Thread: French Steaks
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Old 02-24-2019, 11:48 AM
Mille162 Mille162 is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Philadelphia, USA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by seahug View Post
As much as I love paris, it's just ok for steak. Tried it multiple times, including w foodie chef friend who sourced charolais beef.

For steak, IMHO better to side trip to florence and have aged chianina bistecca grilled over grape vines.


In France, the best “steak” is not from cattle, it’s a hybrid duck/goose. Try ordering Magret de Canard...prob my fav cut of meat. It’s the breast of the bird the best foie gras comes from; just like the engorged and fatty lobe, the breast gets a similar layer of fat over the entire breast. Who needs marbling when you’ve got that amazing layer of rendered down fat ontop with every bite!

In the states, you can get a similar duck breast from D’Artagnan. Score fat in diamond pattern and heavily season with salt/pepper. Cook fat aide down over med low heat till fat is rendered down and starts to brown. Drain fat into container and let cool (save for cooking later and use in place of butter of frying fat. Lasts months in freezer). Turn up heat and sear meat side for 2 min, then crisp up fat side 1-2 min till browned but not dried out (same consistency as thick cut bacon). Let sit on board 3-4 min before slicing. Should be served medium rare (think london broil). This should be thought of as beef, not poultry. If it’s not mostly pink, you’ve overcooked it and might as well be eating peking duck.

Take 1 tsp fat and put back in pan and sweat 1 large diced shallot. Add 1/2 cup red wine and deglaze pan, reduce and add 1 tsp demi-glace (also avail from D’Artagnon), salt and pepper to taste (white pepper if you have it). Let simmer and reduce by 1/2. Spoon over duck slices on the plate.

Whip up some mashed potatoes and finish with duck fat instead of butter, or pan sear fingerling potatoes fried in the duck fat. Sear up some sugar snap peas, asparagus slices, cauliflower/broccoli rice, veggie of choice in same duck fat.

1 3-4lb breast serves 2 people. Always cook up extra as slices make the best sandwich the next day!
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