Crispy Greek Fries — Opa!!!

November 4, 2015 The Culinary Chronicles3 Comments

I absolutely die for French Fries.

In fact, my headstone will likely read something along the lines of….

“Here lies Nam…
Loyal daughter, sister, friend…
Mother to puggle Bella…
Devotee of Jack Johnson…

And she LOVED French Fries.”

It borderlines obsession, People. But can you blame me? Crispy, crunchy exterior with a creamy, starchy interior.

Drools.

It goes without saying that if I see any variation of my beloved on a menu, I will order it. Truffle fries, poutine, carne asada fries….I love them all.

When I used to live in San Jose, I would often go to this little Greek restaurant in the neighborhood called Opa! They had these wonderful Mediterranean style fries on their menu with tons of Feta, garlic, and spices. Just sublime.

Since I’ve moved back down to SoCal, I often find myself with a hankering for those golden delicious, Greek inspired fries. And with just a few ingredients (and a little help from frozen French Fries), I can do a pretty bang up job recreating the Crispy Greek Fries in very little time.

While the potatoes crisp up in the oven, I whip up a simple vinaigrette that mirrors the flavors of a Greek salad. The vinaigrette adds a great flavor and acidity to help cut the richness of the fries and cheese. Once the fries are done, I toss them with a bunch of Feta, Mizithra (if I happen to have some), fresh herbs and bit of the vinaigrette.

And well…you can pretty much guess what happens then.

I black out in a French Fries frenzy and the next thing I know, the plate is empty with only a few specks of Feta as evidence that they ever existed.

I have no shame. Especially when fries are involved.

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Crispy Greek Fries
Ingredients:

1 pound frozen French Fries
cooking spray
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced shallots
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup quality extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
black pepper
6 ounces crumbled Feta cheese (I used a garlic-herb blend)
2 tablespoons grated Mizithra cheese (optional)
2 tablespoons minced parsley

Cover a large baking sheet with cooking spray and arrange the frozen French Fries into a single layer on top. Coat the top of the fries with additional cooking spray and bake according to package directions until crispy. Be sure to flip and turn the fries a few times during the baking process. I often like to turn the oven on broil for the last minute or so to get them extra crispy. If you want EXTRA CREDIT, fry the French Fries in peanut or vegetable oil that has been heated to 350 degrees F. And if you want to go ALL IN, peel and cut whole potatoes and then deep-fry them.

While the fries bake, prepare the vinaigrette. In a small jar, add the garlic, shallots, oregano, red pepper flakes, mustard, vinegar and oil olive. Add ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Secure the lid tightly on the jar and shake vigorously for a minute until the items have combined and emulsified. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper as needed. Set aside.

Once the fries have cooked through and are crisp, transfer them to a large bowl. Add the Feta, Mizithra (optional), parsley and a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Toss well and add additional vinaigrette if needed to lightly coat the fries. Plate and serve warm.

Sunday Family Dinner

Family Dinner Brings On the FIRES OF MORDOR!!!!!!

September 18, 2015November 19, 2015 The Culinary Chronicles8 Comments

The Fires of Mordor!!!!

Only a little bit of it….but still– THE FIRES OF MORDOR!!!!!

But I’ll get to that in a bit.

It’s been a few weeks since we had our last Family Dinner and I have to admit, I want EVERY THING from that menu EVERY.SINGLE.DAY.

Since it was August, we were celebrating this pretty gal’s birthday. Yes folks, my little Nina is now 17. How is this even possible?! I feel like it was only the other day that I was zerberting my baby niece’s cheeks and now she’s a senior in high school, preparing to apply to college and driving me around. Well, the latter definitely has its perks.

So, the gang gathered at T’s house on a warm August afternoon for Family Dinner and birthday festivities.

There were cousins selfies……

Cuddle time…..

A little smooching…… (barf)…..

Dudes hanging out by the grill……..

Puppies running around and going BONKERS………

Leo-nators climbing on patio furniture….

Nini and Maya time…….

And lots of QT with this cutie..

We had A LOT going on.

Good thing T made a bunch of Green Sangria for us to sip on. It was filled with kiwis, cucumbers, pears and white vino. Light and perfect for the HOT day we had.

As you may recall, if it’s your birth month, we usually create a menu with your favorite things for Family Dinner.

But the challenge you face when you raise little foodie-lings is that they end up having a taste for high end ingredients and dishes.

Nina loves lobster, uni, premium steaks, sashimi, poke….

Don’t get me wrong, I ADORE all of those things too but I don’t recall having such a refined palate at our munchkins’ ages.

So her birthday dinner of choice was not something your average teenager would have.

Lucky girl.

Seester T’s neighbor had just gone deep sea fishing and they gifted her with a bunch of fresh yellowfin tuna. Now that’s a neighbor I would TOTALLY want!

We took a few pounds of it and my niece Nini made her infamous Spicy Tuna Hand Rolls for us to snack on as appetizers.

SO. FREAKING. GOOD.

I love that Nini has such a great palate and makes THE BEST Spicy Tuna Hand Rolls.… like, EVER. They far surpass any that I’ve had at sushi joints and it’s all because of that “crack sauce” she makes. And lucky for you all, she’s agreed to allow me to share the recipe {coming soon}.

Did I mention she’s only 15?

Remember those lobsters from a few photos up?

Seester N took those buggers and made a wonderful Lobster Bisque filled with chunks of lobster meat and finished with a drizzle of truffle oil.

Lobsters and Truffle Oil?!?

Yea…just keep thinking “17 year old birthday dinner”…..

And because that Lobster Bisque was so nice, I had to show it twice.

One of the sides for dinner were twice fried Parmesan Garlic Truffle Fries.

Go Big or Go Home.

Well, we went Big and then went home.

As for the main course, Nina is like her grandma and ADORES beef. She always wants some kind of steak on her special day.

So she got this beauty below. Dry-aged, Prime Ribeye Steaks with herb butter and crispy onion strings on top.

I’ll pause a moment to allow you to lick the screen……

Oh! And there was a Caesar Salad for a bit of greens.

And to wrap up the whole meal, a decadent birthday cake. Nina loves and I mean LOVES chocolate and green tea. With that in mind, I made her a rich chocolate cake and filled the layers with a matcha mousse. It was then frosted with a matcha buttercream and adorned with Matcha Pocky Sticks.

Not to toot my own horn but it was pretty fantastic.

Now, let’s spend some more time talking about those mouth watering, juicy steaks.

When we first started talking about the menu for Family Dinner, we knew steaks had to be on the menu. But we make steaks all the time–a TON of different ways. We had to do something special for Nina and that’s where my brother comes into the picture.

He and I have talked numerous times about that one episode of Good Eats where Alton Brown uses a chimney starter to “grill” porterhouse steaks.

Yup, you read correctly. A chimney starter that you typically use to heat up coals for a BBQ grill.

And what’s fantastic is that the thick steaks cook in 5 minutes!

It all started with the beef.

Now, Alton used porterhouse steaks but that ended up being tough for V to find that were prime and not choice or select. Why do you want prime beef, particularly for this method of cooking? Because of all that beautiful marbling in the meat. Lots of lovely marbling = taste bombs exploding in your mouth.

We ended up using prime ribeye steaks which were fantastic. V took those beauties and dry aged them in the refrigerator for four days. Click here to find out how A.B. dry ages steaks.

This is where the chimney comes in .

He filled the inside with a layer of natural lump coal………..

Then stuffed the bottom with newspaper…. well, actually, it was an old Trader Joe’s bag……..

Then he lit the paper and allowed the coals to burn.

And this is where the magic begins.

He lifted the chimney and placed one steak on the grill before placing it back over the beef.

He allowed the steak to grill for 90 seconds and then flipped them….

Then the chimney goes back over the steak for another 90 seconds….

Then he took the chimney off, placed the grate on top of the chimney and placed the steak on top………..

Then threw a metal bowl to cover the steak. It grilled for 60 seconds, the bowl was removed, the steak was flipped, the bowl was slapped back on top and then the steak grilled for a final 60 seconds.

And that’s it! The steaks were then rested before we dove in.

Wasn’t that freaking AWESOME!!!???

Not only did it produce a commercial-kitchen-salamander affect on the beef but it was SO FUN to do!!!

In fact, it was SO fun that I had to make a quick video about it. Check it out below and let me know what you think 🙂

All in all, it was a show stopping dinner.

Filled with kids inhaling pounds of lobsters.

And lots of laughter and vino.

Big, BIG thanks to my bro for overseeing our awesome steaks!

And I don’t know what’s happening in the picture below but I can’t stop cracking up over it.

And don’t forget about cake time!

Look at Luna and Leo’s faces below.

They kill me.

Happy Birthday Nina Love!

Speaking of love, take a look at the little photo bomber on the right.

Precious.

Delicious food, learning new cooking techniques, hanging out with the fam–it was a memorable summer family dinner.

With the fires of Mordor….

And Maya dancing behind them. 😉

Until next time gang!

xoxo ❤

This Month’s Family Dinner Menu

Cocktails: Green Sangria
Appetizers: Spicy Tuna Hand Rolls and Lobster Bisque
Entrees: Grilled Ribeye Steaks with Crispy Onion Strings, Caesar Salad & Truffle Parmesan Fries
Dessert: Matcha Chocolate Pocky Cake

Breakfast/Brunch

Breakfast Tacos — Change Up Your Taco Tuesday!

June 30, 2015 The Culinary Chronicles3 Comments

You know what my favorite Tuesday is?

Taco Tuesday!

Seriously. It’s a legitimate kind of day. Well…at least if you’re in Southern California.

The other day while I was rummaging around my fridge checking out all of the random things I had in there, it came to me.

I love Tacos. I love Breakfast.

So why the heck have I never make Brekkie Tacos?

Two words. Brain Fart.

Oh no. Y’all are going to leave me now that I used the f-word in a food post.

Eek….. Sorry!

But in all seriousness gang…this is the real deal. If you’ve never made Breakfast Tacos before, get on it! And if you have been making them for years—why the heck didn’t you tell me to before?!

No recipe here but I will say that there are 4 MUSTS:

Tortillas –and while you’re at it…why not make these homemade Flour Tortillas? They are a game changer.
Taters’ –any type as long as they’re crispy and potato-licious! French fries, hashbrowns, or even these Crispy Oven Roasted Herb Potatoes would be rad.
Shalsha— or “salsa” if you’re not Cindy Brady. You can use some homemade Oven Roasted Tomato Salsa, that jarred salsa from New York city–or heck, just plain old hot sauce.
Fried Egg— the runnier the better. I’m talking crispy edges and an ooey-gooey center that makes it all seem just a bit sinful.

As for the pic’ above, I added some thinly sliced radish, diced yellow tomatoes, cucumbers, cilantro and pickled red onions. So satisfying and so quick that you won’t have any excuse to not make it today.

HAPPY TACO TUESDAY PEEPS!

Breakfast/Brunch

Down and Dirty Breakfast Fries

March 1, 2015 The Culinary Chronicles1 Comment

Sometimes a gal has got to throw frou-frou out the door and just get down and dirty….. for breakfast that is.

I’m talking about turning to premade pantry items that can be thrown together in about 15 minutes to create a gritty, gut bomb breakfast. Something so darn good that you should actually feel a tinge bad about inhaling.

But don’t…. in fact, I’ll like you more for it.

C’mon now... we’re talking fries with a runny egg. It’s a no brainer.

If you’re aiming for extra credit, you could go the extra mile to fry up your own potatoes and pull together homemade salsa. Heck, I usually would but this dish is all about channeling your old 3am college days. And y’all know I’m not a morning person so the AM is my perfect “out” for taking shortcuts. No guilt here 🙂

Happy Sunday FUN-Day everyone!

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Down and Dirty Breakfast Fries
Serves 1

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked frozen french fries (or homemade if you want a gold start)
cooking spray
3-4 ounces breakfast sausage
1 egg
2-3 heaping tablespoons salsa
black pepper and kosher salt
chopped cilantro

Place a large piece of aluminum foil over a baking sheet. Spread the french fries in a single layer over the foil and lightly cover with cooking spray. Bake until crispy according to package decorations.

In a skillet, add the breakfast sausage and cook over medium heat. Use a wooden spoon to crumble the sausage and break into small pieces. Cook the sausage until browned and transfer to a plate. Take a paper towel to wipe out the majority of the grease left from the sausage. Return the skillet to the stove over medium low heat.

Crack the egg into the skillet and fry it until the yolk has just set. Plate the baked fries onto a dish and top with the browned sausage, salsa and then fried egg. Add a pinch or two of both pepper and salt over the egg. Sprinkle the plate with the chopped cilantro and enjoy warm.

Appetizers/Small Plates · Sunday Family Dinner

French Bistro inspired Family Dinner – C’est Délicieux!

February 12, 2014November 19, 2015 The Culinary Chronicles2 Comments

Bonjour! Pour notre dîner de famille, nous avons préparé un menu français.

Yup–that’s what 4 years of French classes at Diamond Bar High School got me. Monsieur Kirkeby would’ve been so proud. Although I can’t be 100% sure that it’s grammatically correct 🙂

Our most recent monthly Family Dinner adventures swept us away to a French Bistro theme. They’re dishes that were meant for casual dining although I’ve also heard bistro cuisine referred to as “glamorous comfort food”. However you define it – it’s délicieux!

We like to have a plentiful selection of items to nosh on for our Sunday Family Dinners but as they were only 10 of us that night, we had to make some concessions. The biggest challenge was trying to narrow down which dishes we’d prepare…. Poulet Rôti? Steak Tartare? Salade Frisée aux Lardons? Escargots?

So much good food, so little time!

As always, we started off with some adult beverages. Although this time around, I opted not to prepare any mixed cocktails and served chilled sparkling vin from the Loire Valley in central France and a Côtes du Rhône.

While we prepped, we nibbled on an Abbaye de Belloc which is a French sheep’s milk frommage that we picked up earlier that day from Center Street Cheese Shop.

Next, we had a hearty Soupe à l’oignon – French Onion Soup.

French Onion Soup is rather nostalgic for me. The first “fancy dining” memory I have is eating French Onion Soup with my parents at a restaurant in Minnesota. I couldn’t have been more than a few years old but the fact that none of my siblings were there makes me believe that I must have crashed one of their very few “date meals”.

There was a Salade Niçoise overflowing with goodies like olive oil preserved tuna, haricot verts, olives, eggs, and grape tomatoes. My sister took the lead on this and adapted Tyler Florence’s version that can be found here. It was incredibly satisfying and could have been a meal in itself–but we’re gluttons.

I can’t imagine a bistro themed menu without some version of mussels. Our sister prepared her Moules with lots of wine, leeks, celery and fresh herbs. She used P.E.I. mussels that were so plump and were sweet and tender. They took on a creamy texture that was out of this world.

And then our deep carnivore side took over and we threw down some serious Steak Frites. We opted to go with simply seasoned grilled steaks (ribeyes and T-bones) and then topped them with an herb butter I had made with tarragon, parsley, thyme, lemon zest, salt and pepper.

To go with the Moules and Steaks, we put our niece, Nini, to work with double frying our Frites. You first fry the potatoes at a lower heat to cook them through to a translucent stage. Then, you crank up the heat and fry them up again so that become crisp and perfectly golden.

This Potato Monster totally approves.

As for dessert, we had an apple Tarte Tatin with ice cream and it was a FLOP!

Seriously!

So for those of you who ask if we never mess up on any dishes — you better believe it! And this Tarte Tatin was a prime example of how you can follow a recipe word for word and still have a disaster. My caramel didn’t set, the puff pastry was a soggy mess…I was SO bummed! It didn’t look terribly bad but trust me, looks can be deceiving.

But I survived and will live to make more desserts. Plus there was still lots of vin left so we commiserated with booze like all honest cooks do.

Despite my failed dessert, it was a fantastic meal! And like I said, with so many other Bistro classics that we didn’t have the time (or enough room in our stomach) to make, there may be a Part Deux to come!

In the meanwhile, fix yourself up the delightful Salade Niçoise that our seester made. You’ll adore it–especially with some baguette and a crisp white wine.

À bientôt!

This Month’s Family Dinner Menu

Cocktails: Côtes du Rhône, French Sparkling Wine from Loire
Appetizers: Soupe à l’oignon, Frommage, Salade Nicoise
Entrees: Moules, Steak Frites
Dessert: Tarte Tatin

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Salade Niçoise

Ingredients:
½ tablespoon minced garlic
2 heaping teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 heaping tablespoons minced fresh tarragon
½ cup quality extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
black pepper
½ pound petit new potatoes, scrubbed and cleaned
1/4 pound haricots verts, trimmed
10 to 12 ounces canned or jarred Italian tuna packed in olive oil
8 ounces mesclun, washed and dried
½ pint grape tomatoes
4 hard boiled eggs, quartered lengthwise
6 ounces pitted Niçoise olives

Prepare the vinaigrette. Place the garlic, Dijon mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, tarragon and olive oil in a small jar. Add ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper into the jar before tightly securing the lid back on. Shake the jar vigorously for 15-20 seconds. Taste and adjust for seasonings as needed. Set aside.

Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Stir in a few pinches of salt before adding in the potatoes. Depending on the size of your potatoes, cut them into halves or quarters before adding them into the water. Allow the potatoes to boil for about 8-10 minutes, until tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes and place them in a large bowl. Toss the warm potatoes with 1-2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette to coat lightly.

Add the haricots verts to the same pot of boiling water. Blanch the haricots verts for 1-2 minutes and then drain them into a colander. Immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water and allow them to cool for a few minutes. Shocking the haricots verts will stop the cooking process to stock and allow them to maintain their bright color. Drain them and set aside.

Drain the olive oil from the tuna and use a fork to flake the fish into large pieces. Season with kosher salt and pepper.

Arrange the mesclun on to a large platter. Arrange the dressed potatoes, haricot verts, tomatoes, eggs and olives over the top of the greens. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and serve.

Seafood · Vegetables/Vegetarian

Muggles’ Fish and Chips

July 14, 2011July 14, 2011 The Culinary Chronicles32 Comments

11+ years…..

11+ years I’ve been engrossed in the world of Patronus charms, invisibility cloaks, house elves, and Quidditch.

11+ years I’ve arrived in costume at stores for their early book release parties, stood in line for midnight movie premiere showings, and took online quizzes to find out which House I would be “sorted” in (Gryffindor, of course).

So as the final movie installment of the Harry Potter saga comes to a close this Friday in the States, I find myself mixed with feelings of utter glee and sadness. Kind of like at your college graduation…..excited for closure yet somehow saddened to see it end. Bittersweet.

As a tribute (damn, that J.K. Rowlings is brilliant), I wanted to make something “British” to send off some of my favorite characters. And of course, the first thing that came to my mind was Fish and Chips. Cliche? Maybe, but I love Fish and Chips 🙂

These Fish and Chips from America’s Test Kitchen are easily some of the best I’ve ever had. The cod remained moist and flavorful through the frying process and the batter was utterly crispy—-even after 20+ minutes out of the fryer. I decided to serve this classic with a kicked up version of tartar sauce that was amped up with prepared horseradish. But if you’re not a fan, feel free to omit as you see fit.

And why did I call it “Muggles’ Fish and Chips“? Simple really….because THIS muggle made them!

But trust me on this, these Fish and Chips are so delish that even “He Who Must Not Be Named” would change his ways after taking a bite. Well….at least he would stop and think twice. 🙂

Here’s to an incredible adventure that has inspired millions of children (and adults!) across the world to become excited about reading and believing in MAGIC…..

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Muggles’ Fish and Chips
Serves 4

Ingredients:

Fish (From Americas Test Kitchen):
1 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Cornstarch
1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Paprika
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
Table Salt
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 1/2 Pounds 1-inch-thick Cod Fillet or Haddock, cut into eight 3-ounce pieces
1 1/2 Cups Beer (12 ounces), cold

Chips (From Americas Test Kitchen):
3 Pounds Russet Potatoes, peeled, ends and sides squared off, and cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch by 1/2-inch fries
3 Quarts Peanut Oil (or canola oil), plus 1/4 additional cup

Tartar Sauce:
1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Caper Berries, roughly chopped
1/2 Tablespoon Prepared Horseradish
2 Teaspoons Dijon Mustard
Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste

Prepare tartar sauce by whisking all the ingredients in a a bowl until fully incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Place cut fries in large microwaveable bowl, toss with 1/4 cup oil, and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high power until potatoes are partially translucent and pliable but still offer some resistance when pierced with tip of paring knife, 6 to 8 minutes, tossing them with rubber spatula halfway through cooking time. Carefully pull back plastic wrap from side farthest from you and drain potatoes into large mesh strainer set over sink. Rinse well under cold running water. Spread potatoes onto kitchen towels and pat dry. Let rest until room temperature, at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour.

While fries cool, whisk flour, cornstarch, cayenne, paprika, pepper, and 2 teaspoons salt in large mixing bowl; transfer 3/4 cup of
mixture to rimmed baking sheet. Add baking powder to bowl and whisk to combine.

In heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, heat 2 quarts oil over medium heat to 350 degrees. Add fries to hot oil and increase heat to high. Fry, stirring with mesh spider or slotted metal spoon, until potatoes turn light golden and just begin to brown at corners, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer fries to thick paper bag or paper towels to drain.

Reduce heat to medium-high, add remaining quart of oil, and heat oil to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, thoroughly dry fish with paper towels and dredge each piece in flour mixture on baking sheet; transfer pieces to wire rack, shaking off excess flour. Add 1 1/4 cups beer to flour mixture in mixing bowl and stir until mixture is just combined (batter will be lumpy). Add remaining beer as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking after each addition, until batter falls from whisk in thin, steady stream and leaves faint trail across surface of batter. Using tongs, dip 1 piece fish in batter and let excess run off, shaking gently. Place battered fish back onto baking sheet with flour mixture and turn to coat both sides. Repeat with remaining fish, keeping pieces in single layer on baking sheet.

When oil reaches 375 degrees, increase heat to high and add battered fish to oil with tongs, gently shaking off excess flour. Fry,
stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer fish to thick paper bag or paper towels to drain. Allow oil to return to 375 degrees.

Add all fries back to oil and fry until golden brown and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to fresh paper bag or paper towels to drain.
Season fries with salt to taste and serve immediately with fish, fresh lemon, and tartar sauce.

Beef · Vegetables/Vegetarian

Ribeye Steak and Frites

February 2, 2011January 27, 2015 The Culinary Chronicles5 Comments

I love steaks—-I am, after all, my mother’s daughter.

But I don’t eat it very often and I sure as heck don’t make it enough. Which is really unfortunate because it’s so easy and makes your home smell delicious. In fact, it took longer to bake my frites than it did for me to prepare and sear my Ribeye Steak.

So next time, forgo the bougie steakhouses. You’ll save a few bucks and no one will look at you weird if you’re wearing your pajamas at the dinner table. 🙂

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Ribeye Steak and Frites
Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 Ribeye Steaks, approximately 1.5 inches thick and at room temperature
1 Cup Crimini Mushrooms, sliced
1 Large Russet Potato, peeled and cut into ¼ inch long strips
2 Tablespoons Fresh Garlic, minced finely
1 Tablespoon Shallots, diced
1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme Leaves
¼ Cup Red Wine or Beef Stock
¼ Cup Heavy Cream
1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
4 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil, divided
Kosher Salt and Fresh Cracked Pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with in 2 tablespoons of oil and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Spread them in one even layer on a baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes. Stir every 10-15 minutes to ensure all sides are baked even.

While the frites are baking, rub the steaks with the remaining oil. Heavily season all sides with salt and pepper. Heat a cast iron pan to high heat. Add the steaks to the pan and sear each side for 2-3 minutes. You want to develop a golden brown crust. Move the pan to the oven and bake until the internal temperature reaches 130-135 degrees (medium rare) or 140-145 degrees (medium). Remove the steaks to a clean plate and tent with aluminum foil. Allow the steaks to rest for 5-10 minutes.

While the steaks are resting, melt the butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute the mushrooms and shallots until they are golden brown. Add thyme leaves, wine, and cream. Cook until the sauce reduces by half. Season with salt and pepper.

Plate the steaks with a few spoonfuls of the mushroom sauce and frites.