New York Strips with Parmesan-Basil Crust and Garlic Butter

I'm a few weeks late in posting this recipe. When our fifth anniversary rolled around back on June 21st, we talked about going out but decided that we'd just stay home and make yummy steaks. Brian's gotten to be a really good griller, and we knew we could cook something just as good - or better - than going out.

We broke out his Father's Day gift, which was this cookbook:

Here's the full recipe. We halved it because we only did two steaks.

4 New York Strip steaks, 10-12 ounces each and 1" thick, trimmed of excess fat

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (we used the Kirkland brand blend)

2 Tablespoons finely chopped basil leaves

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pushed through a press

1. Lightly brush the steaks with the oil on both sides and season evenly with salt and pepper. Allow the steaks to stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before grilling.

2. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over high heat (450 to 550 degrees)

3. Combine the cheese and the basil.

4. Sear the steaks over direct high heat, with the lid closed, for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the steaks over and generously coat the top of each with the cheese and basil mixture. Close the lid and continue grilling until the cheese is melted and the steaks are cooked to your desired doneness, about 3 to 4 minutes more for medium rare. Remove from the grill and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes.

5. While the steaks are resting, in a saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and garlic and heat until the butter is melted and the garlic is sizzling, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Spoon over the steaks and serve right away.

These steaks were amazing. And we were right - we could cook something better than going out. I think you could even do this with other steaks like a petite sirloin. It's a definitely a splurge meal due to the cheese and butter, but it's a great way to splurge.