An elegant steak dinner that brings together a rich blue cheese sauce, buttered asparagus, and fondant potatoes. Despite its sophisticated presentation, this recipe is straightforward to prepare and delivers a luxurious dining experience.
New York strip steaksthick-cut, approximately 1 lb 2 oz each2
saltfor dry brining and seasoning
black pepperfreshly ground, for seasoning
russet potatoescut into thick slices and formed into circles using a cookie cutter, 2-3 per person3
asparagusfresh, trimmed, 3-4 spears per serving
butterfor cooking potatoes, asparagus, and finishing the sauce
garlicsliced thin, for potatoes and sauce1 tbsp
fresh thymefor potatoes and sauce; sage or rosemary can be substituted
chicken stockfor cooking potatoes and making sauce
banana shallotslarge shallot, minced, for sauce1
fresh sageoptional; for sauce
Madeira winefortified wine for sauce; can substitute with red wine and reduce by half
aged balsamic vinegar18-year-old if available; adds sweetness and depth; regular balsamic can substitute but is more acidic
beef stockquality beef stock is key to a good sauce
blue cheeseRoquefort or other quality blue cheese; optional—can substitute Brie, goat cheese, or omit
cornstarchfor thickening sauce; dilute in water
Steps
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1
Prepare the steaks by salting both sides and placing them on a rack in the refrigerator. If possible, dry-brine for 24-48 hours; minimum 1 hour if short on time.
2
Prepare fondant potatoes by slicing russet potatoes about 1 inch thick and cutting into circles with a cookie cutter. Keep in water until ready to use, then pat dry with a towel.
3
Cook the fondant potatoes in a hot skillet. Season with salt and pepper, add thinly sliced garlic, fresh thyme, and chicken stock. Cover and transfer to a 350°F oven until golden and tender.
4
Prepare the asparagus by selecting fresh, firm spears. Trim away the tough lower portions. Blanch in boiling water to desired tenderness (soft for European style, crisp for South American), then shock in ice water.
5
Make the blue cheese sauce by melting butter in a saucepan. Add minced banana shallot and sliced garlic, cooking until fragrant. Add fresh sage and a pinch of salt.
6
Continue the sauce by adding Madeira wine (or red wine), aged balsamic vinegar, and quality beef stock. Bring to a gentle boil to combine flavors.
7
Adjust the sauce consistency with a slurry of cornstarch and water if needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Optionally strain out solids for a refined appearance, then add crumbled blue cheese.
8
Finish the sauce by removing from heat and whisking in additional cold butter to create a smooth, rich consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
9
Prepare to cook the steaks by preheating the oven to 450°F. Remove steaks from the refrigerator and season with freshly ground black pepper (salt already applied). Heat a skillet to about 365°F with oil.
10
Sear the steaks by placing them in hot oil and leaving them undisturbed. Allow them to develop a beautiful golden-brown crust without moving or flipping until the protein naturally releases from the pan.
11
Flip the steaks and sear the second side. For thick-cut steaks, also quickly sear the sides to develop a golden crust. Allow the second side to develop color similarly.
12
Transfer to the oven by placing the entire skillet into the preheated 450°F oven for a few minutes until the steaks reach the desired internal temperature.
13
Rest the steaks by removing them from the oven and skillet, allowing them to rest briefly for the juices to redistribute.
14
Deglaze the pan by adding Madeira wine or another fortified wine to lift the flavorful browned bits from the bottom. Add these pan drippings to the blue cheese sauce.
15
Finish the asparagus by quickly sautéing the blanched, cooled spears in butter until heated through. Keep the preparation simple to let the quality of the ingredient shine.
16
Plate the dinner by spooning blue cheese sauce to one side of the plate. Slice and arrange the steak, then add 3-4 asparagus spears and 2-3 fondant potato rounds on the plate for an elegant presentation.
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