Thursday, July 24, 2008

Steak Frites


Being an unrepentant carnivore I take considerable delight in a nice well aged piece of rump or sirloin cooked rare and served with bernaise sauce and some frites. Being as frites are a froggy invention I should really steer clear, but I do have to admit that these crunchy matchstick chips have to be the best accompaniment to steak. The British chip cooked to perfection is a glorious beast, but in this case it must play second fiddle to the French interloper.

There's steak and there's steak: plastic packed anaemic supermarket beef; the under aged stuff from economy class butchers; and the truly glorious well marbled and aged article. If you ain't got the right stuff to begin with your steak frites won't dance the light fandango baby.

Frites (AND CHIPS) must be cut from dry, floury potatoes. Using waxy or 'all purpose' varieties is the perfect recipe for a droopy frite. The finest potato is the King Edward, although the Maris Piper makes a perfectly acceptable substitute.

The French do steak frites best, but similar can be found in New York and London if you know where to look.

Beats lentils and brown rice any time. Sorry George, I ain't ready to join the vegan sandalist brigade just yet

10 comments:

KAZ said...

Just get that watercress down you - then you won't have a problem with droopy frites.

garfer said...

Those are baby spinach leaves Kaz.

You obviously don't know your onions.

The Mistress said...

No one likes a droopy frite.

Are the Brits the nation responsible for pairing eggs with steak?

garfer said...

Or a pair of droopy drawers.

It's the Aussies who paired eggs with steak. Vulgar, but not as bad as pairing steak and seafood which the Yanks do.

Anonymous said...

Yes, just the thought of 'surf & turf' makes me queasy.
So what do you like with your steak - HP or A1 sauce?

garfer said...

Neither.

It's got to be good ole Colman's English mustard, bernaise, or a peppercorn sauce.

FirstNations said...

agrrre, surf and turf is to barf. but a gorgous steak and....fries? come on! what you really want is a deep fried onion blossom! seriously; its GOOD. i'll find a linkie..

FirstNations said...

...ok here:
for the picture...
http://images.jupiterimages.com/common/detail/02/77/23227702.jpg

for the recipe...
http://southernfood.about.com/od/copycatrecipes/r/blcc3.htm

I am dead serious here. you ought to try it; it goes with a good steak perfectly. (ignore the dip in the 'southern food' recipe. ew.)

garfer said...

Looks fiddly, but I'll give it a try.

pissoff said...

No frites thank you. I don't like, especially with steak. Now that's vulgar.

Chip and eggs - vile.

Chip butty - I wouldn't think of it.