Episode 27: Steak & Frites


STEAK & FRITES

6 big juicy steaks, rib-eyes or sirloins,
about an inch thick each
5 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely diced
6 large baking potatoes
12 fresh carrots, peeled and quartered
6 tbsp liquid honey
vegetable oil for deep frying
salt and fresh cracked pepper

Nuke 2 tablespoons of the butter for 20 seconds or until melted. Pat the steaks dry and brush them with the melted butter. Season with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Sprinkle the rosemary onto the steaks and rub in. Let stand at room temperature.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into quarter-inch thick strips so that they look like little mini 2x4 sheetsof plywood. Soak them for 15 minutes in a large bowl filled with ice water. The water will turn milky white as the starch is drawn out of the potatoes.

While the potatoes are soaking, place the carrots in a large non-stick skillet with 125 ml of water and cover. Simmer over a medium high heat for a few minutes until the water has almost completely evaporated. Add the honey and butter to the skillet and cover again. Set aside for the moment.

While there is about 3 minutes left in the potato soaking process, pour enough oil into a large skillet to reach 2 inches in depth. Heat the oil over a high heat till it reaches 325F on your candy thermometer. If you're going to do your steaks on the barbeque, now would be a good time to fire it up As soon as the 15 minutes are up, drain the potato slices in a colander and pat them dry with paper towel. By this time the oil should have reached 325F. Add the potatoes to the oil in 4 batches. You don't want to add too many potatoes at the same time or they'll drop the temperature of the oil so drastically that frying will become difficult and you'll end up with soggy spuds.

Okay, so throw your first batch in and fry for about 2 or 3 minutes, until they've cooked through but before they begin to turn french fry golden brown brown. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon or tongs and transfer to a paper towel lined bowl. Meanwhile, the oil should have returned to 325F. Repeat the process with the remainder of the potatoes. Turn the heat off under the oil.

Place your steaks butter side down on your bar-b-que grill. If you're cooking indoors, then go buttered side down over a medium high heat in 2 skillets so that you can cook all the steaks at once. You've got some nice cuts of meat there, so cook them for 3 or 4 minutes a side for medium rare. When done, transfer all the steaks to a large plate and tent with tin foil to keep warm Turn the heat back on under the frying oil.

Return the covered skillet with the honey butter carrots to the stove top and reheat over a medium low heat.

Return the potatoes to the frying oil once it is back to 325F in three batches. Fry the spuds for an additional 1 minute or until they start to get crispy golden brown.

Replace the paper towel in the bowl and transfer the newly fried potatoes to the bowl with tongs or a slotted spoon. Season with salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Repeat the process with the remaining potatoes.

Place one steak on each plate and add the carrots and frites. Place a twig of fresh rosemary on top of the steak and serve. Blow a big raspberry at anyone who asks you for ketchup. Throw on some Edith Piaf (yeah, yeah, we know she's not Belgian but she IS great), pour a big legs-up-to-here red wine and go around the table where everyone tells the story of the best concert they've ever been to.

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