Cowboy Up Your Steak

You can tell who takes their grilling seriously by whether or not they barbeque year-round. For some people, a little snow and ice aren't enough to keep them from cooking meat over an open flame. Even if you're one of those people who prefer not grilling in subzero temperatures, you will want to have some cowboy butter on your next steak. Adding butter to steak adds richness and can soften a steak's charred exterior, making the meat more tender. Cowboy butter is great for grilled meats, perfect for chicken and fish, and can be stirred into rice or cooked pasta, or spread on crusty French bread or cornbread. So rustle up yourself some, little dogie.

Ingredients

85 g butter, melted (grass-fed butter if possible)
21 g parsley, fresh chopped
21 g chopped chives, fresh chopped
15 g Dijon mustard
12 g minced thyme
1.5 g crushed red pepper flakes
1.5 g teaspoon paprika
4 cloves garlic, minced
juice and zest of half a lemon
salt
black pepper, freshly ground if possible
cayenne pepper

1. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, paprika, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Whisk the sauce to combine everything.
2. Stir in the parsley, chives, crushed red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and thyme, and season everything with salt and pepper. For a thicker butter sauce, add more mustard.

This recipe can also be made into a solid piece of cowboy butter by using a stick of softened butter instead of melting it:

1. Place the softened butter in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Whip the butter until it's fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients and mix everything until it's completely combined, scraping the sides as needed.
2. Lay out a long piece of plastic wrap and scoop the butter mixture in a long strip down the middle of it. Carefully pull one side of the plastic wrap over the butter, squeezing it gently to form it into a log. Continue to roll the log of butter into a roll. When it's all rolled up, twist the ends (like a piece of candy) until they become very taut (this means the butter is pressing together inside the plastic to form a cohesive roll). 
3. Place the roll of butter into either the fridge or the freezer so it will harden.

The Need To Know Classic That Is: Caesar Salad

Everyone and their dog believes the Caesar salad has something to do with Rome's most recognizable emperor Julius Caesar. This is not the case. You may be even more surprised to learn that the Caesar salad didn't even originate in Italy, ancient or otherwise. The most commonly accepted origin of the famous side salad claims it was named after an Italian chef named Caesar Cardini who threw it together out of necessity when his restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico was busy and he had to serve his customers something. Traditionally prepared and served tableside, the original recipe has spawned numerous variations from restaurant to restaurant as its popularity spread. On the Ides of March, consider paying tribute with the recipe below, with a shot of tequila for authenticity.

Ingredients

1 romaine lettuce
3 garlic cloves, crushed
4 thick slices of day-old bread
1 egg yolk (NOTE: There is a risk of infection by salmonella bacteria, as it can be found in eggs with cracked or improperly handled eggshells.)
Parmesan cheese
canned anchovies in oil
60 mL olive oil
15 mL lemon juice
5 mL Worcestershire sauce
7.5 g Dijon mustard
salt and pepper

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C.
2. Place two of the garlic cloves, the mustard, the Worcestershire sauce, eight of the anchovies, the egg yolk, the lemon juice, and a few shakes of salt and pepper in either a food processor or blender and blend for 30 seconds until the mixture starts foaming. With the machine still running, slowly drizzle in 40 mL of the olive oil until the mixture begins to thicken. Continue pouring the oil in a steady stream until it has all been added.
3. Pour the dressing into a bowl; if the dressing is too thick, add a bit of hot water to thin it out to the desired consistency. Grate 60 g of Parmesan cheese and mix it into the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper and put the dressing in the fridge until it's time to use it.
4. Cut the bread slices into small cubes, and then toss the bread with the remaining olive oil and garlic in a bowl. Spread the pieces out on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the croutons are browned and crisp. Once done, remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the croutons cool.
5. Separate the lettuce into individual leaves and wash them either in a salad spinner or by patting them dry with paper towels. Tear the lettuce into pieces and place them in a large bowl. Pour on the dressing and toss the salad well. Add the croutons, and some shaved Parmesan; adding some of the remaining anchovies chopped up is optional. Serve immediately.