Stunning steak and skinny chips – this classic brasserie recipe is perfect supper party fodder.
Ingredients
- 4 x 225-300g steaks, such as sirloin, fillet, rump or T-bone
- Olive oil, for brushing
For the red wine butter
- 115g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 1 star anise
- 300ml red wine, such as a Cabernet Sauvignon
- 80ml chicken stock
- 1/2 tsp caster sugar
- Sprig fresh thyme
For the shoestring chips
- 450g floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper
- Sunflower oil, for deep-frying
Method
- 1. Make the red wine butter. Melt 15g of the butter in a small pan, add the shallots and cook gently until softened. Add the star anise, red wine, chicken stock and sugar and leave to simmer gently until the mixture is thick and syrupy. Add the thyme and simmer for a further 5 minutes until the mixture is thick and well reduced. Leave to cool, then remove the star anise and thyme and beat into the remaining butter with some seasoning. Set aside somewhere cool to firm up slightly, but don’t put it in the fridge.
- 2. Make the chips. Peel the potatoes and cut them lengthways into slices about 5mm thick. Cut once more into long, thin chips. Heat some oil to 190°C for deep-frying. Deep-fry the chips in 2 batches for 2-3 minutes until soft but not browned. Lift out and drain briefly on kitchen paper. Bring the oil back to 190°C.
- 3. Brush the steaks with a little oil on both sides, and season well. Heat a cast-iron griddle or a heavy-based frying pan over a high heat until smoking-hot. Add the steaks and cook for 21/2-3 minutes each side for medium-rare, pressing down on them with a fish slice to ensure even cooking.
- 4. While the steaks are cooking on the second side, return the chips to the oil and fry for another 1-2 minutes until crisp and golden. Drain well on lots of kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt.
- 5. Lift the steaks onto warm plates, spoon some of the red wine butter on top and leave for 2 minutes to allow the meat to relax and the butter to melt a little. Pile chips alongside and serve with a simple salad.
Nutritional info
Per serving: 1,007 kcals, 68.4g fat (29.7g saturated), 52.3g protein, 35g carbs, 2.3g sugar, 1.2g salt
Chef's tip
This makes more wine butter than you need, so roll any extra into a log, wrap in a sheet of cling film and freeze to use another time.
Wine Recommendation
The vibrant flavours in this dish call for a bright, fruity red, such as a Chilean Merlot.