SERVES 4
Creamy polenta firms up quickly, so when it’s poured from the pan and left to set for a bit, it can be cut into any number of shapes. When you slice it and fry it, you have polenta fries, a creamy, non-potato take on french fries. In another culinary about-face, sweet and tangy tomato jam stands in for the ketchup. This fanciful take on steak frites - similar to the one Mary Poehnelt of Season 11 pulled off in the show’s finale—is worthy of New York strip, one of the most tender and costly of cuts.
2 cups milk
1 cup cream
2 sprigs thyme
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 cup instant polenta
4 tablespoons unsalted butter,
softened, divided
2–3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons truffle oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ pound plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ teaspoon lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
½ garlic clove, lightly crushed small sprig rosemary
2½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
⅞ cup dry red wine
⅞ cup beef stock or brown chicken stock, preferably homemade
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ tablespoon butter
Four 12-ounce New York strip steaks
2 tablespoons neutral oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 pounds baby spinach
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
COMBINE the milk, cream, thyme, and garlic in a medium saucepot. Heat over medium-high until the mixture just boils. Remove the thyme and garlic, lower the heat to medium, and add the polenta to the milk and cream in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. Now with a wooden spoon, continue mixing for about 5 minutes or until the mixture is cooked. Remove from the heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter, Parmesan and truffle oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
LINE a half-sheet pan with parchment paper. Spread the polenta evenly with a spatula into the sheet pan. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour or overnight.
PREHEAT the oven to 450°F. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Cut the chilled polenta into 3 x 1-inch fries and place on an unrimmed cookie sheet lined with parchment. Brush with melted butter. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the fries are golden and crisp.
ROUGH-CHOP the tomatoes. Combine the tomatoes and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and boil until the tomatoes have broken down and the liquid has evaporated, about 12 minutes. Deglaze with sherry vinegar, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the tomato paste, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thickened. Stir in the lemon juice, season to taste, and set aside.
IN a medium saucepan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the shallots and sauté for about 3 minutes until lightly browned, stirring often. Add garlic and rosemary. Continue cooking for 3 more minutes, stirring often so the shallots don’t burn.
ADD the vinegar and cook 2 minutes or until the liquid evaporates, then add the wine and cook until reduced by two-thirds, about 10 minutes.
ADD the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 20 minutes or until the mixture is reduced by two-thirds. Strain through a fine mesh strainer, pressing gently to extract all of the jus, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk in the butter. Set aside to keep warm.
LET steaks sit at room temperature for 30–45 minutes. Brush the steaks lightly with a neutral oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat until it just starts to smoke. Sear the steak on each side, 2 ½ minutes per side for rare. About 1 minute before the steak is done, add the butter to the pan and continually baste the steak with the butter.
REMOVE the steak from the pan and allow to rest while you cook the spinach.
IN a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook, tossing to coat until the spinach is wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
SLICE each steak and fan it around the plate. Serve with polenta fries and spinach. Drizzle the plate and steak with red wine jus and garnish with a dollop of tomato jam.