A Hungry Bear

I picked up Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry cookbook a few months ago, and it’s one of the few that I’ve read cover to cover.  The photographs in it are stunning - it really belongs on the coffee table.  I’ve only mustered up the courage to make a couple of things from the book, since they are all highly involved and intimidating.  This recipe is a simplified version of his “Yabba Dabba Do”, a roasted rib steak with chanterelle mushrooms, roasted potatoes (I didn’t attempt the Pommes Anna, a fluffy prune-filled potato cake), and bordelaise sauce.  You might also notice some braised endives in the picture above, which I borrowed from another part of the book - they didn’t really go with the dish so I won’t include it here. Even with my adaptations, this is probably still a special occasion dish for us - but the bordelaise sauce is easy enough, and I’m sure it would be delicious with any grilled steak.

Ingredients: 2.5 pound double-cut rib steak (ask the butcher to trim, french cut and tie the roast - that means, trim excess fat, scrape the bone clean, and tie string around it to keep it together, as in the picture below), 4 T butter, canola oil; (for the bordelaise sauce) 1 cup red wine, 1 carrot, 2 shallots, 10 sprigs Italian parsley, 2 sprigs thyme, 1 bay leaf, 3 garlic cloves, whole black peppercorns, 1 cup beef stock; optional sides - small potatoes and olive oil for roasting, and 1 cup fresh chanterelle mushrooms to saute.

Start by seasoning the roast the night before. Sprinkle a generous amount of kosher salt and plenty of fresh cracked pepper. Press the seasoning into the meat; cover and refrigerate overnight.

One hour before cooking, place the seasoned roast on the counter so it can come to room temperature. Prep the ingredients for the bordelaise sauce: slice the garlic, shallots and carrots.

Place the carrots, garlic, shallots and about 10 whole peppercorns in a small saucepan, along with the bay leaf and the whole sprigs of thyme and parsley.

Pour the beef stock and red wine into the saucepan, then turn on the heat to medium and bring to a simmer.

Cook the sauce for 10-15 minutes until it reduces to about 1/2 cup of liquid.

When the sauce is reduced and has a thick syrupy consistency, remove from the heat. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer - there should be just a half cup of sauce (or less). If there’s a lot more than that, or if you notice it’s still too runny, return it to the pan and continue to simmer until it reduces adequately.

Once the steak is room temperature and you’re ready to cook it, pat it dry with a paper towel so it’s completely dry. This will help it sear better to lock in more moisture.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a heavy oven-proof skillet, heat a very thin layer of canola oil over medium-high heat, until it shimmers. Add the roast and cook for 4-5 minutes, until it has a golden brown crust. Then flip it over and cook for 3-4 minutes more.

Transfer the roast to a plate, and pour off the remaining oil. Quickly throw the butter into the hot skillet, and place the roast back in the pan. Transfer the pan to the oven.

Roast the meat for 20-25 minutes. Every 5 minutes, baste the roast with the butter sauce (flip the roast over halfway through). If you want to serve the steak with roasted potatoes, you can cook them at the same time, since they also need to roast for 20 or so minutes at 450 degrees. Scrub them and cut into bite-size pieces; toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast in a rimmed baking sheet until done.

When the internal temperature of the roast is 120 degrees, take it out of the oven and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes, so it reabsorbs some of its juices. Carve it away from the bone, then slice against the grain.

To make the chanterelle mushrooms to accompany the meat, wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel and peel the stems.

Saute the mushrooms in butter over medium heat for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. When they are starting to turn brown and have released their juices, remove from the heat.

To serve, lay some of the roasted potatoes on a plate. Add two or three slices of roast, topped with the chanterelles. Drizzle with the bordelaise sauce.