Steak Frites with Aioli

K with Frites @Cremant

I knew it. I knew steak frites would make a comeback. Don’t ask me why - I get fairly good hunches with many food & fashion trends.

Last year, I prepared steak frites for a few dinner parties. Since then, I’ve seen the dish on a handful of Seattle menus. Steak... frites... aioli... - feels good right now, doesn’t it? I revel in its simplicity, marvel at its textures, I repose in its basic, earthy (is corporeal too strong?) flavor. The hot fat & fleshy juices douse those carnivorous cravings like nothing else.

The steak, fries and aioli are all simple to prepare, but for the love of Pete, do it right!

Frites:
French fries the Anthony Bourdain way is truly the only way to go. Follow his instructions, which are complete & very precise, and they will be absolutely perfect.

Les Halles Fries
Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook
The oil - peanut / the potato - russet / the blanch - 280°, 6-8 minutes / the fry - 375°, 2-3 minutes

Peel 4 Idaho russet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch sticks and put them immediately into a bowl of ice water to keep them from oxidizing. Leave them in the water anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight, then rinse them well in cold water to take out much of the starch.

In a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 quarts (or more, if needed) of peanut oil to 280°. Cook the potatoes in batches, about 6-8 minutes or each batch, until they are soft and their color has paled from opaque white to semi-translucent white. Do not get impatient and yank them out early. Remove them from the oil with the skimmer or wire basket and spread evenly on the baking sheet. Let them rest at least 15 minutes.

Bring the oil up to 375°. No hotter, no cooler. Fry the blanched potatoes in batches for 2 to 3 minutes each, or until they are crispy and golden brown. Remove from the oil with the skimmer or wire basket, shake off the excess oil, and immediately drop the fries into a large bowl which has been lined with a clean. dry towel. Add salt to taste and whip out the towel. Toss the fries around the bowl and serve while still hot.

Steak:
Go for a hormone-free, all natural, grass-fed, well-aged, nicely-marbled ribeye. A great piece of meat doesn’t need to be covered up with gloppy sauces and a myriad of spices. Salt and pepper will do. If you can’t grill it outdoors, use a grillpan indoors. If you can’t tell the doneness by poking it, use a thermometer - 125° for rare, 135° for med-rare, and 140°for medium.

Side Note: Rib-eye steaks can be quite pricey; a bone-in rib-eye roast is quite a bit cheaper per pound. Simply cut off the bone and slice into thick steaks.
Side Side Note: Use the bone to make stock or give it to the dog.

Bone-in Rib-eye Roast

Bone on side - easy to cut off

Cut into steaks

Aioli:
•2 cloves garlic - smashed in a bowl
•Add 1 egg yolk & a pinch of salt - whisk together.
•While continuously whisking, slowly drizzle in 1 cup olive or canola oil until emulsified.
•Season to taste with salt and a splash of lemon juice or white wine vinegar