Rib steak and onions a simple and tasty combination
Satisfying main dish from famed Quebec chef
If you like your steak with plenty of onions, this recipe from the new cookbook Basil Thyme Coriander and Other Herbs (Fitzhenry & Whiteside) should appeal to you. It’s one of Chef Jean-Paul Grappe’s recipes in his English edition of a book he published in 2003 (Les Editions de l’Homme) in which he describes 20 popular herbs, and gives recipes for each one.
The chef, a legendary teacher in Quebec, hails from Dijon, and has spent decades passing on classic French techniques to countless students, many now recognized for their cuisine in restaurants throughout the province.
I have always found Monsieur Grappe has a way with explaining how to make simple food taste better. His approach to cooking fruit is the subject of a companion cookbook, Berries and Other Small Fruit (same publisher).
Rib steak with onions
and thyme
2 Spanish onions 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped, fresh thyme leaves 2/3 cup (160 mL) unsalted butter Sel de Guérande or other sea salt Freshly ground pepper 4 boneless rib steaks, 5 oz (142 g) each 1/2 cup (125 mL) peanut oil 1 cup (250 mL) dry white wine
Serves 4
Use a food processor to chop the onion, garlic and thyme together. Heat ½ cup (125 mL) of the butter in a heavy frying pan and cook mixture slowly over low heat until all the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. In a large, cast-iron frying pan, heat the oil and the remaining butter over medium-high heat.
Sear steaks on both sides to desired degree of doneness. Let rest for five minutes in a warm oven.
Discard surplus fat from frying pan and add wine to deglaze the pan, stirring to incorporate any brown bits. Simmer until mixture is almost all reduced, then add the onion mixture and continue cooking just until heated.
Serve steaks on individual warmed plates, topped with onion mixture.