Seared Steaks & Green Beans

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Thinly slice the scallions. Grate the cheese on the large side of a box grater. Cut off and discard the stem ends of the green beans. Halve the tomatoes. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, half the vinegar (you will have extra), and half the worcestershire sauce until the sugar has dissolved. Add the halved tomatoes; season with salt and pepper. Stir to coat. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, at least 10 minutes. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the potato flakes, biscuit mix, sliced scallions, grated cheese, and 2/3 cup of water; season with salt and pepper. Set aside to let the batter rest.

Pat the steaks dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on all sides. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned steaks. Cook, turning occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare, or until browned and cooked to your desired degree of doneness.* Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a cutting board and cover with foil to keep warm. Let rest at least 5 minutes. 

*An instant-read thermometer should register 145°F.

While the steaks rest, add the prepared green beans to the pan of reserved fond (if the pan seems dry, add a drizzle of olive oil). Cook on medium-high, stirring occasionally,  3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add 2 tablespoons of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the water has cooked off. Add the remaining worcestershire sauce (carefully, as the liquid may splatter); season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the green beans are coated. Transfer to a bowl. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Cover with foil to keep warm. Rinse and wipe out the pan. 

In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Scoop the batter into the pan to make 4 equal-sized cakes, keeping them separate. Using the back of a spoon, gently flatten each cake into a 3- to 5-inch diameter. Cook 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Turn off the heat. Find the lines of muscle (or grain) on the rested steaks; slice crosswise against the grain. Serve the sliced steaks with the cooked potato cakes and cooked green beans. Top the potato cakes with the sour cream. Top the steaks with the marinated tomatoes (including as much of the liquid as you’d like). Enjoy!