Ingredients

4 slices of bacon
4 8-ounce New York strip steaks
Coarsely ground salt
Coarsely ground pepper
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound of spaghetti
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces blue cheese crumbles
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

Directions

Put a large pot of salted water on the stove to boil for the pasta. Preheat the broiler to high. Arrange the bacon on a slotted broiler pan and cook until crisp on both sides. Season the steaks with salt and pepper on both sides. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel. Crumble bacon.

Arrange steaks on broiler pan. Place under the broiler and leave the door ajar to limit flare-ups and smoke (unless of course your broiler doesn't operate with the door open). Cook 4 minutes on each side for medium rare, up to 7 minutes on each side for medium well.

Soften 4 tablespoons of the butter in the microwave on high for 15 seconds. Mix chives and 1/2 of the minced garlic and reserve.

When water boils, add the spaghetti to the pot. Cook al dente.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and remaining tablespoon of butter. When butter melts into the olive oil, add remaining garlic and the shallots; saute for 3 minutes, add flour and cook for a minute more.

Whisk in the stock, bring to a bubble for about 30 seconds, then stir in cream. When mixture comes to a bubble, add blue cheese, sage and a few grinds of black pepper. Turn off the heat. Stir until the cheese melts.

Remove the steaks from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Spoon 1/4 of chive and garlic butter mixture on each steak to melt over the meat.

Drain pasta and toss with blue cheese sauce to coat and combine evenly; add seasoning to taste. Serve the steaks with heaping portions of blue cheese pasta alongside. Top pasta with bacon crumbles. Serves 4.