Pureed garlic—and lots of it—gives body to the sauce for these steaks. The whole cloves are blanched multiple times to mute their pungency, then simmered in milk until they are as soft as butter. Pureed until smooth, the finished sauce looks rich with cream, yet it doesn’t have a drop. It would be tasty with grilled leg of lamb, too. Steeping the cloves in hot water first makes them easy to peel, a handy restaurant technique. Accompany the steaks with Roasted Mushrooms and Baby Artichokes (page 155) in spring or fall, and with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes (page 157) in summer.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Garlic Sauce
Preparation
Step 1
In a mortar, pound the garlic to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt, or mince to a paste with a knife. Add the oil and the rosemary. Season the steaks on both sides with black pepper, then spread the seasoned oil over the steaks, dividing it evenly and massaging it into the meat with your hands. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 12 hours. Bring to room temperature before cooking.
Step 2
For the garlic sauce: Put the unpeeled garlic cloves in a bowl and add hot water to cover. Let stand until the water cools, then peel. Put the peeled cloves in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Drain and repeat twice. This triple blanching removes some of the garlic’s pungency. Return the garlic to the saucepan and add the milk, sage sprig, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat to maintain a simmer and cook gently until the garlic is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the sage sprig. Puree the garlic and milk in a blender, adding a little more milk if necessary to achieve a sauce consistency. Return to the saucepan and keep warm over low heat while you cook the steaks.
Step 3
Prepare a hot charcoal fire or preheat a grill to high. Place the steaks on the grill and cook for 5 minutes. With tongs, rotate the steaks 90 degrees and cook for 5 minutes longer. Turn the steaks with tongs and cook for 5 minutes, then rotate 90 degrees and cook until the steaks reach desired doneness, about 5 minutes longer for medium-rare (120°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally).
Step 4
Transfer to a rack with tongs and let rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow the juices to settle. You can present the steaks on a cutting board for guests to slice off the bone themselves, or you can remove the bone and slice the steaks in the kitchen, dividing the meat among 4 dinner plates. Pass warm garlic sauce in a separate bowl.
Step 5
Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot or another red wine of concentration and tannic structure.
