Combine mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Coat both sides of steaks with a thin layer of spice mixture, rubbing mixture thoroughly into steaks. Let rest at room temperature for 1 hour. The rub should be almost completely absorbed by the meat, or it will burn when the steaks are seared.
Heat the oven to 375°F. Coat the bottom of a large, oven-safe frying pan with enough olive oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Place over high heat until the pan is very hot but the oil is not yet smoking. Using a pair of long tongs, carefully place steaks in the hot pan and sear, turning only once, until a crust forms, about 3 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes on the second.
Place the frying pan in the oven to finish cooking the steaks, 8 to 10 minutes for rare, 10 to 12 minutes for medium rare. Insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the center of each steak; it should read 115°F to 120°F for rare, 125°F to 130°F for medium rare.
Transfer the steaks to a serving platter or cutting board and let them rest for about 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Serve with Green Bean Salad.
Beverage pairing: Silverado Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa. Steak and spice, a great excuse to break out a big, new-world red wine. Cab and steak were meant for each other, but in this case because of the spice, a ripe, jammy wine such as this one works well.
]]>