Have a beef with dad

Sunday is Father’s Day and our thoughts turn to beef. Steak is real he-man food. Sure, women love to tuck into a petite filet, but dad wants a more manly cut.

Rib-eye steak, which often appears as "cowboy" steak on restaurant menus, is a hefty, juicy cut of beef. So is porterhouse. The T-bone is another winner with dad.

Prime-quality beef is pricey, as any lover of the all-American steakhouse knows. Steakhouse menus are � la carte so the cost tallies up only too quickly. The solution is to honor dad’s special day with a steakhouse dinner at home.

I’ve been buying Coleman beef ever since Whole Foods opened its doors eight years ago. The store carries a full line of steaks, including dry-aged and cuts from Argentina. This South American country raises some of the finest cattle in the world.

Our at-home steakhouse menu begins with a jumbo shrimp cocktail served in martini glasses. I like to doctor bottled chili sauce with horseradish and lemon juice. A dash of Tabasco is in order for those who prefer a spicier flavor.

Clams casino is one of my favorite appetizers. Unfortunately, many restaurants do not properly prepare them. The chefs use littleneck clams and way too many breadcrumbs. I do not use breadcrumbs when I prepare clams casino. Several years ago, I enjoyed this dish at The Palm, a fine steakhouse in the Park Hyatt at the Bellevue. The chef used pancetta instead of bacon. It was unusually delicious.

Hearts of lettuce salad is a staple in American steakhouses. Homemade blue-cheese dressing and Russian dressing are perfect choices. A light vinaigrette would get lost on a hefty cold wedge of crisp iceberg lettuce.

Old-fashioned garlic bread goes well with the salad. I have fond memories of the garlic rolls served at The Vesper Club during the 1950s and ’60s.

Creamed spinach and Lyonnaise potatoes are my side dishes of choice when I dine at a steakhouse. Both are easy to prepare at home.

I like ice cream for dessert, especially a hot fudge sundae. I think dad would like it too.

Here are steakhouse recipes to honor dad on Father’s Day.

Clams Casino

Ingredients:

24 top neck or cherrystone clams
1 small shallot, minced
1/2 large red bell pepper, diced fine
Pancetta or bacon

Directions:

If you have no experience opening clams, ask your fishmonger to do so, topping each clam with the top shell.

Preheat the broiler.

Place the clams on a cookie sheet. Top each clam with a bit of shallot, red pepper and a generous strip of pancetta or bacon. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and broil for a few minutes, or just until the bacon is nice and crisp.

Serves four.

Garlic Bread

Ingredients:

Club rolls
Garlic powder
Paprika

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cut each club roll in half. Place them on a cookie sheet and top with melted butter, garlic powder and paprika. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake the rolls for about 10 minutes, or until slightly crisp.

Note from Phyllis: This is another freeform recipe that easily adapts to any number of guests.

Russian Dressing

Ingredients:

Chili sauce
Mayonnaise
Juice of 1 lemon
Dehydrated onion flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Place a few heaping tablespoons of chili sauce in a medium bowl. Gradually add 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise to the bowl and whisk with a wire whisk. The dressing should be light pink, so add a bit more mayonnaise if needed. If you overdo the mayonnaise, simply add more chili sauce. Add the remaining ingredients, whisk well, taste and correct for seasoning.

Note from Phyllis: This recipe was given to me many years ago by a marvelous home cook who worked for my cousins in Miami Beach. It is another freeform recipe and you will be able to eyeball the amount of dressing according to the number of guests.

Creamed Spinach

Ingredients:

4 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach
2 tablespoons butter
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
Light cream or half-and-half
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Defrost the spinach or microwave it according to package directions. When the spinach has cooled, squeeze out all the water and place it in a bowl.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a 3-quart saucepan. Add the cream cheese and cook until smooth. Place the spinach in the saucepan and blend well. Add enough light cream or half-and-half to bind the spinach. The mixture should not look soupy. The cream sauce should cling to the spinach. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper.

Serves six.

Note from Phyllis: If you like a richer taste, add a bit more cream cheese to the mixture. Simply cut the 8-ounce square into cubes and cook over medium heat until smooth.

Lyonnaise Potatoes

Ingredients:

8 large Yukon gold potatoes
1 large sweet onion, such as Vidalia, thinly sliced
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Wash the potatoes and slice them. Place them in a bowl of cold water until you are ready to cook them. Pat the potatoes dry with paper towels.

Return the potatoes to the dry bowl and add the onion slices. Mix well.

Heat enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a large skillet. Add the potatoes and the onions and sauté for about 10 to 15 minutes. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Serves six.

Note from Phyllis: I like to slice the onion in a food processor for this recipe. They come out thinly sliced and uniform in size. You can slice the potatoes in the food processor as well.

Hot Fudge Sauce

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Half-and-half

Directions:

Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa and sugar and blend well. Add enough half-and-half to make a rich sauce. Since this is a freeform recipe, I cannot give you exact amounts. You may want to add more cocoa and half-and-half, or sugar, depending on your sweet tooth. Just keep stirring the sauce over low heat and taste.