Welcome to A Great Dish Cooking Studio: Learn, Laugh & Cook with Stacey Zier

This is a brilliant combination of robust flavors that is sure to warm you up from the cold. Tender rib eyes rubbed with a smokey-garlic marinade topped with a pungent blue-cheese butter that melts down the sides. Any creamy blue would be terrific here, but Valdeón, a maple leaf-wrapped cheese from Picos de Europa, adds complexity. Smoked paprika is available in both sweet and hot varieties. If you're not a year-round griller simply use an indoor grill or pan-sear the steaks using a heavy cast-iron skillet.

1. Using the back of a chef's knife or with a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic to a paste with the salt. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the paprika, cayenne pepper and oregano. Gradually drizzle in the olive oil while stirring. Spread the marinade on a baking sheet large enough to hold all the steaks. Coat the steaks on both sides, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to overnight. Let the steaks come to room temperature before grilling.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the butter with the shallot and scallion. Stir in the Valdeón. Scrape the blue cheese butter onto a sheet of plastic wrap and pat it into a 4-inch log. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes.

3. Prepare the grill and let temperature come to at least 400. Oil the grates with a paper towel dipped in olive oil.

4. Scrape some of the marinade off the steaks to prevent it from scorching and grill over a medium-hot fire about 7 minutes per side for medium-rare meat. Turn the meat only once. You can create criss-cross grill marks on the steak by giving it a quarter turn half-way through the cooking time on each side. Remove steaks and let rest for 2 minutes tented with aluminum foil.

5. To serve: Place each steak on a serving plate and place a 1-inch slice of butter on each steak.

2003 Perlat, Montsant
Priorat, Spain

Montsant is a DOC of hillsides surrounding Priorat on the Mediterranean coast that is enjoying a burgeoning reputation. The grapes, Garnacha, Carinena and Syrah, are fermented separately and then blended together to age in French and American oak casks. The wine displays saturated plum colors, fruity perfumes and complex aromas of ripe red fruit along with light notes of leather. Flavors, including opulent blackberry and spice, balance well with great interaction between the use of oak and soft tannins levels continuing with a lasting warm finish. Lots of complexity and excitement.

This rich red is thick on the palate, oozing with sweet fruit and oak, with muscular tannins that barely ripple the surface. It is fresh, with a clean, floral finish, and all the elements are balanced and lively.