The Absolute Best Steak Dish To Splurge On For Date Night At Home

We have King Oscar II of Sweden to thank for one of the sexiest steak dishes ever created. The influential monarch reportedly adored veal, crayfish, asparagus, and the decadent sauce, béarnaise, a variation of one of French cuisine's five mother sauces. To appease the king, his ever-ready-to-please chef served a culinary creation in 1897 that combined all four of Oscar II's favorites into a gorgeous, luscious dish, subsequently dubbed Veal Oscar. Its popularity extended to the 20th century and was an oft-ordered menu item at high-end restaurants. It's unknown when exactly the crayfish was switched out for crabmeat and the butter-sauteed veal was replaced by filet mignon. However, the dish, now known as Steak Oscar, is an elegant and over-the-top dish that's ideal for impressing a special someone at home.

Sometimes confused with Steak Diane, which has a different cut of beef and sauce altogether, Steak Oscar is the ultimate surf and turf composed of a seared filet mignon, onto which is stacked jumbo crab meat and roasted or steamed asparagus. Topping this tower of scrumptiousness is a drizzle — or, go for it, more — of buttery, tarragon-flecked béarnaise. Since Steak Oscar is perfect for a date night at home, choose the best filet mignon you can find because you want its extreme tenderness so with every bite you get steak, crab, and asparagus all at once. To make this dish extra luxe, forget the watered-down canned crabmeat and buy fresh crab meat at a fish market.

Béarnaise sauce is a remarkable balancing act of acidity and fat that pairs especially well with steak. But it also works its alchemical magic on fish, eggs Benedict, and vegetables. Making béarnaise isn't difficult, but, like hollandaise sauce, it can be a bit tricky and takes some patience (and lots of whisking) in attaining the sauce's consistency. Béarnaise is usually made in a bowl on top of a saucepan of simmering water, but you can skip the fuss and whip up an extra creamy béarnaise in a blender. Once you've made the bearnaise, keep it warm in a thermos, and turn your attention to the filet mignon. There are a few tricks for cooking filet mignon, and a recommended method is to sear it first in a cast-iron skillet and finish the steak off in the oven.

While the steak is cooking, steam the trimmed asparagus until it's crisp tender. Alternatively, toss the asparagus with olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast it. Once you've got all the elements prepared, it's time to assemble your date-night dinner. Plate the filet mignon, and top each one with some crab meat. Balance a few asparagus spears on the crab — or lay them in an attractive pattern against the steak — then spoon your warmed béarnaise over everything, and dive in.