Filet of Beef Au Poivre (Pepper Encrusted Beef) with Potatoes Dauphinois

Many of those who are near and dear to my heart tend to be "meat and potatoes" kind of people.  I, personally, get bored with this assessment of dietary structure; however, thanks to the glorious fare of the French, I found my way out of our typical mealtime rut.  Though succulent and tasty, filet of beef au poivre is only problematic in that it requires an atypical weekday meat selection - filet mignon.  Of course, since our food excursion of the month took us to France, it was only fitting to make an exception. 

Regarding the preparation of the meat, it was surprisingly simple.  I felt like a much younger version of myself could have pulled it off with just as much ease as did my older, more domestic self.  Despite the grandoisity of France, as a country - full of Baroque art and Gothic architecture - and the multi-faceted complexity of French cooking, the French have their moments of surprise in which minimalism and simplicity are revered more than anything else.  This would be one such example.  The same could also be said for the potatoes dauphinois.  Slice, boil and bake.  Nothing more. 

Fit for a king (or a Dauphin), this was one meal that delighted all in our household.  A meal meant to be repeated, time and time again.  And, for that I say....viva la France!

Filet of Beef Au Poivre
Ingredients:

• 6 filets mignon, cut 1 1/4 inches thick
• Kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp. coarsely ground black pepper
• 3 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3/4 cup chopped shallots (3 to 4 shallots)
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1/2 cup cognac or brandy

Instructions:

1. Place the filets on a board and pat them dry with paper towels.  Sprinkle filets with salt and then press the black pepper evenly on both sides.  Allow to rest room temperature for 15 minutes.
2. Heat 1 1/2 Tbsp. of butter and oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until the butter almost smokes.  Places the steaks in the pan and lower the heat to medium.
3. Saute steaks for 4 minutes on one side and then 3 minutes on the other side, for medium rare.  Remove the steaks to a serving platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
4. Meanwhile, pour all but 1 Tbsp. of fat from the saute pan.  Add the shallots and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. 
5. Add the beef broth and cook over high heat for 4 to 6 minutes, until reduced by half, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
6. Add the Cognac and cook for 2 more minutes.  Off the heat and swirl the remaining 2 Tbsp. of butter and 1/2 tsp. of salt.  Serve steaks hot with the sauce poured on top.

Potatoes Dauphinois
Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 lbs. potatoes
• 3 2/3 cups milk
• pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 or 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3-4 Tbsp. creme fraiche or whipping cream (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Cut the potatoes in half and then into fairly thin slices.
2. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and pour over the milk, adding more to cover if needed.  Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg and bay leaf.  Bring slowly to a boil over medium heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes just start to soften but are not completely cooked, and the milk has thickened.
3. Generously butter an oval gratin dish or 8 cup shallow baking dish.  Sprinkle with garlic over the base.
4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to the baking dish.  Season the milk to taste, then pour enough of the milk to come just to the surface of the potatoes but not to over then.  Spoon a layer of cream over the top or add more of the thickened milk to cover.
5. Bake the potatoes in the oven for about an hour, until the milk is absorbed and the topping has turned a deep golden brown.

(The original recipe for Filet of Beef Au Poivre came from "Barefoot in Paris" by Ina Garten.  The original recipe for Potatoes Dauphinois came from "Around the World in 450 Recipes" by Sarah Ainley.)

Patates (Fried Sweet Potatoes)

Fried potatoes are nothing new to my American palate.  Though my intention is to avoid them like the plague, french fries somehow have a way of sneaking into our house at least once a month.  And, though I scoff at their presence in these moments of our collective household weakness, I must admit that more than a couple of these greasy starch sticks find their way into my mouth.  What can I say - they are one of the four basic food groups of my generation (soda, burgers and candy bars being the remaining three).  So, naturally, when I learned that the people of Guinea are just as fixated with the frying of starchy vegetables as we Americans are, I figured it would be a good way to join the two worlds. 

In lieu of the potato, Guineans have found an affinity with the use of sweet potatoes and plantains.  Hoping to add some color and a speck more of nutritional value to my meal, I opted to use sweet potatoes.  The recipe only lists oil as an ingredient but doesn't list the quantity needed.  Simply, that is because it will vary depending on the pot you use to cook the sweet potatoes.  I used a medium sized pot, therefore needed a bit more oil than a small batch would require.  About an inch of oil in the pot should be all you need to make the patates.  Vegetable oil was my oil of choice because, honestly, it is cheap.

Ingredients:

3-4 medium sweet potatoes
oil
salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. Cut sweet potatoes in long 1/2 inch wedges.
2. Heat oil until very hot in a fry pan or electric fryer.
3. Put a little salt on plantains and fry until done. The sweet potatoes will be a deep orange and should be crisp.

A similar variation of this recipe, called "Loco" in southern Guinea, calls for large chunks of plantains to be fried in a pot of palm oil.  Patates and Loco are snack foods that are commonly found in markets and on streets all over western Africa. They are often served with a very oily onion, tomato and dried fish sauce.  For Americans, however, they taste just fine with a dab of ketchup and a sprinkle of salt.
 
(The original recipe came from this site: http://friendsofguinea.org/aboutguinea/recipes.shtml#yassa)

Bratwurst and Kartoffelsalat (German Potato Salad)

To start off on the right foot, I must confess one thing: I didn't make my own bratwurst.  The daunting task of making sausage is still a bit too heavy a kitchen burden for me to bear.  So, I bought it.  From a store.  And it wasn't imported from Germany, either.  So sue me. 

But, to appease the German gods of food, I did opt for one traditional aspect of the meal in the midst of my ugly American folly.  I played it safe by making a common side dish - kartoffelsalat.  Better known to those of us in "the States" as German potato salad, it is a dish that speaks with subtle undertones of flavor and simple origins of taste.  Nothing fancy, just a solid dish created by a solid group of people. 

Be warned, it is nothing like its American, picnic-style counterpart.  It is neither creamy or gooey; but, rather, it's unexpectedly dry and tangy, with its unavoidable vinegar rising to the top of your taste buds.  Sour.  Almost akin to kraut.  But, it's nice.  It accompanies sausage well, the acidic taste cutting through the greasy quality of the wurst.  By itself, I'm not sure the kartoffelsalat would be as appealing; but, together, the two items work almost as well as the legendary pairing of chocolate and peanut butter.  Except more bitter.  And less exciting.  And, well let's face it, not quite as sought-out.  Though, with that said, my Germanic chromosomes will beckon me to eat it again - and, I will certainly like it.

Ingredients:

2 pounds red potatoes (6 medium) scrubbed and cut into 1 inch chunks
Salt
8 slices of bacon
1 medium onion, minced
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1 Tbsp. whole grain mustard
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

Instructions:

1. Place potatoes and 1 Tbsp. salt in a Dutch oven and cover with 1 inch of water.  Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the potatoes are tender (about 10 minutes).  Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain the potatoes.  Return the potatoes to the pot and cover to keep warm.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring until brown and crisp (about 5 minutes).  Transfer bacon to a paper-towel lined plate and pour off all but 1/4 cup of the bacon grease.
3. Add the onion to the fat left in the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until softened and beginning to brown (5 to 7 minutes).  Stir in the sugar until dissolved, about 30 seconds.  Add the vinegar and reserved potato cooking liquid, bring to a simmer, and cook until the mixture is reduced to about 1 cup, about 3 minutes.  Off the heat, whisk in the mustard and pepper.
4. Add the potatoes, parsley and bacon to the skillet.  Toss to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

(The original recipe came from "The Best International Recipe - A Home Cook's Guide to the Best Recipes in the World" by the Editors of Cook's Illustrated)