By The real estate market is strong this week. I showed 9 properties and closed on 1. The pipeline is strong. The phone rings with the steady rhythm of a business that has taken six years to build and refuses to slow down.
Sunday dinner at Mama's was the usual controlled chaos. Mama made moussaka and it was, as always, extraordinary. The table held fourteen people. The arguments held more opinions than the chairs held bodies. This is how Greek families communicate: loudly, with food, over each other.
I thought about Baba this week. Not the grief — the grief is always there, a familiar companion now — but the man. The way he stood at the bakery counter with his arms crossed. The way he hummed Greek songs he never knew the words to. The way he loved us in silence, which was the loudest love I have ever known.
I made grilled octopus tonight — simmered first in wine and bay leaves, then charred on the grill until the tentacles curled. Lemon, olive oil, oregano. I ate it on the back porch while the sun set and the air smelled like cinnamon and the Gulf breeze. A quiet evening. The food was good. Good is enough. Good is everything.
I visited the bakery this weekend. Mama was behind the counter, flour on her apron, her face set in the concentration of a woman who takes baking as seriously as other people take surgery. I stood next to her and rolled dough and said nothing because the silence between us is not empty — it is full of every recipe she taught me and every critique she gave me and every morning she woke at 4 AM to make phyllo that nobody else can make.
I don’t always have the patience for a long braise after a week that ran this hard — nine showings, one close, Sunday chaos at Mama’s, and the quiet ache of thinking about Baba. What I wanted was heat, and char, and something that asked nothing of me except attention for a few minutes over a hot pan. Venison steaks are exactly that kind of honest food — simple, fast, and satisfying in a way that feels earned rather than fussy. It’s the kind of meal Baba would have respected: no performance, just good ingredients treated right.
Venison Steaks
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes | Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 2 venison steaks (6–8 oz each), about 3/4 inch thick
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Bring to room temperature. Remove the venison steaks from the refrigerator 20–30 minutes before cooking. Pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels — moisture is the enemy of a good sear.
- Season. In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and dried thyme. Rub 1 tablespoon of olive oil over both sides of each steak, then press the seasoning blend evenly onto all surfaces.
- Heat the pan. Place a cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over high heat. Let it get very hot — about 2 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and heat until it just begins to smoke.
- Sear the steaks. Lay the steaks in the pan and do not move them. Sear for 3–4 minutes on the first side until a deep brown crust forms. Flip once and sear the second side for 2–3 minutes for medium-rare (internal temperature of 130–135°F). Venison is lean and toughens quickly if overcooked — pull it early.
- Baste with butter. In the final 90 seconds of cooking, add the butter, smashed garlic cloves, and rosemary sprigs to the pan. Tilt the pan slightly and spoon the foaming butter over the steaks repeatedly until the butter turns a light golden brown.
- Rest and finish. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let them rest for 5 minutes. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice just before serving. Slice against the grain if desired.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 340 | Protein: 48g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 2g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 520mg