Garlicky Cheesy Bread Chunks Topped with Steaks

This recipe is from Rachel Ray's 2,4,6,8 Great Meals for Couples or Crowds cookbook. This weekend I gave Pete her book and asked him to pick out a few new recipes for me to try. This was one of them. He loved it.

• 4 beef tenderloin steaks, 1 1/2 inches thick
• Leaves from 4 fresh thyme sprigs, chopped
• Salt and Pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 5 tablespoons of butter, soft
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• Generous handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• Generous handful of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Ciabatta bread (Rachel uses sesame semolina bread but I used Ciabatta) cut on an angle

1. Season the steaks with thyme, salt and pepper.
2. Place a large skillet over high heat with the olive oil, once around the pan
3. Tilt the pan to ensure the pan is covered with the oil
4. Place the steaks in the hot pan and sear the meat, cooking on high for 2 minutes on each side
5. Reduce heat to medium and cook steaks 3-4 minutes on each side
6. Remove steaks to a plate
7. While the steaks are cooking make the butter mixture with the butter, garlic, parsley, basil, Parmigiano and some pepper in a bowl.
8. Spread the butter mixture on both sides of the bread.
9. Return the skillet to the stove top on medium heat and add slices of bread
10. Brown on both sides.
11. Serve the steaks on top of the bread

I served this with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and phyllo wrapped asaparagus.