Seared Steaks & Mashed Potatoes

Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Medium dice the potatoes. Peel the carrots and thinly slice on an angle. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and hollow green tops. In a bowl, whisk together the soy glaze, vinegar, sugar, ketchup, worcestershire sauce, sliced white bottoms of the scallions, and 2 tablespoons of warm water until the sugar has dissolved. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the diced potatoes to the pot of boiling water. Cook 17 to 19 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Add the sour cream, buttermilk, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Using a fork or potato masher, mash to your desired consistency. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced carrots; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the chopped garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until softened. Transfer to a bowl. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Cover with foil to keep warm. Wipe out the pan.

Pat the steaks dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned steaks; cook 5 to 7 minutes per side for medium-rare, or until cooked to your desired degree of doneness.* Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a cutting board; let rest at least 5 minutes.

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

While the steaks rest, add the sauce (carefully, as the liquid may splatter) to the pan of reserved fond. Cook on medium-high, stirring constantly and scraping up any fond, 1 to 2 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

Find the lines of muscle (or grain) on the rested steaks; thinly slice crosswise against the grain. Serve the sliced steaks with the mashed potatoes and cooked carrots. Top the steaks with the finished steak sauce. Garnish with the sliced green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!