Rib Eye Steak with Wild Mushroom Bacon Ragout

It's funny, I don't really like to put a label on how I eat or what I eat. I went to a nutrition school where everyone was very adamant about only bringing in their soaked nuts, kale, quinoa salads, kombucha and whole grain sandwiches but then felt bad when they let it slip that they ate chips and cookies on the weekend. I went to a French cuisine based culinary school so no matter what I was taught, I knew there was no way I'd cut out butter, flour and sugar. Now, it just tends to be more in moderation. It's only my little opinion, but I just think there's a need to really not care what anyone thinks. Everybody is different and everyone has foods that work and don't work for them. For myself, I eat whatever makes me feel good (eating a chunk of cookie dough as I type!). I was just talking to a lady who has been on a raw food diet for a year and feels fabulous. Awesome, that's what works for her! I once tried take out from Gorilla Foods, a raw food resto downtown, I had one bite of the collard green wrap and came home and stuffed it with chicken.

That said, I seem to naturally eat pretty Paleo during the weekdays. Breakfast is usually eggs, avocado,vegetables and fruit and dinner is usually meat and veg, like this Rib Eye with Wild Mushroom Bacon Ragout. Meat and veg can get a little boring so I like to come up with things that will compliment the protein. I know not everybody is a fan of mushrooms, so it can absolutely be substituted with a vegetable you like such as roasted butternut squash, zucchini, asparagus. Pretty much everything goes well with bacon. Well except Vegetarianism..but good on you!

Rib Eye Steak with Wild Mushroom Bacon Ragout
(Serves 2)
2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 cup chanterelle mushrooms, torn into pieces
10 strips bacon, sliced crosswise in 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 white onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
1/2 cup low sodium beef stock (or chicken stock)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
s+p to taste
2 rib eye steaks, grilled, broiled or pan fried
kale, steamed
cherry tomatoes, roasted
2 eggs, sunny side up

1. In a medium size pan, fry bacon until crispy. Transfer bacon to a side plate and reserve bacon fat. Sample bacon, obviously for quality control purposes.

2. Add back 3 tbsp of bacon fat, saute onions until caramelized on medium high heat. Add mushrooms, garlic and thyme and cook until soft.

3. Add beef stock and balsamic vinegar, turn heat on high and reduce down until sauce becomes thick. Add bacon back in, season with salt and pepper.

4. Place kale and tomatoes on plate, add steak, mushroom ragout and a sunny side up egg because we all know everything tastes better with an egg on top.