Seared Steak with a Red Wine Pan Sauce & Pommes Frites

By Recipe developed for Sur La Table’s Cooking Classes
Images
Seared Steak with a Red Wine Pan Sauce & Pommes Frites
Serves
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
  • Steak:
  • 2 (1 pound, 2-inch thick) New York strip steaks
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 medium shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 medium garlic clove, peeled and minced
  • ½ cup red wine
  • 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
  • 2 teaspoons minced thyme
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • Pommes Frites:
  • 4 large (about 2 pounds) russet potatoes, peeled, cut into ⅜- x ⅜- x 3-inch matchsticks
  • 2 quarts peanut oil, for frying
  • Kosher salt


Procedure
To make the steak: Use paper towels to pat dry the steaks and season generously with salt and pepper.

Place a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the steaks and cook, turning once, until well-browned on both sides and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 125°F, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the steak from the skillet, transfer to a plate, loosely cover with foil and let rest while you make the sauce.

Return the skillet to the stove over medium-high heat and add the shallots, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Deglaze with red wine and simmer until reduced to a glaze, about 30 seconds. Add the broth and thyme and cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and whisk the butter into the sauce until thoroughly incorporated. Stir in any meat juices which have accumulated on the steak plate into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

To serve the steak: Transfer the steak to a carving board and thinly slice the meat against the grain. Transfer to individual serving plates and spoon the sauce over the top of the meat and serve with Pommes frites (directions below).


To make the pommes frites: Preheat oven to 200°F and place a rack in the center. Set a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet and place next to the stovetop.

To prepare the potatoes: Soak cut potatoes in ice water for 30 minutes. Place oil in a deep fryer or large, heavy pot with a deep-fry thermometer and heat the oil slowly to 300°F.

To cook the potatoes: Drain potatoes and dry very thoroughly with paper towels. Working in batches, blanch potatoes in hot oil until nearly cooked through but not browned, about 4 to 5 minutes, making sure oil temperature does not dip below 300°F. Remove blanched potatoes from oil with a slotted spoon or spider and place on the wire rack. Repeat process with remaining potatoes.

Increase heat so oil temperature registers 375°F. Working in batches, fry blanched potatoes until crispy and golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes, making sure oil temperature does not dip below 350°F. Remove fried potatoes from oil with a slotted spoon or spider, draining excess oil. Place back on the wire rack and immediately season with salt. Place rack and baking sheet in preheated oven to keep fries warm. Repeat with remaining frites and serve hot.

Seared Steak with a Red Wine Pan Sauce & Pommes Frites

By Recipe developed for Sur La Table’s Cooking Classes
Serves
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
  • Steak:
  • 2 (1 pound, 2-inch thick) New York strip steaks
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 medium shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 medium garlic clove, peeled and minced
  • ½ cup red wine
  • 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
  • 2 teaspoons minced thyme
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • Pommes Frites:
  • 4 large (about 2 pounds) russet potatoes, peeled, cut into ⅜- x ⅜- x 3-inch matchsticks
  • 2 quarts peanut oil, for frying
  • Kosher salt


Procedure
To make the steak: Use paper towels to pat dry the steaks and season generously with salt and pepper.

Place a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the steaks and cook, turning once, until well-browned on both sides and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 125°F, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the steak from the skillet, transfer to a plate, loosely cover with foil and let rest while you make the sauce.

Return the skillet to the stove over medium-high heat and add the shallots, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Deglaze with red wine and simmer until reduced to a glaze, about 30 seconds. Add the broth and thyme and cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and whisk the butter into the sauce until thoroughly incorporated. Stir in any meat juices which have accumulated on the steak plate into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

To serve the steak: Transfer the steak to a carving board and thinly slice the meat against the grain. Transfer to individual serving plates and spoon the sauce over the top of the meat and serve with Pommes frites (directions below).


To make the pommes frites: Preheat oven to 200°F and place a rack in the center. Set a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet and place next to the stovetop.

To prepare the potatoes: Soak cut potatoes in ice water for 30 minutes. Place oil in a deep fryer or large, heavy pot with a deep-fry thermometer and heat the oil slowly to 300°F.

To cook the potatoes: Drain potatoes and dry very thoroughly with paper towels. Working in batches, blanch potatoes in hot oil until nearly cooked through but not browned, about 4 to 5 minutes, making sure oil temperature does not dip below 300°F. Remove blanched potatoes from oil with a slotted spoon or spider and place on the wire rack. Repeat process with remaining potatoes.

Increase heat so oil temperature registers 375°F. Working in batches, fry blanched potatoes until crispy and golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes, making sure oil temperature does not dip below 350°F. Remove fried potatoes from oil with a slotted spoon or spider, draining excess oil. Place back on the wire rack and immediately season with salt. Place rack and baking sheet in preheated oven to keep fries warm. Repeat with remaining frites and serve hot.