The New Steak: Recipes for a Range of Cuts plus Savory Sides

In this first effort, LeFavour begins by covering the basics, including a look at the various cuts, traditional methods of cooking and a list of kitchen essentials. Then she divides her entrees into four geo-flavorful chapters: American, Bistro, Latin and Far East. Porterhouse and T-bone steaks have their say, but LeFavour favors the less expensive cuts, especially skirt, hangar and flank. LeFavour's father owned several restaurants, and she learned through him that recipes are about entire meals, not individual items on a plate. Each of her 56 offerings is a complete pairing of meat plus side dishes. There is Hangar Steak with French Feta, Salsa Verde and Mint-Zucchini Pancakes, and variations on the traditional such as a Cuban-Style Seville Orange–Marinated Skirt Steak with Rum-Glazed Plantains and Black Beans. Her love of intense tastes is made clear via a Strip Steak with Roquefort Butter and a Rib Steak with Anchovy Butter. And a healthy admiration for fat permeates both her heavy cream–laden Mashed Potatoes, and Porn Corn, which consists of sweet corn kernels in a frying pan full of thick-cut bacon. While ingredient lists are easy to read, cooking instructions are crammed into dense paragraphs, which can sometimes interrupt an otherwise happy and carnivorous exploration (Apr.)