James Martin's French adventure: Steak & Bordelaise Sauce recipe

This Bordelaise Sauce is from the Normandy region of France. 
James Martin26 May 2017

Serves two

Ingredients

For the sauce
*750ml chicken stock
*2 shallots, thinly sliced
*1 garlic clove, finely chopped
*50g butter, diced
​*150g button mushrooms, sliced
*100ml white wine
*small bunch of tarragon,
*leaves picked

For the steaks
*2 x 250g rib-eye steaks
*1 tablespoon olive oil
*50g unsalted butter
*sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the frites
*vegetable oil, for deep-frying
*4 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into matchsticks
*sea salt

Method

1. To make the sauce, place the stock in a saucepan over medium heat and reduce it until there is about 250ml left. In a frying pan, sauté the shallots and garlic in a knob of the butter over medium heat until golden.

2. Add the mushrooms, then quickly add the wine, half of the tarragon and the reduced stock. Simmer until reduced by half again and thickened, then remove from the heat and whisk in the remaining butter.

3. Add the rest of the tarragon, season and keep warm.

4. Place a frying pan over high heat. Rub the steaks with the olive oil, place them in the hot pan and allow to cook for 6 minutes before turning over.

5. Add the butter and continue to cook, spooning the butter over the steaks, for a further 6 minutes. (If you like your steak well done, cook for another minute or so on each side.) Remove the steaks from the pan and leave in a warm place to rest for about 5 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, for the frites, heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 190°C/375°F or in a deep heavy-based saucepan until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns brown when dropped into it (note: hot oil can be dangerous; do not leave unattended).

7. Deep-fry the frites in the hot vegetable oil until golden brown, then remove and drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle with sea salt.

8. Season the steaks with salt and pepper, then serve with the frites and the sauce on the side.

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James Martin's French adventure (Quadrille, £20.00) Photography: Peter Cassidy