is easier to combine with the roux if you nuke it for a minute or so in the microwave.  Warming it up makes it easier to avoid lumps.  Boil the mixture until it just thickens.  You want a fairly light white sauce, because the cheese will thicken it, as will the starch from the potatoes.  Add in just a half a cup of cheese, or about 4 ounces by weight.  The trick is to use a very sharp cheddar, which will bring more flavor to the sauce, without requiring a lot of cheese.  No need to grate it.  Just chunk it up, and stir it into the sauce over medium low heat.  Add salt and pepper to taste -- remember there are going to be potatoes as well, so don't be too shy.  A nice, but not necessary addition is a bit of freshly grated nutmeg.  It offers an earthy counterpoint to the sharp flavor of the cheese.

white sauce is one of the simplest and fastest

of the mother sauces

Next come the potatoes.  One of my favorite time savers is the pre-shredded potatoes available in the refrigerated section of most grocery stores.  They are not frozen, and usually hang out somewhere near the eggs.  About a half a bag will make enough for two to four people.  Just stir them into the sauce, and pour the whole into a small baking dish.  They will be cooked, brown and bubbly in about 20 -- 25 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

A creamy, delicious side within a half an hour

The second side is an updated version of the creamed spinach side and mushroom side so common to an old school steak house.  This dish combines the two, and lightens the whole by omitting the cream.  It takes longer to chop than it does to cook.  The combination of greens, mushrooms, shallots or onions, and garlic is a nutritional powerhouse packed with flavor.  It starts with a big pile of greens.  Spinach will work.  Tonight I used arugula.  Kale works, as does chicory or mustard greens.  Collards will work, but I think they are a bit to tough and bitter, and really benefit from a bit of a braise in some chicken or vegetable stock.  The one thing that really doesn't work is "baby" anything.  No baby spinach or arugula, which simply turn to slimy mush.   Buy the substantial bundles of mature greens, and wash them well.  I love this little salad spinner.  I had to wash the arugula in a couple of batches, but this little baby is effective, easy to store, and works quite well when you are cooking for one or two.

mature greens can be quite gritty, so give them 

a good soak and a spin

 This big pile of greens was enough for just two or three servings.  

It is astounding how much greens wilt down, so be prepared.

The basic ingredients for wilted greens and mushrooms are sliced mushrooms, sliced shallot or onion, one or two cloves of garlic (optional, but I love the taste of it with steak), and lemon zest and juice.  Salt and pepper, of course, and an optional little grate of nutmeg.  Nutmeg is a natural partner for both greens and mushrooms, as well as cheese.  I am a big fan, but add it or leave it out as you please.

I slice my own mushrooms and onions, but if you really want to make quick work of this, buy pre-sliced mushrooms and sliced or chopped onions.  Nearly every decent-sized grocery carries them both, as well as jarred chopped garlic.  Start with a tablespoon or so of olive oil over medium high heat.  When it is hot, add the onions and sweat them until they are beginning to turn translucent and soft.

the basics, assembled in just a few minutes

Add in the mushrooms, a bit of salt and pepper, and cook for two minutes, then add in the garlic.  As soon as the garlic becomes fragrant, add in the washed greens, and begin to toss with a pair of tongs or two wooden spoons.  They will wilt in under a minute.

use a pan large enough to accommodate the

veggies and the fresh greens

As the greens wilt, grate on a bit of the lemon zest.  Take the wilted greens off the heat, and squeeze on the juice of half a lemon.  Taste for seasoning, and if they need it, add a bit more salt and pepper, and a little more lemon juice.  Quick, healthy, and full of interesting flavors and textures.

a quick, beautiful, and modern riff on the old

classics -- creamed spinach and sauteed mushrooms

In the interest of full disclosure, I want to let you know that I started a part time job this week at Whole Foods, doing product demos -- some cooking, and some not.  It's a store I shop at often, and I sometimes mention products I get there, which I will continue to do.  I am not shilling for Whole Foods, and the only people there even aware of my blog are the two women who interviewed me.  I doubt they continue to visit.  So, if I mention something specific I like from Whole Foods, it will be because it is something I really like, that I haven't come across elsewhere.  Wish me luck -- I am going to try to get them to let me do cooking classes there, and they have already expressed some interest in seeing a proposal.