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Perfect Pairs BY
ALEXANdRA CHARSLEY
CHEF SCHRADER’S SEARED EYE OF
ROUND STEAK WITH ROASTED
RADICCHIO & OYSTER MUSHROOMS
by Chef Alejandra Schrader
2 servings
Seared Eye of Round Steak with
Roasted Radicchio, Oyster Mushrooms
Paired with Judd’s Hill 2008 Merlot
Even though the Finkelstein family of Judd's Hill Winery has been
making wine in the Napa Valley for decades, they continue to find new
ways to innovate and expand the food and wine pairing experience.
These trendsetters have partnered with Chef Alejandra Schrader (from
the popular TV show MasterChef) and she has been creating delicious
recipes to highlight Judd’s Hill wines. Since she was raised in Caracas,
Venezuela and chooses a fit lifestyle, her dishes are loaded with flavor
while still being nutritious.
I was so happy to prepare this meal as steak is one of my favorite
Sunday dinners. I have always enjoyed grilled radicchio but having
roasted it in the oven as the recipe suggests, this will now make an easy
addition to meals throughout the fall and winter! The 2008 Judd’s Hill
Merlot is filled with layers of dark plum, black cherry and currant
which bring out the rich flavor of the beef. Voluminous tannins create a
wine with intense structure that maintains perfect balance, in part due
to its robust front palate fruit. Supple flavors of cherry tobacco, plum
and fig emerge and linger on the smooth finish. This wine exhibits a
wonderful contrast between rich tannins and vibrantly seductive floral
aromatics. Judd’s Hill recommends decanting this wine in its youth to
allow it to open and fully showcase the vintage’s complex elegance.
Judd’s Hill Winery is located right off the Silverado Trail from
downtown Napa. Their tasting room is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4
p.m. by advance appointment so be sure to call ahead, (707) 255-
2332. For more recipes to be paired with any of Judd’s Hill’s food
friendly wines, visit their website at www.juddshill.com and get
inspired!
INGREDIENTS
Coarse sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
Olive oil
2 5-oz eye of round steaks
1 small head of radicchio
¼ cup leeks, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, thinly minced
Canola oil
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
3 oz oyster mushrooms, cut into pieces, stems trimmed
PREPARATION
Radicchio
Preheat oven to 400°F
Place radicchio wedges in a large bowl. Drizzle with
olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper; toss to
coat. Arrange all wedges on baking tray with one cutside
down and roast until wilted, about 8 minutes. Turn
over to other side and roast about 4 minutes longer.
Remove from oven and set aside.
Mushrooms
Heat 1-2 tbsp of canola oil in a large nonstick skillet
over medium-high heat. Sauté leeks for 2-3 minutes;
add garlic and stir quickly with a wooden spoon. Add
mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and sauté
until golden, about 6 minutes. Add vinegar and sauté
until liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Remove
from heat and set aside.
Steak
Pat dry steaks and season with salt and pepper on both
sides. Heat a Tbsp of canola oil on a cast iron skillet over
medium-high/high heat. Sear steaks on both sides until
brown, about 2-3 minutes on each side for
medium/medium-rare.
Plating
Serve each steak with 2 wedges of radicchio and oyster
mushrooms. This dish goes great with a roasted pepper
sauce (see my blog for recipe); it also adds great color!
Garnish with chives or spring onions.
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