PAN-FRIED SKIRT WITH CAPERS, BLISTERED CHERRY TOMATOES, AND SMASH-FRIED POTATOES

© 2018 by Rob Firing

EACH STEAK SERVES 1

There is a way to do this on the grill, skewering the tomatoes instead of quick-frying them, and grilling the potato with a brush of butter, but I do like the way the pan treats the smashed potato, and the capers and lemon cooked with the tomatoes gives this element a tangy boost, tying the whole dish together. I make this dish a lot when I want to grill but can’t because it’s raining (or freezing). Best rainy night ever.

AS MANY SKIRT STEAKS AS YOU LIKE

(ABOUT 6 OUNCES EACH)

PER STEAK PORTION

SALT AND PEPPER

1 MEDIUM POTATO

2 TABLESPOONS FAT OF YOUR CHOICE, DIVIDED

1 SHALLOT, DICED

LEMON SLICES, CUT INTO 5 OR 6 CAPER-SIZED TRIANGLES

CAPERS, EXCESS BRINE GENTLY SQUEEZED OUT

4 CHERRY TOMATOES

CRÈME FRAÎCHE OR SOUR CREAM

FRESH FLAT-LEAF PARSLEY, FOR GARNISH

SEASON YOUR SKIRT STEAKS with a dusting of salt on both sides, and let sit at room temperature while you cook the potatoes.

FILL A SAUCEPAN with water and boil whole potatoes until tender, about 25 minutes (or microwave on High for 5 minutes per potato). Drain and set aside.

HEAT A HEAVY FRYING PAN over high heat until you can feel heat emanating when you hold your hand 2 inches above the pan’s cooking surface, about 4 minutes. Melt 1 tablespoon of fat, and cook your seasoned skirt steak until medium-rare, flipping as needed. Check your steak for doneness with a small incision: juices should flow from a medium-rare (pinky-red) centre. If they don’t, cook steak for another minute or two until they do (it won’t be as dark or as evenly crusted as you might be able to get a thicker steak, but that’s okay). Let steak rest loosely wrapped in foil for 5 minutes (skirts don’t need much resting time) while you finish the dish (reserve the pan).

USING THE PALM of your hand, squash the cooked potatoes into rough pancakes (be gentle: you don’t want them to fall apart). Place reserved pan over medium-high heat and fry squashed potatoes, flipping as needed, until browned and getting crispy at the edges, about 4 minutes. Transfer to individual serving plates and set aside.

IN THE SAME PAN, still over medium-high heat, melt remaining 1 tablespoon of fat. Add shallot, lemon triangles, and capers and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes and cook for about 1 minute, until the tomatoes start to blister and give up their juices (but still maintain their structure) and the shallot is softened and slightly browned. Remove from heat.

TO SERVE, top each smashed potato with 1 tablespoon crème fraîche, then place individual skirt steak portions on top (either whole or cut across the grain, on a bias, into 1/4-inch slices, to maximize the surface area of the slice). Tumble blistered cherry tomatoes, shallot, and capers on top of this, followed by another dollop of crème fraîche. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and a few grinds of pepper, and serve.