About a month ago, I ODed on The Home Edit and went on a color ordering spree...which means that, to go in order through my collection, Thomas Keller's Bouchon is my first victim! I bought the book years ago and tried one recipe - boeuf bourguignon. It was long, fiddly, and overly pretentious for my taste (albeit delicious). With that in mind, I was a little nervous looking for a meal to start my inaugural recipe post.
Maybe it's gauche, but steak frites is my favorite bistro dish. Bouchon's rivals Parisian bistros. Missing date nights at atmospheric steakhouses, I've made plenty of steaks at home this year, but frying is a bit beyond my day to day. I can make oven fries like a champ, but double fried frites has been too much to make at home. Let's give it a shot - here's my rendition of TK's maitre d'hotel butter, steak, and frites!
First, we'll make the maitre d'hotel butter as that needs to firm up in the refrigerator before serving. (I'm also planning to use this for salmon later in the week).
Ingredient:
6TB unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp chopped Italian parsley (I used curly parsley because #covid)
1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice**
1/8 tsp kosher salt
** I was too lazy to go out to our lemon tree in the rain and Thomas Keller says that vinegar is an "excellent choice" so I substituted champagne vinegar
Instructions:
Stir the butter until smooth, add remaining ingredients. Put into a rough log on a piece of plastic wrap, roll up the plastic wrap and twist the ends until you create a compact log about 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Refrigerate.
Pommes Frites:
Large Russet Potatoes, washed (1-2 per person)
Peanut or Canola Oil
Kosher salt
1. Cut potatoes into sticks about 1/4 inch thick. Place into a bowl of cold water. Drain, refill, and repeat until the water in the bowl remains clear (it took me 4 water changes). Refrigerate for up to several hours if not using immediately.
2. Heat a large heavy pot with 3-4 inches of oil to 320F
3. Drain potatoes well on paper towels
4. Place a handful of potatoes in the oil - do not crowd. Fry for 5-6 minutes. Remove portion to paper towels. Repeat.
5. Reheat the oil to 375F. Add one portion at a time and fry for 2-3 minutes or until deep gold.
6. Drain on paper towels and salt.
** I also threw together a garlic aioli for dipping
Steaks:
2 10oz filet mignons (TK says flatiron or skirt steak, but my husband likes filet)
2 TB butter
1 cups chopped shallots
1 tsp minced thyme
Preheat the oven to 450F
1. Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Add 1/8 inch of canola oil and heat.
2. Add steaks and 1tsp butter, reduce heat slightly. Cook for 1 minute, then turn the steaks over, tilt the skillet, and use a spoon to baste the meat as it cooks on the second side.
3. Once the second side is browned, drain excess fat, and add shallots, thyme and remaining butter.
4. After 2-3 minutes, transfer steaks to a baking sheet, but continue to cook shallots until soft, but not browned. Spoon shallots over the steaks and bake for 5 minutes, or until medium rare.
5. TK says put a slice of maitre d'hotel butter on the steak and put back in the oven until slightly melted, but I rested mine on a cutting board for a few minutes and let the butter soften on top.
Done!!!!
While there were a number of steps to these recipes, they weren't overly hard or time intensive. The steak had amazing flavor. The frites I would cook just a bit longer and I realized that the kosher salt I had planned to use on them wouldn't stick. I'm a sucker for a good fry though, potatoes being my desert island carb, so I will definitely be making these again!
PS: My husband even says that the clean-up wasn't bad at all!
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