Ingredients
For Marinated Steak:
2 pounds hanger steak, vein removed by butcher
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 large cloves crushed garlic
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
About ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
Coarse pepper
Juice of 1/2 seared lemon
Dijon mustard, to serve
For Frites/Fries:
3 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch-thick sticks
Salt
About 1 ½ to 2 quarts frying oil, for tabletop fryer or Dutch oven
Fine sea salt
For Sauce:
2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup ketchup
¼ cup Fabanaise or mayonnaise
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
For Creamed Spinach:
1 tablespoon butter
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons flour
About 1½ tablespoons sherry (a splash)
2/3 cup half-and-half
2 pounds spinach, stemmed, washed and dried, and chopped
Salt, pepper and nutmeg, to taste
Juice of ½ lemon
Preparation
For steaks, butterfly hanger steaks, once the vein is removed, and pound to an even thickness. Cut into 6-8 ounce portions. Place in a shallow dish and add an even, light sprinkle of Kosher salt, Worcestershire, thyme, crushed garlic, and 3 tablespoons EVOO. Place in fridge a few hours.
To cook meat, bring it to room temperature, 30 minutes, and remove excess marinade. Heat a large cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. When pan is hot add a little EVOO, a turn of the pan, add meat and season with salt and pepper. Let meat brown 3-4 minutes, turn and cook 3 minutes more. Let rest 5-10 minutes, douse with lemon juice and thinly slice each portion against the grain. Arrange on plate and serve with Dijon.
For frites/fries, soak potatoes in bowl of water with about 1 teaspoon salt while cutting to keep them from browning. To cook, drain the potatoes and pat dry. Bring frying oil to a temp of 325°F. Fry the potatoes in batches, 4 minutes, so as not to crowd the fryer or Dutch oven. Remove potatoes to wire rack to cool. Bring oil to 375°F. Fry potatoes again another 4 minutes to crisp. Drain and season with fine sea salt.
For sauce, combine vinegar, ketchup, mayo and garlic, and transfer to small ramekins. Serve with frites/fries.
For spinach, in skillet over medium heat, melt butter and sauté shallots and garlic, 2 minutes. Add flour and stir, add sherry and stir, add half-and-half and whisk. Wilt chopped spinach into sauce and simmer at low heat; season with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. Add juice of ½ lemon to serve.
