SOMETIMES, NOTHING BEATS A GREAT STEAK; IN THIS CASE, RIBEYES FROM PEADS AND BARNETTS, THE INCOMPARABLE PORK PURVEYORS WHO'VE RECENTLY EXPANDED TO INCLUDE GRASS-FED BEEF. FOR PRICE AND TENDERNESS, I OPT FOR HANGER STEAK, BUT A RIBEYE HAS A DENSER TEXTURE AND THE MINERAL TANG OF BLOOD. THE IDEAL ACCOMPANIMENT TO STEAK IS BEARNAISE. AND CAN ONE HAVE STEAK WITHOUT POTATOES? THE ONES PICTURED HERE ARE LITTLE PAN-ROASTED GERMAN BUTTERBALLS FROM WEISER FARMS. I ROUNDED OUT THE MENU WITH A GREEN SALAD, BUT ANYTHING GREEN WILL DO. IF YOU OPT FOR BROCCOLI OR ASPARAGUS, YOU'LL GET MORE MILEAGE OUT OF YOUR BEARNAISE.
CUT THE POTATOES LENGTHWISE IN HALF OR QUARTERS DEPENDING ON THEIR SIZE.
HEAT 4 TBSPS OF OLIVE OIL IN A PAN. ADD THE POTATOES AND THE THYME. SEASON WITH SALT AND PEPPER. COOK ON A LOW HEAT FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, TURNING THE POTATOES SO THEY BROWN ON ALL SIDES.
ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE COOKING, SEASON THE STEAKS WITH SALT.
HEAT A CAST IRON PAN FOR 2 MINUTES OVER HIGH HEAT. PAT THE STEAKS DRY. ADD A SPLASH OF OLIVE OIL TO THE PAN. LAY IN THE STEAKS.
ALLOW THEM TO COOK FOR AT LEAST A MINUTE WITHOUT MOVING THEM. LOWER THE HEAT TO MEDIUM AND COOK ANOTHER MINUTE. RAISE THE HEAT AND TURN THE STEAKS. SEAR FOR AT LEAST A MINUTE, THEN LOWER THE HEAT TO MEDIUM AND CONTINUE COOKING UNTIL A FEW DROPS OF BLOOD APPEAR ON THE SURFACE. THAT'S RARE. REMOVE TO A WARM PLATTER TO REST WHILE YOU FINISH THE BEARNAISE.
MELT THE BUTTER, ALLOW TO SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN STRAIN INTO A MEASURING CUP WITH A SPOUT, ELIMINATING THE WHITE BUTTERFAT ON THE BOTTOM.
PEEL AND FINELY CHOP THE SHALLOT. PLACE IN A SMALL SAUCEPAN WITH THE VINEGAR, WHITE WINE AND CHOPPED TARRAGON LEAVES. ADD A FEW GRINDINGS OF PEPPER.
REDUCE THE MIXTURE OVER LOW HEAT TILL ONLY ABOUT 4 TBSPS OF LIQUID REMAIN. ALLOW TO COOL.
SEPARATE TWO EGGS AND PUT THE YOLKS IN THE TOP OF A DOUBLE BOILER. STRAIN THE LIQUID INTO THE EGG YOLKS. (IF YOU LIKE THE TEXTURE OF THE SHALLOTS, DON'T STRAIN THE MIXTURE.)
BRING A COUPLE OF INCHES OF WATER TO A BOIL IN THE BOTTOM OF THE DOUBLE BOILER.
ADD A FEW BITS OF COLD BUTTER TO THE EGG YOLK MIXTURE. LOWER THE HEAT TO A SIMMER AND FIT THE TOP OF THE DOUBLE BOILER IN PLACE. WHISK IMMEDIATELY, OCCASIONALLY TOUCHING THE BOTTOM OF THE POT TO MAKE SURE IT'S NOT TOO HOT. ONCE THE BITS OF BUTTER HAVE MELTED, REMOVE FROM THE BOTTOM, POUR OUT THE WATER. THEN REPLACE THE TOP AND BEAT IN THE MELTED BUTTER IN A SLOW STREAM. ALLOW THE BUTTER TO INCORPORATE COMPLETELY BEFORE ADDING MORE.
SCRAPE INTO A WARM GRAVY BOAT OR SMALL POT AND SERVE ALONG WITH THE STEAKS.
Ingredients
Directions
CUT THE POTATOES LENGTHWISE IN HALF OR QUARTERS DEPENDING ON THEIR SIZE.
HEAT 4 TBSPS OF OLIVE OIL IN A PAN. ADD THE POTATOES AND THE THYME. SEASON WITH SALT AND PEPPER. COOK ON A LOW HEAT FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, TURNING THE POTATOES SO THEY BROWN ON ALL SIDES.
ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE COOKING, SEASON THE STEAKS WITH SALT.
HEAT A CAST IRON PAN FOR 2 MINUTES OVER HIGH HEAT. PAT THE STEAKS DRY. ADD A SPLASH OF OLIVE OIL TO THE PAN. LAY IN THE STEAKS.
ALLOW THEM TO COOK FOR AT LEAST A MINUTE WITHOUT MOVING THEM. LOWER THE HEAT TO MEDIUM AND COOK ANOTHER MINUTE. RAISE THE HEAT AND TURN THE STEAKS. SEAR FOR AT LEAST A MINUTE, THEN LOWER THE HEAT TO MEDIUM AND CONTINUE COOKING UNTIL A FEW DROPS OF BLOOD APPEAR ON THE SURFACE. THAT'S RARE. REMOVE TO A WARM PLATTER TO REST WHILE YOU FINISH THE BEARNAISE.
MELT THE BUTTER, ALLOW TO SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN STRAIN INTO A MEASURING CUP WITH A SPOUT, ELIMINATING THE WHITE BUTTERFAT ON THE BOTTOM.
PEEL AND FINELY CHOP THE SHALLOT. PLACE IN A SMALL SAUCEPAN WITH THE VINEGAR, WHITE WINE AND CHOPPED TARRAGON LEAVES. ADD A FEW GRINDINGS OF PEPPER.
REDUCE THE MIXTURE OVER LOW HEAT TILL ONLY ABOUT 4 TBSPS OF LIQUID REMAIN. ALLOW TO COOL.
SEPARATE TWO EGGS AND PUT THE YOLKS IN THE TOP OF A DOUBLE BOILER. STRAIN THE LIQUID INTO THE EGG YOLKS. (IF YOU LIKE THE TEXTURE OF THE SHALLOTS, DON'T STRAIN THE MIXTURE.)
BRING A COUPLE OF INCHES OF WATER TO A BOIL IN THE BOTTOM OF THE DOUBLE BOILER.
ADD A FEW BITS OF COLD BUTTER TO THE EGG YOLK MIXTURE. LOWER THE HEAT TO A SIMMER AND FIT THE TOP OF THE DOUBLE BOILER IN PLACE. WHISK IMMEDIATELY, OCCASIONALLY TOUCHING THE BOTTOM OF THE POT TO MAKE SURE IT'S NOT TOO HOT. ONCE THE BITS OF BUTTER HAVE MELTED, REMOVE FROM THE BOTTOM, POUR OUT THE WATER. THEN REPLACE THE TOP AND BEAT IN THE MELTED BUTTER IN A SLOW STREAM. ALLOW THE BUTTER TO INCORPORATE COMPLETELY BEFORE ADDING MORE.
SCRAPE INTO A WARM GRAVY BOAT OR SMALL POT AND SERVE ALONG WITH THE STEAKS.