Steak frites, which means steak fries, is a dish of steak and deep fried potatoes, served popularly in Brasseries (French restaurants), all through French-speaking Europe. In the ancient times, rump steak was used to prepare the dish; however, these days, beef steak like sirloin, porterhouse, or rib eye is used in the preparation of dish. Cooked steak is drizzled with pan reduction sauce and served with potato fries. Small sized and plump steak, with little amount of fat around edges, should be chosen to prepare the dish. Extremely thin and lean steak will be dry and flavorless.
Preparation Overview
The preparation of steak frites is carried out in two steps, viz. preparing steak and making deep fried potato chips. The basic steak frites recipe suggests making small incisions in each steak, and then sautéing them in a buttered skillet, seasoning them, and cooking them until meat is tender and juicy. The steaks are flipped during the cooking process so as to cook properly from both sides. Thereafter, the steaks are transferred to a plate, drizzled with a mix of pan juices and butter, and served with potato fries, commonly referred to as French fries. The steaks can also be drizzled with shallots and wine sauce prior to being served with French fries. The shallot and wine sauce is prepared by adding shallots, flour, butter, and wine to pan drippings and cooking the mix for a few minutes. Though steak is usually cooked in a skillet or frying pan, it can also be cooked on a hot grill. The steak is seasoned with salt and pepper before being placed on grill.
Deep fried potatoes, which are served along with steak, are made by deep frying thin potato slices in hot oil in a deep frying pan twice, so as to make them crisp. The potatoes are taken out of the oil after being fried for a couple of minutes and fried again for a few more minutes until crispy and golden brown. The deep fried potatoes are seasoned with salt prior to being served with steak.
Nutrition
Steak frites, comprising one steak and 4 oz potatoes, provides 259 calories, obtained from 5 g of fat, 50 mg of cholesterol, 434 mg of sodium, 33 g of carbohydrates, and 21 g of protein.