Coffee -Crusted Cowboy Porterhouse with Tobacco Fried Onions

Growing up Restaurant

Growing up with a restaurant in the living room of your home was unusual enough. By the time I was twelve my brother was gone off to college and my mother  had one of the most celebrated restaurant addresses in Central Vermont. Most all of my friends were arriving home after school to a much more tranquil setting.

It was probably very close to the same program each night at dinner for most of my friends and their families. Not I however, the living room of our home was filled nightly with the hustle and bustle of the movers and shakers of our small town and a queue of diners from all over New England who traveled to Vermont to ski. So while most of my friends were home watching Leave it to Beaver, Father Knows Best and Bonanza we were inundated with characters from all walks of life.

The dining room was filled with business men, politicians, clergy and of course an occasional wise guy. At an early age I meet all sorts of characters all bound together by a common desire, my mother's food, the camaraderie of the Italian Table and the ultimate, a visit to their table from Mama Lee or a special treat she might send out from the kitchen. It was fun and exciting to meet all these people, many became lifelong friendships for our family that otherwise would have never existed. I try to keep that flame burning today at Proctor Gas providing the same quintessential hospitality my mother extended to her guests.

I would give anything for just one more visit from her to our table.

Coffee -Crusted Cowboy Porterhouse with Tobacco Fried Onions

This steak is probably enough for the ladies to share - not the case for Mr. Tom!

Serves 4-6

4- 22 OZ choice porterhouse steaks or your favorite steak

The Rub

tablespoon of fresh ground dark roast coffee

teaspoon of light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoons sea salt

teaspoon of fine chopped rosemary

teaspoon of course ground black pepper

virgin olive oil

Heat the grill on high heat and turn it back to a medium high for cooking with the lid closed. To add a smoky flavor you can soak some wood chips wrap in foil and poke holes in the foil. Put the chips on when you start the grill up on a direct heat.

Place all the rub mixture in a bowl and mix well. Rub the virgin olive oil on the steaks and then coat well with the rub. Let the steaks sit at room temperature for about an hour.

Make sure your grates are clean and grill the steaks on the medium high heat with the lid closed. About 4 minutes on each side for medium steaks a little less for medium rare. Once you remove the steaks let them rest for at least 5 minutes before you cut them.

For the onions

1 large or two small yellow onions sliced very thin

1 cup of all purpose flour

1/2 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cayenne chili pepper

Frying oil

Mix the flour and the spices and dredge the onions in the flour and fry them to golden. You can do these ahead and just serve them as a garnish on the top of the steak warm.

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