No matter what time of year it is, I am always up for a grilled steak. If it’s too cold outdoors, you can use a seasoned iron skillet on high heat for a successful result. For years, I used seasoned compound butters to add loads of flavor to many dishes. What is a compound butter? It is merely a mixture of butter and other ingredients.

Here, I have adapted a recipe from Discover California that enhances simple steak with a garlicky sun-dried tomato compound butter. You can make up the butter a few days ahead and freeze it until you are ready to use it. Make sure to defrost it to chilled before using.

The robust tomato-garlic notes are equally enjoyable on grilled chicken, fish, vegetables, corn on the cob, baked potatoes, and atop soft corn polenta. A simple arugula salad makes a colorful and tasty accompaniment. To drink? A full-bodied merlot or malbec would be a lovely complement to the meat.

A few tips on choosing your steak:

Grilled Steak with Sun-Dried Tomato Compound Butter

Serves 4

4 boneless steaks, rib-eye, sirloin or New York, 10 to 12 ounces each

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 large garlic cloves, peeled and ends removed

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