Organic Ribeye with Red Wine, Peppers and Portobello Mushroom Sauce

Summertime, and the grillin' is easy. Or so you would think. My husband has this idea that because he is a "manly man", he should inherently know how to grill a steak. Well, not just "grill" a steak, but transform raw meat into something mythical in its splendor. He's not alone; men's magazines regularly cover such topics (I suppose this fascination dates back to (hu)mankind's discovery of fire) and even Maxim magazine now owns a chain of steakhouses which, ahem, brandish its brand. This recipe has been "handsomely furnished" with tips on timing. (Or, check out my How-to Guide to view Esquire magazine's step-by-step instructions.)
From my perspective, you can never have too many veggies on the Bar-B, however the fresh thyme and crushed bay leaf truly make this dish sing. If you don't use fresh, don't bother. It's just not the same.

Red Wine and Veggie Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium shallot, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1.5 cups portobello mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, diced
¾ cup red wine (or around 3 turns of the pan)
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 bay leaf, crushed with mortar and pestle
1 heaping tablespoon fresh thyme (leaves removed from stalk)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 1-pound organic ribeye steaks
2 teaspoons steak seasoning

Heat oven to 425 F.
Take meat out of fridge, and allow to rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. While meat is resting, heat olive oil in large fry pan over medium temperature. Add shallots, sauté for a few minutes, then add peppers, garlic, and crushed bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. When peppers and onion have softened, add mushrooms, then wine, and 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook off the alcohol (about 2 minutes), then add other tablespoon of butter and thyme. Thyme is added toward the end of the cooking process since heat can easily cause a loss of its delicate flavor.

Lower heat, allow sauce to simmer and reduce. Season steaks and place on the grill. For 1.5- to 2-inch thickness, cook for 6-7 minutes per side to result in medium-rare steaks, or 7-9 minutes for medium steaks. (Jesse's wife Faith says, "If you want your steak well done, then just have a hamburger instead. There’s no point to cooking a delicious ribeye to well done!") Remove from grill and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving with red wine and veggie sauce. Serves 2-4.

Food Fact! A member of the French combination of herbs called bouquet garni, thyme has a long history of both culinary and medicinal uses, particularly in the treatment of respiratory problems including coughs, bronchitis, and chest congestion.

Thyme's health-supporting effects are well documented; Thymol, the primary volatile oil constituent of thyme, has been found to protect and significantly increase the percentage of healthy fats found in cell membranes and other cell structures. Notably, the amount of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid) in brain, kidney, and heart cell membranes was increased after dietary supplementation with thyme.
Thyme is an excellent source of iron and manganese, a very good source of calcium and a food source of dietary fiber. It also contains a variety of flavonoids, including apigenin, naringenin, luteolin, and thymonin, which increase thyme's antioxidant capacity.

The leaves of fresh thyme should look fresh and be a vibrant green-gray in color. They should be free from dark spots or yellowing. Fresh thyme should be stored in the refrigerator wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel.