SERVES 4

We discovered this scrumptious dish during a luncheon prepared for us in Venice by Marcella Hazan. Hot-searing coaxes flavor from beef, a method Marcella also advised us to use for fresh tuna.

1⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 medium cloves garlic, peeled
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 boneless rib-eye or strip steaks, cut 2" thick
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat oil and garlic in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is pale gold, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and add rosemary sprigs, turning them over several times, then set pan (with garlic and rosemary) aside.

2. Heat a large, seasoned cast-iron skillet or stove-top grill over high heat. When the pan is very hot, add the steaks, which should sizzle instantly and quickly begin to smoke. Cook until very brown on one side, 2–3 minutes; then turn steaks over, sprinkle with salt, and cook for another 3 minutes (the steaks should be very rare).

3. Remove skillet from heat and transfer steaks to a cutting board. Slice them on an angle, across the grain, into 1⁄2"-thick slices.

4. Return pan with garlic and rosemary to stove and heat over medium-high heat. When oil begins to heat up, add the steak slices together with any juices on the cutting board. Cook about 1 minute, turning frequently and seasoning generously with black pepper.