Steak with roasted garlic & herb butter, and garlic-cheese knots

Since I've been on a seafood kick lately, I decided to switch gears and do something a bit more... terrestrial. Can't go wrong with a nice, juicy steak! The garlic & cheese knots were a bit of an experiment and tasted quite good with a little spread of the herb butter. Actually, I would just eat that herb butter with a spoon.

Let's start with the roasted garlic and herb butter:

• 1/2 stick of salted butter, at room temperature (or unsalted, if you prefer)
• 1 tbs. sage, finely chopped
• 1 tbs. basil, finely chopped
• 2 cloves roasted garlic
• 1 tbs. olive oil
• Salt

1. Roast garlic. Chop the top off a whole bulb of garlic, leave the paper/skin on. Place on a sheet of aluminum foil, drizzle olive oil, sprinkle about a teaspoon of salt. Wrap foil around garlic and bake in the oven. 425°F for 45-50 mins.
2. Place room temperature butter in a bowl.
3. Add chopped herbs and 2 cloves of the roasted garlic (you can squeeze the cloves out of their skins with your fingers or the back of a spoon).
4. Mix thoroughly, place in a ramekin, and let chill in the fridge.

Next, the garlic & cheese knots:

• 2 cups bread flour
• 1/4 oz. pizza yeast (or one single-serve packet)
• 1 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 3 tbs. olive oil
• Garlic powder
• Shredded mozzarella or parmesan
• 2 tbs. melted butter

1. Add yeast to warm water. Let sit for a few minutes.
2. Combine flour, yeast, sugar, & salt in a mixing bowl.
3. Add water-yeast mixture and oil.
4. Stir the mixture until it comes together in a ball.
5. On a floured surface, knead the dough for a few minutes -- until elastic.
6. Roll the dough out flat (about 1/2” thick), and cut into strips (about 1” wide, 4 or 5” long).
7. Tie the strips into little knots.
8. Place knots on greased baking sheet. Let them rest for a several minutes.
9. Brush with olive oil or melted butter, top with shredded cheese, a little salt, and generously sprinkle garlic powder on each knot.
10. Bake at 400°F for about 15-20 minutes. I like to liberally brush with melted butter once again, after they come out of the oven.

Finally, the steak:

1. Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet.
2. Season steak. I like a salt, pepper, and garlic powder mix, generously sprinkled on both sides.
3. I cooked my steak to medium, about 7-8 minutes each side (My steak was on the thicker side — 1 1/2 inches thick).
4. Allow the steak to rest about 10 minutes. Top with a scoop of roasted garlic-herb butter.