Steak Frites With Shallot Pan Reduction Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450. Set a large pot filled with salted water on the stove. Add potatoes, turn heat to high and cook, gently boiling, until they are softened, approximately 15 minutes. Drain potatoes, and dry them well.
• Grease a sheet pan with half the oil, and put the potatoes on the pan. Using a potato masher or the bottom of a heavy glass, gently smash each potato, pressing it down to a thickness of less than an inch. Drizzle the rest of the oil over the smashed potatoes, place on top rack in the oven and allow to roast until the exteriors are golden and crunchy, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Add salt to taste.
• Make the maître d'hôtel butter. Put the butter on a cutting board and, using a fork, cut the other ingredients into it until the butter is creamy and smooth. Scrape the butter together with a chef's knife, and form it into a rough log. If making it ahead of time, you can roll it tight in a sheet of plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
• As the potatoes finish crisping, make the steaks. Set a heavy-bottomed skillet - or 2 if your steaks are large and you are cooking them in 4 pieces - over high heat, and let it sit for a few minutes. Shower the steaks with an aggressive amount of salt and pepper. Add the oil to the pan, and shake to distribute. It will almost immediately begin to smoke. Place the steaks in the pan, and allow to sear, unattended, for 4 minutes, until they have developed a serious crust. Turn the steaks over, and cook for an additional 3 to 6 minutes for medium-rare. Remove steaks to a warm platter to rest. Top each steak with a tablespoon of the butter.
• Remove the potatoes from the oven, and season them with salt and a grind of pepper. Place 2 or 3 crunchy potatoes on each plate, then nestle a steak up beside them. Top each steak with pats of the remaining butter.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels or a wire rack.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and heavily season it with salt until it tastes like the sea. Add the sliced potatoes and boil until tender and a paring knife easily pierces the potatoes, about 5 minutes. Carefully remove the slices from the pot with a slotted spoon and lay on the prepared baking sheet to dry, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour about 1 inch of the oil into a Dutch oven. Heat over medium-high heat until it registers 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer.
• Once dried, fry the potatoes in batches, turning them occasionally, until golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Drain the fries on the paper towels or wire rack. Transfer to a large bowl. Set aside a little of the parsley for garnishing the steaks. Add the remaining parsley to the bowl along with salt and pepper to taste and toss.
• Meanwhile, heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Season all sides of the filets with salt and use your hands or a pastry brush to coat them with oil. Sear until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Immediately transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of each steak registers 125 to 130 degrees F for medium-rare, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the steaks from the oven and set aside on a plate to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
• Combine the wine, vinegar, thyme and shallots in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Boil until the wine is reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, remove and discard the thyme and stir in the heavy cream. Stir in the butter a chunk or two at a time until melted. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Place the steaks and fries on plates. Drizzle the steaks with the sauce, sprinkle with the reserved parsley and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Heat 1 1/2 to 2 inches oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat to 325 F degrees. Cut potatoes into thin slices lengthwise. Cut each slice into thin shoestring strips. Place cut potatoes on paper towels. Place 2 generous handfuls of potatoes at a time into hot oil, in 2 batches. Par cook the potatoes 2 minutes and transfer to a towel lined plate. Raise heat to medium high up to 375 degrees F. Allow oil to rise to a higher temperature, 3 to 5 minutes. Return potatoes to oil in 2 batches to crisp them, cooking them to a deep, golden brown color, another 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Remove potatoes from oil to clean towels to drain. Season with fine salt and serve.
• For steaks, heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add a little oil to the pan, 1 turn. Season steaks with salt and pepper. Place steaks in skillet and sear 2 minutes on each side. Reduce heat to medium and cook steaks 6 minutes longer for medium rare, 8 for medium to medium well. Remove steaks to a warm plate to rest. Add 2 tablespoons butter and the shallots to the pan. Cook shallots 2 or 3 minutes, add flour to the pan and cook a minute longer. Whisk wine into pan and lift pan drippings up. Add the last tablespoon of butter and remove the pan from the heat. Spoon wine and shallot sauce over the steaks and serve with hot, shoestring potatoes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Arrange potatoes on a baking sheet (or two if necessary) in a single layer. Coat with cooking spray and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Bake at 450F for 40 minutes or until golden brown, stirring potatoes halfway through.
• Remove from oven when done, and toss with 1 teaspoon of thyme.
• Heat a heavy skillet over medium high heat.
• Coat with cooking spray.
• Sprinkle steak with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Add steak to the hot pan, saute 3 minutes on each side, or until desired degree of doneness.
• Remove from pan and keep warm.
• Add shallots to the pan, and saute for 2 minutes.
• Add the brandy, and bring to a boil, loosening any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
• Add the broth, mustard, and remaining thyme.
• Bring to a boil, then cook until reduced to 2/3 cup.
• Add remaining salt and pepper, then whisk in the butter.
• Slice the steak across the grain. Place on a serving plate, and top with the pan sauce.

Steps:

• Remove any excess fat from the steaks. Sprinkle the meat on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Choose a black cast-iron skillet large enough to hold the steaks in one layer and brush it with oil.
• Heat the skillet over high heat. Add the steaks side by side and cook about 3 to 4 minutes or until thoroughly browned on one side. Turn and continue cooking until lightly browned, about 3 minutes for medium rare.
• Transfer the steaks to a warm platter and keep warm. Pour off the fat from the skillet.
• Add 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet and when melted, add the shallots, garlic and thyme. Cook briefly until wilted, but do not burn. Add the vinegar, cook briefly and swirl in the remaining butter and the parsley.
• Remove skillet from heat and add the steaks and any juices that have accumulated on the platter. Blend well, and serve immediately with the shallot butter over the steaks.

Steps:

• For the Steak:.
• Season steaks with salt and pepper on both sides. If you have time, let the salted steaks sit for 35 minutes in the fridge - they'll be a bit more juicy this way. If not, just season and cook.
• Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat until almost smoking.
• sear the steaks about 4 minutes per side, or until rare to medium rare.
• Remove, set aside and keep warm.
• At this point, you can simply deglaze the pan with your choice of water, wine, or even a combination of pepper, cream, brandy, and mustard and reduce to make a sauce for the steaks, but I prefer just a dab of butter.
• For the Frites:.
• Peel and cut the potatoes into about 1/4' matchsticks.
• Soak in cold water for at least 2 hours - overnight is fine.
• Drain the potatoes and transfer to large bowl. Toss with the cornstarch. Transfer to wire rack on rimmed baking sheet. If that's too much work, I sometimes just dry them on paper towels --
• Heat the peanut oil to 330 degrees F.
• Fry in a few batches for about 3 minutes - until it's partially cooked, but not yet browned.
• Remove each batch to drain on paper towel.
• Raise the temperature of the oil to about 375 degrees F.
• Fry potatoes again in batches for 1 or 2 minutes, or until golden and crispy - this will ensure that you have fries that will stay crispy, even if the butter gets to them.
• Serve immediately, go to confession*.
• *optional.