Steak and Potatoes
This is the second in a series of attempts I’m making to replicate meal delivery recipes on my own for anything approaching the same cost and perceived quality of those services. This one is as basic as it gets on the surface: steak and potatoes. It’s seared sirloin steak plus mashed potatoes and some vegetables on the side. It’s a no-brainer weekday banger. That said, the prep is pretty heavy for something simple on the weekdays so be forewarned, lots of cutting and lots of exact timing.
Ingredients
- 2 sirloin steaks (1.13 lbs)
- ¾ lbs Yukon gold potatoes, cut into ¼-inc pieces
- 6 oz sugar snap peas, de-stringed
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thin
- 1 lemon, cut into quarters, peeled, and seeded
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 3 oz radishes, quartered
- 1 bunch tarragon leaves, chopped
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 shallot, peeled and minced
- Salt
- Black pepper
- ¾ cup heavy cream
Begin by bringing a pot of water to boil and salting it. Add the potatoes and cook until fork-tender, about 14 minutes. Drain and return to the pot. Add the heavy cream, one quarter of your butter and mash it together. Salt and pepper to taste.
Heat to tbsp. olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick pan, then throw in the radishes and snap peas (Blue Apron wants to wait 2-4 minutes before throwing in the snap peas, but maybe put them in with the radishes). Cook them 2-4 minutes then add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds (Blue Apron wants you to cook it for 1-3 minutes, which will yield burnt garlic). Transfer to a bowl to cool.
This is a critical point that at the beginning of this process you should take the stakes out and leave them at room temp, seasoned with salt and pepper to “temper” and draw out the moisture. Throw some oil (Blue Apron says olive oil but use vegetable oil) in the pan you used for the vegetables and bring to medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add the steaks to the pan and sear for 3-5 minutes per side until it reaches your desired doneness (the correct answer to this is “medium-rare” so only cook it 3-4 minutes/side). Take them out and put them on a cutting board, tent with foil and let them chill until you’re done with everything else.
Now it’s time to make a pan sauce. Add the shallot to the steak pan and cook for 1-2 minutes on medium until softened then add all the rest of the stuff you have left – ESPECIALLY THE BUTTER AND TARRAGON – along with 2 tbsp of water and a bunch of black pepper. Cook until it reaches the consistency you want from the sauce.
Throw the steaks on a plate with the vegetables and potatoes and put the sauce wherever you damn please.
Like Kai Ryssdal, let’s do the numbers:
- Steak – $11.24
- Potatoes – $2.09
- Sugar Snap Peas – $2.16
- Garlic – In Stock
- Lemon – $0.79
- Radishes – $1.49
- Tarragon – $2.49
- Butter – In Stock
- Shallot – $0.50
- Salt – In Stock
- Black Pepper – In Stock
- Heavy Cream – In Stock
- Total – $20.76
