Ingredients 1/2 cup softened butter 125 mL 1/4 cup finely minced shallots 50 mL 1 clove garlic, smashed and minced 1 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, minced 30 mL 1 tbsp fresh chopped chives 15 mL 1/2 tbsp fresh minced tarragon 2 mL 4 Halenda's Ontario strip loin steaks (about 6 oz/ 170 mL each) 4 1 tbsp coarse salt 15 mL 1 tbsp fresh cracked pepper 15 mL 2 tbsp olive oil 30 mL

Directions

In bowl, combine butter with shallots, garlic, parsley, chives and tarragon until well blended. Spoon butter onto a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a log about 1-inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. Twist ends to enclose completely. Refrigerate until firm, at least one hour and up to two weeks.

Preheat grill or grill pan over high heat. [Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C), if indoors].

Let the steaks come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Sear steaks until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Move to indirect heat, or the oven. Cook until desired doneness, about 5 minutes for medium rare. Let rest 5 minutes.

Serve on a warmed plate with a 1/2-inch (1 cm) slice of butter over each steak.

Makes 4 servings

Innovative: The extra butter can be stored in the refrigerator and used stirred into cooked hot potatoes, pasta or rice to add flavour. It also works over grilled fish, pork, veal, chicken and lamb.

Tip: Avoid cutting into steaks and sausages when grilling, they will lose their juices when cooking. Giving steak adequate rest time will maximize their juiciness.

PER SERVING: about 420 calories, 34 g protein, 30 g total fat (13 g sat fat), 2 g carbohydrates, 0 g fibre, 105 mg cholesterol, 1000 mg sodium. %RDI: iron 15%, calcium 6%, vitamin A 6%, vitamin C 4%.

Recipe from: Ontario's Finest

• New York Striploin