Steak Frites

Menu:
Classic Wedge Salad (our version)
French Baguette
Prime Ribeye with Herb Compound Butter
Fries
Cabernet Sauvignon

We have heard that it is a requirement to love beef here in Kansas.  In fact, when we were visiting Chinatown in San Francisco several years ago we were asked by a local, "You live in Kansas?  Don't you eat beef at every meal?"  She then looked us over and continued, "You two are not even that fat for being from Kansas."  I guess she really knew how to make a couple of tourists feel welcome!

We do love a good steak, but we are almost always disappointed when we order steak at local chain steakhouses.  Our quest with this meal... make a great steak and fries, or steak frites.  We definitely hit the mark with this meal, and there were a few important elements that made the difference.

We started the meal with our take on the classic wedge salad.  We bypassed the traditional iceberg for Bibb lettuce and topped it with local heirloom tomatoes, crisp bacon, red onion, and a homemade bleu cheese dressing.  We like the French Bleu d'Auvergne because of the creamy texture and mild flavor.

For the steak, we chose prime ribeye, our favorite cut.  We have discovered that the grade of meat really does make a difference.  If you decide to splurge, stick with prime.  It's worth the extra expense.  At least three hours before grilling, salt your steaks generously on both sides and place them on a rack in the refrigerator.  Place the steak at room temperature one hour before grilling.  Wipe the steaks with a paper towel and re-salt and pepper.  Use a hot grill to get a good sear.  We prefer our steak medium rare - around 120 degrees.  We have tried many techniques to determine when the steak is done, but the best and most accurate method we have found is using an instant-read thermometer.  Next comes the hardest part: allowing the steak to rest.  The steaks look and smell so amazing coming right off the grill that it is difficult to resist the urge to cut right into them.  Allowing them to rest will re-distribute the juices and result in a much juicier steak.  Before covering them loosely with foil, we topped ours with an herb compound butter of shallot, parsley, garlic, and chives.




Our fries started with ¼ inch cut russet potatoes.  We rinsed them several times in cold water and then dried them thoroughly.  We tossed them with a bit of corn starch and let them rest for a while.  We fried them twice in peanut oil - the first time at a lower temperature and then at a higher temperature to crisp them up right before serving.  We finished them off with a sprinkling of coarse sea salt.  We prefer mayonnaise rather than ketchup with these fries.