Another post series here - don't know whether this is down to my anal habit to categorise things or just because this post would look a bit silly on its own. All the dishes in this series I've cooked countless times, because I love them. Again, they're mainly simple dishes, down purely to my love of uncomplicated good food, cooked well.
The first dish is my ultimate favourite and unbelievably simple steak and chips.
I remember the first time I cooked it properly. I was living in France and absolutely in my element. I was still clinging to Elizabeth David's 'French Provincial Cooking' and Simon Hopkinson's 'Roast Chicken and Other Stories' (is there a post where I don't mention him?! I'm obsessed!) where I took all my recipes when I wasn't cooking Japanese food. I went to the market for two pieces of entrecôte, bought a cast iron grill pan and hung onto their every word. I made sure it was room temperature, seasoned with black pepper, brushed with oil and lay it on to the super hot pan. After a couple of minutes (timed to the second at the time), I turned it over, added a big knob of butter to the pan and watched as it foamed up and turned a delicious nut brown. Another minute or two and a sprinkling of sea salt and it was done. So easy. And just beautiful.
Over the years I've improved it and made sauces to go with it but I've never strayed too far away from the original, because I just love it is. My Dad made us tournedos rossini once and I loved it, but have never been able to make it myself. Once I get the steak home I just can't bring myself to do it - it's just calling for a simple sauce, a few chips and a salad. I will get round to the bigger stuff one day when I'm all grown up I'm sure.
One of my favourite things to serve with steak is aligot, a horrendously rich and gooey and yummy mashed potato dish with tomme de cantal cheese blended into it. One plate of that stuff and you're floored, but I'll save that for another day...
On this occasion it was good old steak frites, made with onglet on the recommendation of the butcher as I was on a budget. A little tough but so flavourful, I see why they call it butcher always wants to keep it to himself. Accompanied by my take on beurre Café de Paris, a green salad and homemade bread, followed by chocolate pots, it was the perfect meal. And then we followed it with a 5 hour marathon of Come Dine With Me. Get in.
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