Light a few candles, pour a glass of red wine and enjoy this steak-and-potatoes upgrade for your next date night.
Creating a romantic date night at home can be just as special as going out to a fancy restaurant. Transform your dining room into a cozy retreat by setting the table with your nicest dishes, lighting a few candles and putting on some soft music. To complete the mood, serve up this delicious homemade steak dinner: Caribbean Steak with Potato Au Gratin.
For this meal, tender, thick sirloin tip steaks are marinated overnight in pineapple juice, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, garlic and ginger then grilled to perfection and paired with sweet, caramelized pineapple slices. The potato au gratin layers thinly sliced potatoes, onions, ranch dressing and cheddar cheese for a creamy, comforting side dish. Serve it with a glass of red wine and your favorite salad or try my Grilled Pear and Gorgonzola Salad with Balsamic Demi Glaze (found on LifeinBrunswickCounty.com).
Even with the cooking and cleaning, sometimes a meal at home is more relaxing than dining out — and you might be surprised at how delicious your homemade meal can be. Plus, cooking at home also lets you control the ingredients, meaning you can use less salt and butter than most restaurants, making your meal healthier without sacrificing flavor.
After dinner, prop your feet up together on the sofa, pour another glass of wine and enjoy a movie for the perfect end to your date night. Sometimes, the best memories (and meals) are made right at home.
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- 2 large Russet potatoes peeled and very thinly sliced (using a mandolin recommended)
- 1 large Vidalia onion very thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons butter cut into pats
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup ranch dressing
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper
- Tin foil
- fresh parsley for garnish
- 2 8-ounce sirloin tip steaks cut 1 1/2 inch thick
- 8 pineapple slices
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon garlic puree
- 1 tablespoon ginger puree
Ingredients
For the Potatoes
For the Steak
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- Prepare the marinade by mixing the pineapple juice, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, garlic puree and ginger puree in a Tupperware or Ziploc bag and drop in the steaks. Cover and/or seal and refrigerate overnight (or at least 4 hours if in a pinch).
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Layer the bottom a greased loaf pan with one of the thinly sliced potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Layer half of the thinly sliced onion on top of the potato slices.
- Lay half of the pats of butter on top of the onion slices, then pour half of the ranch dressing evenly on top, then half of the cream and half of the stock over those layers. Sprinkle half of the cheese on top.
- Repeat those steps until all the ingredients are layered and packed nicely into the loaf pan.
- Cover with tin foil and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
- Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve hot.
- Remove the steaks from the refrigerator 30 to 45 minutes before grilling to allow them to reach room temperature.
- Preheat your grill to 450–550°F. For medium-rare steak, grill for about 5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 130°F. While grilling, pour some of the remaining marinade over the steaks — just be cautious, as the sugar in the marinade may cause flare-ups. Let the meat rest for about 5 minutes before slicing.
- Meanwhile, grill the pineapple slices by placing them over the flame for about 1 minute per side.
- Serve with a slice of potato au gratin, your favorite salad and a glass of red wine.
