Serves 1

One night in Florence, we treated ourselves to the Tuscan specialty, Bistecca Alla Fiorentina. To keep our budgets intact, we split three steaks between the eight of us and coupled it with one dish of pasta. It was bloody rare, fork tender, and bursting with rich flavor! In Tuscany, this is prepared from a Chianina young steer, but in New York, I chose a Porterhouse cut from my favorite Italian butcher. In Italy, the Bistecca is commonly prepared over hot oak charcoal.

1 Porterhouse steak, about 11/2 inches thick (1 ½ to 2 pounds)

Kosher salt or Sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

Olive oil, for drizzling

Take the steak out of the refrigerator about an hour before cooking.

The steak should be cooked on a clean and oiled grill rack. Light a gas grill and preheat on high, with lid down, for 10 minutes.

Sear the steak, with the burners still on high and the lid up, for 4 to 5 minutes (for rare). Flip the steak and cook the second side for 4 to 5 minutes, or to your degree of doneness. While the steak is cooking, drizzle olive oil over a warm plate. Remove steaks from grill and place on the prepared plate. Salt and pepper the steak and drizzle with olive oil. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

First, carve out the filet and contre-filet. Slice each of these large pieces in slices as shown in the picture. Some people will serve this with grilled lemon halves and/or fresh rosemary, but I prefer it with only the salt, pepper, and hint of olive oil.

This is best enjoyed with an accompanying wine, of course! My pick is a Brunello di Montalcino or Chianti Classico Riserva.

Serves 1

This is my favorite quick lunch. The recipe can be expanded for more people, and I’ve included a tip on how to do this. While I love the richness of the balsamic vinegar reduction, some people prefer this dish without it, and others add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar without creating a syrup, which requires a much smaller amount.

3 ounces of asparagus (I prefer thin, but either can be used)

1 cup of your favorite marinara sauce (in a pinch, use a bottled sauce you like)

3/4 – 1 cup balsamic vinegar (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Add the balsamic vinegar to a small saucepan and reduce over medium heat until syrupy. When desired consistency is reached, remove from heat.

Meanwhile, wash and snap the hard ends off the asparagus. Break egg into a small dish to ready it for poaching.  Add the salt to a deep sauté pan filled with 2 – 4 inches of water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Warm the marinara sauce in the microwave and cover until ready to use.

Reduce the heat on the pan of water to medium and add the asparagus. Cook about 1 minute (longer for thick asparagus) until just done (crisp tender). Remove asparagus from water and let it drain on a paper towel.  Raise heat on the pan of water to high. When it reaches a full boil, add 1 tablespoon white vinegar and reduce heat to a simmer. Gently, with the edge of the egg dish lowered level to the surface of the water, slide egg into the simmering water. Set timer for three minutes.

Pour the marinara sauce onto your serving plate(s). Place the asparagus across the marinara sauce. When the egg is finished poaching (approx. 3 minutes), carefully lift it out with a slotted spoon, blot gently with paper towel, and nestle the egg on top of the asparagus. Drizzle with the syrupy, delicious balsamic vinegar reduction, and enjoy!

Make ahead: If you are preparing this dish for several people, or a crowd, the poached eggs can be cooked ahead, the asparagus cleaned and stems snapped, and the balsamic vinegar reduced.

The eggs may be poached in advance and held in a shallow bowl of water held at 150°F for up to 30 minutes. If you need to prepare the eggs up to 24 hours in advance, remove the poached eggs from the cooking water and immediately place in a bowl of cold water and refrigerate. When you are ready to serve them, transfer them to a bowl of water warmed to 150°F, cover and let stand for a minimum of 5 minutes, and up to 20 minutes. If your reheating water might have dropped below 150°, return the pan with the eggs to the stove over low heat before serving.

Enjoy!