Great food doesn’t have to involve a ton of never heard of ingredients and complicated preparation.

Keeping it simple is the way to go, according to Jason Goldschmidt, executive chef at The Polo Grille in Mason.

Goldschmidt gave readers ideas on some tricks of his trade.

What is your philosophy on cooking? I like to keep things simple – simple flavors that are put together well. To me, the best way to season a steak is with a little salt and ground pepper. The other seasoning I keep readily on hand is basil. Also, whenever possible use fresh over frozen. Whether it’s meat, vegetables, spices/seasoning,fresh always tastes better.

How would you describe the cuisine at The Polo Grille? It’s American Cuisine, and we’re probably best known for our fresh seafood entrees. We have different fresh fish specials everyday. Our salmon is a crowd favorite.

The Polo Grille has gone through quite a bit of change over the last year. At one point, the whole menu was changed.

What would you like people to know about The Polo Grille today? Our focus is consistency. When people come here, they’re going to find the food they love, cooked to the highest quality standards. We’ve brought back a lot of the old favorites and are adding variety to the menu through our daily specials. The one I’m preparing for you today – the Filet of Ribeye Oscar Style - was our New Year’s Eve special and it was a huge hit.

A lot of people can be intimidated by the idea of cooking seafood. What advice can you give to a novice seafood cook? First of all, no seafood, regardless of the type it is, should smell fishy. If it does, it isn’t fresh. Second, whitefish is always a safe place to start for both the novice cook and the timid seafood eater. White fish, like tilapia, is generally mild and easy to prepare. I’d suggest sautéing or baking it since whitefish can fall apart easily when grilled.

Start with a medium hot skillet, a little olive oil and whatever seasoning you like (salt, pepper, Cajun etc). Put the oil in the skillet and season the fish. Once the oil is hot, put the fish in and don’t touch it for a few minutes. Touching it will cause it to stick. Flip it over and wait a few minutes. The fish is done when it turns from translucent to solid white.

Chef Jason Goldschmidt’s recipe for Filet of Ribeye Oscar Style

One serving

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 oz ribeye filet
• 2 oz jumbo lump crabmeat
• 5 asparagus
• 1 baked potato
• 2 oz citrus hollandaise
• Chopped parsley

Directions:

1. In boiling water blanch asparagus for about two or three minutes depending on size or until the asparagus is tender but not flimsy. Place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.

2. Season ribeye with salt and fresh ground pepper. Place of medium hot grill for about 4 minutes a side depending on how thick your ribeye is. Your ribeye is medium rare when an internal thermometer reaches 140 degrees.

3. Toss asparagus with a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper and grill until slightly charred.

4. While cooking steak, place crab meat in skillet over grill until warm.

5. Place crab on top of cooked ribeye and top with hollandaise. Sprinkle with chopped parsley to garnish.

6. Serve with baked potato and grilled asparagus.

Hollandaise Sauce

1 egg yolk

2 oz clarified butter (warm)

Pinch of kosher salt

Pinch of white pepper

¼ tsp Tabasco

½ tsp lemon juice

Directions:

1. In a stainless steel bowl over a pot of boiling water, whisk egg yolk till it triples in volume.

2. Slowly whisk in clarified butter until emulsified.

3. Add all remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Taste for seasoning level.

Note: To clarify butter, melt unsalted butter until it is liquid. Transfer to small dish and place in refrigerator until butter is solid. Poke a hole through the butter and drain out liquid that has separated.