Back in the day, and not that long ago, I contracted with World Market to give monthly cooking demos in their luxurious demo kitchen based in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. I’m not one for self-flattery, but the demos were pretty easy for me and lots of fun because I love to teach people how to cook. However, one demo, in particular, stands out in my mind, which I’d like to share with you here.

Similar to stand-up comedy, I liked to start each demo by saying something provocative to the crowd, something that would hold their interest. And on that particularly cold Saturday afternoon this past November, I announced to the group that I’d be teaching them how to cook restaurant-quality steak with three ingredients and a few tools, all in about fifteen minutes. I suppose one man in the crowd didn’t believe me and decided to challenge me. A heckler, I thought to myself. “That can’t be done,” he said. I took a deep breath and kept my cool, and responded by saying that he should stick around to see me do that very thing.

So, he did, and I did.

By the end of the demo, not only had he tasted innumerable samples, he gave me a standing ovation, insisted on taking my picture, and of course, wanted the recipe.

Some process photos:

With just four ingredients and a simple cooking technique, the steak is good enough to be served all by itself.

–Chef Diana