Our little lady is home from the hospital. She had a very decadent dinner of cat treats in bed. While she rested, we had steak frites with asparagus and tomato salad.
At some point in the day, I started thinking about the amazing tomato salad my mom makes in the summer, and then I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
My mom says the trick is good tomatoes. It’s the juice from the tomatoes that mixes with the very simple dressing—olive oil, red wine vinegar and salt—that makes it taste so good. I managed to find some pretty decent Campari tomatoes, it wasn’t my mom’s summer version of the salad, but it hit the spot.
The photo at bottom is dinner from our five year old’s perspective.
• Oven Fries •
from The New Best Recipe and Annie’s Eats
3 russet potatoes (about 24 oz. total), peeled and cut lengthwise into even sized wedges
5 tbsp. vegetable, canola or peanut oil, divided
¾ tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
5 tbsp. vegetable, canola or peanut oil, divided
¾ tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
Preheat the oven to 475˚ F. Place the potato wedges in a large mixing bowl. Cover with hot water; soak for 10-30 minutes. Put 4 tablespoons of the oil onto a heavy, rimmed baking sheet. Tilt the sheet side to side to evenly coat the pan with oil (a pastry brush can also help with this). Sprinkle the pan evenly with the salt and pepper. Set aside.
Drain the potatoes. Spread the wedges out on layers of paper towels or on clean kitchen towels. Pat dry with additional towels. Wipe out the now empty bowl so it is dry. Return the potatoes to the bowl and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Arrange the potato wedges on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 5 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the bottoms of the potatoes are spotty golden brown, 15-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 10 minutes. Using a metal spatula and tongs, flip each potato wedge keeping them in a single layer. Continue baking until the fries are golden and crisp, 5 -15 minutes. Rotate the pan as needed to ensure even browning.
When the fries are finished baking, transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain some of the grease. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.
Where did the steak come from? What cut, how thick? Who cooked it and how? Carnivores have a right to know.
The steak was a shell steak from Fairway, about 1″ thick. Shane cooked it in the grilling pan with salt, pepper and olive oil. Steak sauce from Peter Luger.