Steak Frites with Peppercorn Cream, Red Wine Jus, Roasted Onion, and Cherry Tomato

Headnote

This is a study in contrast: seared beef, crisp potato, and a sauce that moves between the warmth of pepper and the depth of red wine. The plate is built from familiar elements, but each is treated with discipline so the whole remains precise, not heavy. The result should be rich, clean, and sharply composed.

Recipe essentials

Dish category: Main course
Cuisine or origin: French-inspired bistro
Course type: Dinner
Yield: 1 serving
Serving size: 520 g
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Difficulty: Intermediate

Equipment

Heavy skillet or sauté pan, 28 cm
Small saucepan
Sheet tray
Sharp knife
Cutting board
Tongs
Paper towels

Ingredients

Steak and garnish

Beef steak, 220 g

Potato, peeled and cut into 12 mm dice, 140 g

Onion, peeled and cut into 20 g wedges, 60 g

Cherry tomato, 50 g

Vegetable oil, 20 g

Butter, 20 g

Salt, 6 g

Black pepper, 2 g

Peppercorn cream sauce

Cream, 70 g

Red wine jus, 40 g

Black pepper, lightly crushed, 2 g

Butter, 10 g

Finish

Mayonnaise, 10 g

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220°C. Place the diced potato and onion wedges on a sheet tray. Toss with 10 g of the vegetable oil and 2 g of the salt. Roast for 18 to 20 minutes, turning once, until the potato is deeply golden at the edges and the onion is tender with browned surfaces.

2. Meanwhile, season the steak evenly with 2 g of the salt and 2 g of the black pepper. Let it stand at room temperature while the oven works, so the surface is dry and ready to sear.

3. Set a heavy skillet over high heat. Add the remaining 10 g of vegetable oil. When the oil shimmers, lay in the steak and sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until a dark crust forms and the interior reaches your preferred doneness. For medium-rare, the center should feel resilient but still give under pressure.

4. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter and baste the steak for 30 to 45 seconds, spooning the foaming butter over the surface until the meat is glossy and fragrant. Transfer to a warm plate and rest for 5 minutes.

5. Pour off excess fat from the skillet, leaving a thin film. Add the cream, red wine jus, and crushed black pepper. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon and tastes rounded, peppery, and complete. Whisk in the remaining 10 g of butter off the heat.

6. Add the cherry tomatoes to the hot tray for the final 2 minutes of roasting, just until the skins begin to split and the flesh softens while holding shape.

7. Warm the mayonnaise briefly in a small bowl at room temperature so it spreads cleanly; do not cook it.

Plating and serving

Place the steak slightly off center. Arrange the roasted potato and onion beside it in a neat cluster, then set the cherry tomato to one side for brightness. Spoon the peppercorn cream sauce over the steak and finish with a restrained line of red wine jus around the plate. Dot the mayonnaise sparingly to give the dish a cool, clean counterpoint.

Professional notes

The potato must be dry before roasting or it will soften rather than crisp. The sauce should remain glossy and lightly nappant, never reduced to heaviness. Resting the steak is not optional; it preserves juiciness and keeps the plate composed.