A Case for Fewer Ingredients

Imagine that instead of conjuring a craving and setting about preparing supper with complexity in mind, we were to arrive home in advance of dinner hour and, in lieu of assembling a series of ingredients to build a menu, we just took a look at what we had in our larder, or refrigerator, or on the counter and sought to make everything as simply and simple as possible. We love intricacies on the plate and technique in the kitchen…but, perhaps we deserve a night off. The results are unusually delicious.

Le Menu.

Oil-Cured Crudite

Slow-Baked Potatoed

Ribeye Steak

First, set about your VEGETABLE preparation. And, don’t fret if you’re short on time and seasoning because you need nearly none of both:

OIL-CURED Crudite

A bath and rest in oil and salt helps to soften crisp veggies and draws out their natural flavors.  Serve these crudite anytime – so good you won’t want any dip!

PREPARE vegetables by cleaning, drying, and chopping.

PLACE vegetables in a large mixing bowl or roasting pan.

DRIZZLE vegetables generously with olive oil.

SPRINKLE generously with salt and pepper.

TOSS vegetables thoroughly to coat.

RESERVE vegetables to a cool, dry place and allow them to rest for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.

STRAIN vegetables (you’ll note some water has been released) and serve.

(Yes. That’s it.)...*Need* an accompaniment/dip? Plain Greek Yogurt with a zest of lemon, sprinkly of salt, crack of black pepper, grated garlic, and chopped cucumber is fresh and lovely and unnecessary.

SLOW-BAKED Potatoes

Lower the oven temperature and let these big guys post up in the oven for longer than usual to achieve a brand new level of creamy goodness on the plate.

Next. In a preheated oven, place organic baking potatoes that you have rubbed with olive oil and coated in Kosher salt. Let them bake away in an oven-safe dish for at least 90 minutes. Best served with a drizzle of olive oil, black pepper, and chopped chives. (Alternatively the “cured crudite” above can go right on top of these pillowy wonders when they come out of the oven later on.)

STOVE-TOP Steaks

Stop putting your thick-cut prime steaks in a water bath and cooking them sous-vide because you’re nervous about over-cooking them. It’s not the answer. In the morning, before setting out for your day, generously salt all sides of some prime grade boneless ribeyes and place, uncovered, in the refrigerator for the day. 90 minutes before you’re ready to cook them, take the dish out of the icebox and let them come up to temperature on the counter.

When you’re ready to cook, get out your trustiest cast iron pan that’ll have plenty of room for the steaks you’re going to put in there. Heat pan on high until it begins to smoke. Place the ribeyes fat cap/edge down and render some beef fat to cook them in (add NO oil to the pan). Once the fat on the edge is a bit toasted and the melted fat coating the bottom of the pan, allow your steaks to begin to cook, in earnest. Keep the heat up high and form an earnest crust on the first side of the steak(s); you aren’t looking for char but, instead, a deep golden dark crust. Flip your thick-cut steaks over and reduce your heat to low. Allow to cook for another three minutes and then remove to rest on a cutting board. After 8-10 or so minutes rest, slice the steaks, grind some fresh black pepper over the slices and drizzle with really good olive oil. Serve immediately with your potatoes and vegetables.