New Year’s Steak

Ingredients

For the creamed spinach:

• 4 tablespoons salted butter
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 (12-ounce) bags baby spinach
• 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• black pepper, to taste
• ground nutmeg, to taste

For the steaks:

• 1/4 cup tri-color peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 (2-pound) tri-tip or sirloin steak, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons salted butter
• 2 large rosemary sprigs, plus more, to taste, for garnish
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter.

2. Add the onion to the melted butter and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is soft but not browned, about 5 minutes.

3. Add 2 of the chopped garlic cloves to the onion mixture and cook, about 30 seconds.

4. Add handfuls of the spinach to the onion mixture, stirring after each addition. Cook until the spinach has wilted, about 12 minutes.

5. Carefully push the spinach to one side of the skillet.

6. Add the cream cheese on the opposite side of the skillet and smash it with the back of a spoon until it has mostly melted, about 2 minutes.

7. Stir the melted cream cheese into the spinach.

8. Add 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, the black pepper, and the nutmeg to the spinach mixture and stir to combine. Set it aside and keep warm.

9. n a resealable plastic bag, add the peppercorns and the sugar, seal the bag, and use a rolling pin to crush the mixture.

10. Season the steak with the remaining salt.

11. Coat both sides of the steak with the crushed peppercorn mixture, pressing to adhere.

12. In a large cast-iron skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil, swirling to coat the bottom.

13. Add the seasoned steak to the heated olive oil and cook until it reaches an internal temperature between 105-110 degrees F and is well-browned, about 6 minutes per side.

14. Add the remaining butter, 2 of the rosemary sprigs, and the remaining crushed garlic cloves to the skillet and cook until the butter has melted.

15. Tilt the skillet and spoon the melted butter mixture over the steak.

16. Cook until the steak reaches an internal temperature of 115 degrees F for medium-rare, about 5 minutes.

17. Transfer the cooked steak to a cutting board. Cover with foil and let it rest until it reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees F for medium-rare, about 10 minutes.

18. Slice the steak.

19. Serve the steak slices with the creamed spinach, garnished with the extra rosemary sprigs.