TasteFood

Bistro-Style Skirt Steak with Sautéed Shallots - Bavette aux Echalotes

I love French Bistro cooking; it makes me very happy. In fact, bistro cooking should make all of us happy. It's comforting, generous, convivial and unpretentiously rooted in French tradition. How can anyone not like that?

I became familiar with bistros while living in Paris and Geneva for 10 years. Found in every neighborhood, the bistro was the go-to restaurant for consistently delicious food.  Welcoming, bustling and casually elegant, the bistro was home away from home: soothing in its predictability, its well-worn ambience and its dedicated timelessness. Now, years later, there isn't a bistro in our neighborhood, but it's the cuisine I seek out in restaurants and enjoy making at home. 

Skirt Steak with Sautéed Shallots or Bavette aux Echalotes is a classic item featured on bistro menus. The less expensive and very tasty cut of meat is pan-fried on the stove and then served heaped with sautéed, caramelized shallots. It's quick to prepare, delicious to eat and economical on the wallet. Perfect bistro fare.

Bistro-Style Skirt Steak with Sautéed Shallots - Bavette aux Echalotes

Serves 4

4 skirt steaks, approx. 8 oz. (250 g.) each
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

8 large shallots, peeled, thinly sliced
1/3 cup (80 ml.) red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Fresh thyme sprigs for garnish

Prepare steak:
Use 2 skillets (or cook in 2 batches): Heat one tablespoon each of olive oil and butter in each skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 2 steaks to each skillet, making sure they fit in one layer without overcrowding. Cook, turning once, until seared and cooked through to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to platter and tent with foil to rest.

Prepare shallots:
Add one tablespoon olive oil to each skillet. Divide shallots between the two skillets and sauté over medium heat until golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Combine shallots in one skillet. Add red wine vinegar and cook until liquid is absorbed. Add one tablespoon butter, thyme and any juices from meat to the shallots. Cook, stirring, to incorporate, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange steaks on individual plates or serving platter. Top with shallots. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs. Serve.
 

If you like this, you might enjoy these recipes from TasteFood:

Beef Bourguignon





   

French Onion Soup au Gratin

Tarte Tatin

and these recipes from the foodblogs:

Chicken with Lentils from Blue Kitchen
Coq au Vin from Sippity Sup
Steak Frites with Oven Baked Parmesan Potatoes from The Naptime Chef
Moules Marinieres from Erin's Kitchen

Pesce al Sale - Whole Fish Baked in Sea Salt

 

The first time I tasted Pesce al Sale was at the restaurant Molo 13 in Milan.  It was a memorable meal after a long journey involving a disgruntled border guard, Italian shoes, finicky headlights and the vortex of controlled chaos found driving on Milan's ringroad at rush hour.  Read on here to appreciate just how welcome our arrival and meal at Molo 13 was within this context.

Many years later, sadly not in Europe and missing the Italian language, I often prepare a Whole Fish Baked in Sea Salt when we are entertaining with friends.  This is a dish that is surprisingly easy to prepare despite its dramatic presentation.  The entire fish is encased in sea salt, baked in the oven and presented whole at the table. Its hardened crust of sea salt and egg white is cracked open to reveal a succulent, steaming and aromatic fish.  Have your fishmonger clean and descale the fish when you purchase it.  The fish can be baked simply as is, or stuffed with a combination of lemon slices, garlic and fennel fronds. Serve the fillets drizzled with good quality extra-virgin olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon. 

 

Whole Fish Baked in Sea Salt - Pesce al Sale

Serves 6-8

One whole fish, 5-6 lbs./2.5-3 kg., such as snapper, rock cod or sea bass, cleaned, gutted and scaled
Lemon slices
Optional:  Fennel fronds, 2-3 garlic cloves, sliced
2 egg whites 
4 pounds coarse sea salt

Extra-virgin olive oil
Lemon wedges

Parsley Gremolata (see below)

Preheat oven to 450 F. (225 C.)
Place lemon slices, fennel and garlic (if using) in cavity of the fish.
Combine egg whites and sea salt in a bowl. Mix well to moisten salt.
Spread 1/3 salt mixture on bottom of an oven-proof baking dish. Lay fish on top. Pour remaining salt over fish, covering completely. If needed, tail can remain exposed.
Bake in oven 30 - 40 minutes.  (If the fish is stuffed with lemon and fennel, it will require additional cooking time, approximately 10 minutes.)
Remove fish from oven and crack crust open with a small hammer or knife.  Remove and discard crust.
Fillet the fish. Arrange fish on warm plates, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice.   

Serve garnished with additional lemon wedges and Parsley Gremolata.

*This recipe was chosen as the winner in a competition hosted by Food52 and will be published in their upcoming cookbook.  You can find this recipe and many other delicious recipes on their site, and have a chance to cast your votes for favorite recipes.
 

 

Parsley Gremolata:

Combine 1/2 cup finely chopped Italian parsley, 1 minced large garlic clove and the finely grated zest of one untreated lemon in a bowl.  Season to taste with a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with fish, meat, pasta.


Accompany this dish with:

 Steamed or Roasted Asparagus 

Steamed New Potatoes with Parsley and Olive Oil






What to Drink? 
Try a white Burgundy or Sauvignon Blanc, dry French rosé (Côtes du Rhône, Bandol) or Pinot Noir.