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French Bistro

Steak Frites

Pan-seared steak, twice-cooked chips, a silky peppercorn sauce and a sharp green salad.

  • Serves2
  • Dishes4
  • Total time42 min
  • Hands-on46 min
  • DifficultyMedium
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Hand-drawn ink illustration of the dishes in Steak Frites

A bistro classic that lives and dies by timing. The chips take the longest, so they lead; the steak needs only minutes and a good rest, and the peppercorn sauce is built in the same pan you seared the steak in.

To drink: A bold Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon.

The 4 dishes below are timed to finish together. Import the meal and Fatto schedules every step backwards from your chosen serving time — here's how that works.

The meal, dish by dish

Chips

  • 500 g Maris Piper potatoes, cut into chips
  • Oil for frying
  • Salt
  1. Cut the chips and rinse, then par-cook in oil until soft but pale
    Stovetop 12–15 min Hands-on
  2. Rest the chips, then fry again hot until golden and crisp; salt well
    Stovetop 6–8 min Hands-on

Steak

  • 2 sirloin steaks
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • Thyme
  • Salt and pepper
  1. Bring the steaks to room temperature and season generously
    Prep / hands 20–25 min Unattended Prep ahead
  2. Sear the steaks hard, basting with butter and thyme, to your liking
    Stovetop 6–9 min Hands-on
  3. Rest the steaks under foil
    Prep / hands 6–8 min Unattended

Peppercorn sauce

  • 1 tbsp green peppercorns
  • 1 shallot, diced
  • Splash of brandy
  • 150 ml cream
  • Beef stock
  1. In the steak pan, soften the shallot, add peppercorns and brandy, then reduce with stock and cream to a glossy sauce
    Stovetop 8–10 min Hands-on

Green salad

  • 2 handfuls mixed leaves
  • Mustard vinaigrette
  1. Toss the leaves with a sharp mustard vinaigrette just before serving
    Prep / hands 3–4 min Hands-on