Saying au revoir with steak frites à la Vassar bourgeoisie

How to end? The question of how to culminate this column had been rolling around my brain for a couple of weeks before the answer hit me. I needed a column of culinary proportions to put each previous issue to shame and make them irrelevant, obsolete, hamster cage-liners. I needed a recipe that would make this issue the issue to cut out and keep for years ahead. How to end? The answer, of course, is dessert.

I began to brainstorm what I wanted to make this week with the notion in mind that no year-long food series would be complete without a satisfying treat for the sweet tooth in all of us. Dessert seemed like the right idea, but perhaps anticlimactic when compared with fresh pastas, marinated meats and homemade soups. I needed some sort of entrée to precede the dessert, to really round out the meal, and make this column more special than the others. I have to admit that I'll sometimes order dessert even when I'm not hungry just so I can extend the meal. Why stop at two courses when I could make three? Working backwards, from dessert to entrée to appetizer, is how I decided to end this year with a budget-busting three course meal. My ideal meal.

I have worked hard this year to publish a wide array of recipes that stem from different culinary traditions and employ a diversity of techniques. I have tried to incorporate lots of different proteins—chicken, pork, fish, whole grains—and to provide some weeks where the recipes were vegetarian or vegan-izable. Keeping the budgets under $20 proved to be a challenge, but with the exception of the Thanksgiving turkey issue, I succeeded each week. However, this week I have decided to put the budget aside with the disclaimer that this is a meal for a special occasion. It's a meal for that certain someone: a Mother's Day dinner, a Bastille Day brunch, what have you. Of course, each of these dishes on its own would likely fall under $20.

Like all good meals, I began with dessert. There are two types of desserts in this world: cooks' desserts and bakers' desserts. Bakers' desserts are things like layer cakes, pies, stacked cookies, truffles and tartlets. Cooks' desserts are things like crème brulee, mousses, homemade ice creams and puddings. These categories are, of course, oversimplified, but the point is that some desserts require methods of preparation that are closer to cooking savory foods, which are harder to mess up, while others require a sort of precision and certain skills necessary only for baking. Bread pudding has always been my go-to dessert because it's simple, delicious, inexpensive, and, if you put it in the oven right when you sit down for your first course, it will be hot and perfectly cooked as soon as it's time for dessert.

I like to use croissants, brioche or challah in my bread pudding because these breads are fairly sweet already. I've been known to, depending on my pantry situation, toss in dried fruit, Nutella, peanut butter and chocolate chips. Bread pudding's forgiveness when it comes to adaptation is the real reason I love to make it; follow the simple custard recipe, and it doesn't really matter what else you do.

Once I had settled on the dessert this week, I looked back through the old issues and tried to find any glaring holes in the recipe box and realized I hadn't really done anything classically French yet. The croissants in the bread pudding are French. I like steak. How about the French staple steak frites? Done deal. For someone who prides himself on having a relatively refined pallet, I will admit that there is a soft spot in my heart for meat and potatoes. To me, there is nothing more comforting. Aside from desiring a nice hunk of steak in stomach, I'm excited to share this week's recipe because everyone should know the secret to perfect homemade French fries (frites, in French, I guess). The trick is to fry them twice: once at a lower heat, to par-cook them, and again at a higher heat to get them golden brown and crispy. I believe I may have said this once, but let me reiterate: Do not be afraid to fry at home. So long as you invest in an oil thermometer and have a large, heavy-bottomed pot that you do not fill more than halfway with oil, it couldn't be simpler.

As for how I arrived at the salad to start the meal, I suppose you could say I was embarrassed by the relative heaviness of the rest of the meal and wanted something to lighten it up. Celebrations call for salads too.

Before I close, I would just like to extend my warmest thanks to everyone who has read and enjoyed this column. I have had a fantastic year writing it. As always, happy eating.

Steak Frites

5 6-8 oz. sirloin, ribeye or New York strip steaks
3 shallots, chopped
1 c. beef stock
3 T butter
2 T Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
4 large russet potatoes
Canola oil, for frying

For the Steaks:
Generously coat each side of the steak with salt and fresh ground pepper. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sear the steaks for 2 minutes per side, until they are golden brown. Set aside and repeat with the remaining steaks. Place the seared steaks on a baking sheet and roast in a 400 degree oven for another 4-5 minutes for a medium rare steak. While the steaks are in the oven add the shallots to the hot sauté pan and then pour in the beef stock. Add the Dijon mustard, stir well to combine and let simmer until thickened (4-5 minutes). Spoon some of the sauce over the steaks to serve.

For the Frites:
Fill a large, heavy bottomed pot half-full of canola oil and heat to 325 degrees. Wash the potatoes, but leave the skin on. Using a mandolin, V-slicer, or some precise knife work, cut the potatoes into 1/4 inch strips, or however you like to enjoy your frites. Just know that the thicker they are, the longer they will take to cook. Fry the potatoes for 4 minutes at 325 degrees, remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. Turn up the heat on the burner and heat the oil to 375 degrees. Cook the frites an additional 2 minutes, until they are golden brown and crispy. This two-step cooking process ensures that the frites will be cooked through inside and crispy outside. Remove from the oil, drain on paper towels and salt generously.

Frisee salad with pears, cherry tomatoes and goat cheese

1 bunch frisee or chicory leaves
1 pear
12 cherry tomatoes
Crumbled goat cheese

For the dressing:
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 T olive oil
Juice from 1 lemon
1 t honey
1 t Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Slice the pear into thin strips. To prevent oxidization (turning brown) place the pear slices in bowl of water with 1 t. lemon juice. For the dressing, combine the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, mustard, salt and pepper. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking.
Place some frisee onto a plate. Top with some halved cherry tomatoes, pear slices and crumbled goat cheese. Spoon some dressing over the top.

Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding

5 chocolate croissants
3 eggs, plus 5 egg yolks
4 c. half and half
1 t. vanilla
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. raisins (optional)

In a large bowl combine the eggs, egg yolks, half and half, vanilla and sugar. Whisk until well combined. Cut the chocolate croissants (preferably stale ones) into 1 inch squares. In five individual ramekins or one large casserole dish, place the croissant squares and raisins. Pour in the custard mixture and fill until 3/4 full. Bake the bread pudding for 60-90 minutes (depending on whether you've used individual ramekins or one large dish) in a 350 degree oven. If the top begins to get too brown, cover with aluminum foil. Remove from the oven when the custard sets, though it will still be a bit wiggly.

Grocery List

Bunch frisee or chicory leaves
Pear
Cherry tomatoes
Goat cheese
1 lemon
Sirloin, ribeye or N.Y. strip steaks
Shallots
Beef stock
Dijon mustard
Russet potatoes
Chocolate croissants
Eggs
Half and half
Raisins

Products purchased at:

Adams Fairacre Farms
765 Dutchess Turnpike
Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
(845) 454-433