Steak frites with Cafe de Paris butter

 

Ingredients

2 x 300g sirloin or rib-eye steaks

4 Sebago potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

½ cup of vegetable oil

salt and pepper, to season

½ lemon

3 cups watercress, to serve

Cafe de Paris butter

150g softened cultured butter

2 tbsp finely chopped chives 

2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp Noilly Pratt (vermouth)

2 cloves garlic, crushed 

1 tbsp capers, finely chopped 

2 anchovies, finely chopped

the rind of ½ lemon, grated

½ tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp Keen's curry powder

Method

1. For the Cafe de Paris butter, mix all the ingredients together. I prefer to keep it soft the first time I use it, and then roll it into the traditional log and freeze it for future use after that.

2. Heat your oven to 220C fan-forced. Place a roasting pan into the oven to heat and add the oil (reserving a little for the steaks). Place the potatoes in a large saucepan with cold water and bring to a boil on high heat. Boil for 10 minutes, then drain the potatoes and return to low heat for just a minute to dry slightly. Place the lid on the pot and shake once or twice to roughen the edges of the potatoes. Transfer the potatoes to the roasting pan and stir to coat in the oil. Season with salt. Roast the potatoes for about 30 minutes, stirring regularly until the potatoes are golden and crisp.

3. Season the steaks with salt and cook in a heavy frying pan to your liking. Rest the steaks well and give them a quick flash in the frying pan just before serving.

4. To serve, spread the steak generously with the butter and serve with the potatoes and watercress dressed with a little lemon juice.