Robin's Healthy Take: Are Butter Sauces Healthy Eats?
Are butter sauces healthy? They can be! Let’s be honest, butter makes sauces silky and smooth. But that doesn’t mean you need the whole stick. The key is adding just enough to make the sauce richer, allowing flavors to linger on your palate longer than they would without fat. Here are two great examples. The noodle dish is a vibrant, Asian dish heightened with the flavors of wasabi and soy. I used wasabi paste but you can make a paste with equal parts wasabi powder and water. For the London broil, lean steak is crusted with cracked peppercorns (which add fantastic flavor and crunch) and then grilled until medium. The steak slices are then drizzled with a lovely tarragon butter sauce. Sounds rich, but check out the calories!
Cook noodles according to package directions, adding soybeans and bell pepper to the boiling water when you add the noodles. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, combine broth, butter, soy sauce and wasabi paste in a medium saucepan and set pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and whisk to dissolve wasabi paste completely into the broth. Add noodles, soybeans and bell pepper and cook 1 minute to heat through. Stir in cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper.
You can find cracked pepper in the spice aisle, or you can crack your own by placing whole peppercorns in a freezer bag and mashing them with the flat side of a meat mallet or bottom of a heavy skillet.
Coat a stove-top grill pan or griddle with cooking spray and preheat to medium-high.
Season both sides of steak with salt and cracked peppercorns. Place steak on hot pan and cook 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare to medium. Remove steak from pan and let stand 5-10 minutes before slicing crosswise (against the grain) into 1/4-inch thick slices.
Meanwhile, combine broth, butter, tarragon and Worcestershire sauce in a small saucepan and set pan over medium heat. Cook until butter melts and mixture comes to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Serve steak slices with butter sauce spooned over top.
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Robin Miller is a nutritionist, host of Quick Fix Meals, author of "Robin Takes 5" and “Robin Rescues Dinner” and the busy mom of two active little boys. Her boys and great food are her passion. Check her out at www.robinrescuesdinner.com.