Before I get on with my latest meal I want to thank everyone for their kind words for my recent blog entries. You all know how to make a guy’s ego swell but I promise I won’t have to walk through the door sideways because of it!
I also want thank everyone for their comments on the Spanakopita as I’ve shown my mom what was being said and she was moved.
On to the dish. I realized last night that I haven’t had a good slab of carcass (steak) in perhaps over a month and that’s heresy!
I also finally perfected Rosti potatoes. Rosti are a Swiss potato fritter/pancake/pattie but up until tonight, I’ve not had much luck with them. They would fall apart…until now.
Here’s what I found to be keys to successful Rosti:
- Use Russet or baking potatoes. The starch in Russets seem to work best for binding (Yukon Golds just didn’t give a good result).
- Use vegetable oil for frying.
- Use 1 egg for binding. This step proved to be invaluable and the Rosti held together when I had to flip them.
As for the main attraction (steak) I was in heaven tonight. I pan-seared a beef tenderloin, finished it off in the oven and then complemented it with a cranberry/fortified wine reduction…it kicked some serious donkey and it reminded me a bit of my ex…a little tart!
One final note to the ladies in “da haus”…if you’re still stuck on what to make for the man in your life…go with steak…you might even get him to do dishes, give you a foot massage or take you out for some shopping on his card.
I wonder what I’d get if I made the steak?
Beef Tenderloin With Rösti Potatoes and a Double Cranberry Reduction
( for 4)
4 beef tenderloin steaks
coarse sea salt
cracked black pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. of butter
1/3 cup of diced shallots (or red onions)
3 Tbsp. dried cranberries
1 cup of fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup of beef stock
1 cup of Mavrodaphne (or other fortified wine)
2 tsp. fresh thyme
Pre-heated 375F oven
Rösti potatoes
4 Russet potatoes, peeled and grated
4 Tbsp. of chopped fresh chives
coarse salt and pepper
1 egg
vegetable oil
- In a small saucepan, add some butter and saute your shallots on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add your stock, fresh cranberries and wine and bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Take off the the heat after 20 minutes or desired thickness and adjust seasoning.
- Using a box grater, grate your potatoes into a fine sieve, add some coarse salt and allow the water to leech from the potatoes for about 30 minutes. Squeeze any remaining water from the potatoes with your hands and place in a bowl. Whisk an egg and add it to the bowl along with the chives, some salt and pepper. Toss to mix well and reserve.
- Remove the steaks from the fridge and allow them to come to room temperature before cooking. If not tied by your butcher, tie some butcher’s string around the steaks to give them a plump, round shape.
- Season the steaks with salt and pepper.
- Place your oven safe skillet on medium high heat and add a good pad of butter and the olive oil. When your oil & butter start to sizzle, place your steaks in the skillet and sear on one side for 3 minutes. Flip the steaks and place in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Using a kitchen mitt, remove the skillet from the oven and keep your steaks warm (tented foil is fine). Keep the skillet and pan drippings handy, we’re going to soon deglaze.
- Using your hands, make patties out of your grated potato mix and get a non-stick pan on to your stove, medium-high heat.
- Add some vegetable oil and in a minute or two, you should drop your Rosti into the pan. Cook your potatoes for about 5 minutes a side or until golden brown. Keep warm and reserve.
- Place the skillet you used for the steaks back on the stove and turn the heat on to a medium-high heat.
- Add a splash of water and scrape the skillet with a wooden spoon to loosen the brown bits. Take your reserved cranberry-wine reduction and add it to the skillet and bring everyone to a simmer while stirring. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, add your fresh time and the dried cranberries. Throw in a pad of butter to finish off the sauce.
- Cut the string off the steaks and plate with your Rosti potatoes, some green veg and a good Zinfandel.
you can cook, man and yes, this meal would score me some serious brownie points, well done, Peter.You’ve done it again – amaze the hell out of me…
you can cook, man and yes, this meal would score me some serious brownie points, well done, Peter.You’ve done it again – amaze the hell out of me…
you can cook, man and yes, this meal would score me some serious brownie points, well done, Peter.You’ve done it again – amaze the hell out of me…
you can cook, man and yes, this meal would score me some serious brownie points, well done, Peter.You’ve done it again – amaze the hell out of me…
you can cook, man and yes, this meal would score me some serious brownie points, well done, Peter.You’ve done it again – amaze the hell out of me…
you can cook, man and yes, this meal would score me some serious brownie points, well done, Peter.You’ve done it again – amaze the hell out of me…
you can cook, man and yes, this meal would score me some serious brownie points, well done, Peter.You’ve done it again – amaze the hell out of me…
you can cook, man and yes, this meal would score me some serious brownie points, well done, Peter.You’ve done it again – amaze the hell out of me…
you can cook, man and yes, this meal would score me some serious brownie points, well done, Peter.You’ve done it again – amaze the hell out of me…
Hi Peter. My feed reader missed your last two entries! So a belated “good on you” for the spanakopita. The patience you had with that “filo” gave good results. And your dolmades were perfect. (and I learnt a new way to cook em too!).
Mmmmm…nothing beats a good ol’ fashion steak. Great spuds too! Excellent recipes as always!
Peter, after saw your Spanakopita I had no doubt that you are a real Greek “kalofagas”
My rosti potatoes are always a disaster.Your dish looks divine ,as usual
Mmmm, mmm – this is my kinda meal. I love a good piece of beef with potatoes – if I wish really hard, I’m hoping this will morph through time and space to my kitchen!
Peter,
That Beef looks just mouth watering! Can I have some now…?
Love the rosti and thanks for the tip.
Ha ha well i think should take your advice and make hubby dear the steak.
Well if i show him this post his reply to me would be, you any way take the card with or without the steak :-))))
Roesti potatoes are still one of my favourite ways to eat spuds…a true comfort food. They bring me back to my childhood when mom used to shred the potatoes with a rotary hand grater.She would par boil them.. parboiling would activate the starch which would help them stick together…I forget that part often and they are a different thing altogether. Love them anyways :D The steak is not too shabby either :D
Pete, that’s one meaty dish sure to delight!
Ta for your help AGAIN and sorry if I drove you Bonkers. lol
A food massage are BIG words, Peter!!! I would cook this for my man immediately… no matter the dishes pile!
This meat looks so tender and tasty!
Oh man that is one good-looking piece of bovine. Mmmmmmmmmmooooo!
You’re totally right about how easy it is to culinarily please a man. The Hubz is easily swayed with steak.
looks totally delicious! :-)
Love your “carcass” title ! We love reading funny and informative posts. The dishes are spectacular as always, and you post so often! We have to visit everyday to keep up with you!
Nice looking piece of carcass!
I don’t think I’ll ever think of steak exactly the same way again :). I find the easiest way to avoid potatoes falling apart is draining the excess liquid before frying.
It all looks yummy.
Nina, steak is still one of the most enjoyable meals and thanks for your kind words.
Pete Down’Under, thanks again…pita was a big feat!
Sylvia, try Rosti as I laid out…you’ll have success.
Cakelaw…the steak is still here, alas.
Dharm, how would you like your steak done?
Happy, you’ll truly make the hubby Mr. Happy!
Val, I’d love to see on your blog how you do’em.
Pixie, it was my pleasure, thanks for trying it out…you win a tube of tomato paste! ;)
Nuria, show him your twinkle toes and get that massage.
Heather, we (men) are simple creatures…food, ego, work, sleep, sex.
White Rice Duo, thanks again for dropping by. The truth is I have a backlog of dishes to post.
Giz, I have salted and squeezed out the water from the potatoes but they just stick better with Russets.