As mentioned in my previous post, my husband spends a fair amount of time out to sea for his job (and occasionally "finds" some wonderful fresh fish filets all cleaned and ready to go on the dock. Strange, I know). As a result, I have gotten very good (and very comfortable) with cooking for myself. A lot of times, I'll make a large portion of something and eat off of it for a while, as with the Curried Vegetable Soup. Other times, I just really want to treat myself, which is exactly what I did last Friday. For the first time in the three months since moving to Newport, I had job interviews during the day. That's right multiple people were interested in employing me. Ok, so maybe it was only two, but it's better than a kick in the teeth. After a week of working on my fitness, eating well and preparing for said interviews, I wanted deliciousness. I wanted RED MEAT and CHEESE and WINE. And that's exactly what I had. And I could not have been happier with the end result, and even had the self restraint to not take down the whole steak in one sitting. The great part about this beautifully simple meal is that it can be completely adjusted for as many portions as you need, whether it be one or ten. Although, I have to admit, there's something really satisfying about treating just yourself to one really beautiful meal that suits just your personal taste, and not being embarrassed to eat it in your sweatpants. Go ahead- no one's there to judge you...
Perfect Steak with Pommes Anna and Sauteed Spinach with Crispy Shallots
* A quick note about Pommes Anna: This is probably my favorite application of potatoes to date for it's beautiful simplicity. It's amazing that four unassuming ingredients can come together and make something so unbelievable, it takes every ounce of restraint I have not to eat the whole pan! I'm not even going to try to lie: I made these on Friday night, and Sunday night I made a second batch. No. Shame. One of life's great pleasures is pulling apart these lovely crispy potato layers and savoring at your leisure!
For the ingredients:
-2-3 Small red potatoes, washed and cleaned
-3 Tablespoons of salted butter
-3 Tablespoons white truffle oil
-1-2 Teaspoons ground thyme
Heat butter, truffle oil and ground thyme in a small cast iron skillet over low heat until blended together, and pour into a small bowl. Don't worry about any left in bottom of skillet, it'll be the base layer of flavor for the potatoes. Carefully slice potatoes into very thin rounds (think thick cut potato chip slices). In bottom of the skillet, layer potato slices in a concentric circle, and fill in middle with any small slices. Using a pastry brush, generously brush each layer with truffle-butter mixture. Season layer with good sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. Repeat with rest of potato slices, and season top layer with salt & pepper. Make a round out of tin foil, place on top of potatoes and press down firmly. Weigh down top with large heavy can or dish of similar size. Set aside for 30 or so minutes. The starch in the potatoes will seep into the layers and form a cake. These steps can all be done ahead of time if prepping other elements of meal. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Remove weight and cook on upper-middle rack for 20 minutes with foil cover. Boost temp to 450 and bake for an additional 20 minutes uncovered. To finish potatoes, broil under med-high setting watching carefully for perfect browning and crispy texture. If you're feeling extra decadent, sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan before broiling for an outstanding crust.
Sauteed Spinach with Crispy Shallots
-3 Tablespoons good olive oil
-2 Tablespoons champagne vinegar
-1 Tablespoon lemon zest
-Fresh white pepper
-1 Shallot, finely minced
-1 Bag fresh spinach, washed and dried
Heat oil in a deep skillet or wok over medium high heat. Saute minced shallots in oil, making sure to keep shallots moving, and keep a close eye on their browning. Shallots are done when they reach a lovely golden brown and have a nice crunch (shallots can go from amazing to toast quickly, so stay on them!). Remove shallots with a slotted spoon and place on paper towel to drain. Turn down heat a bit, and begin to introduce (hi there) spinach into oil, moving quickly. Once spinach begins to wilt, add in champagne vinegar and white pepper and mix well. Just before serving, zest lemon over spinach, toss in crispy shallots and serve immediately.
Perfect Steak
There is no way that I could claim to have a perfect steak recipe, as there are so many factors to making a perfect steak, the most important of which is the chef's personal taste. With that in mind, I will share what I think to be a beautiful and simple steak recipe. I prefer a cut with with a lot of flavor and depth, which is why my go to for marbling and juicy finish is the rib eye. Season the steak with salt and pepper on both side and put aside to rest and let come up to room temperature. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of butter in a good skillet (cast iron is always a fan favorite in my house) until well melted over medium high heat, and a bit of smoke is produced. Sear tempered steak in hot pan for four or so minutes on each side (or whatever time for your desired level of doneness) basting exposed side with melted butter. Flip and repeat on other side. Steak can be served as is, or if you're really looking to knock it out of the park, top steak with large chunks of Gorgonzola, and melt to a bubbling crust under your broiler, which can conveniently coincide with the final step of Pommes Anna. Pull steak out of oven, plate and rest for a few minutes, pour a glass of wine, pair the steak up with the Pommes Anna and spinach and enjoy a lovely private meal.
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