Beef Bavette with Tomatoes and Thick-Cut Potatoes

By norsegal8

When I first introduced this dish at my restaurant, one of my staff thought that I had copied from Limón, a Peruvian restaurant in San Francisco where my friend Martin Castillo is the chef. I did not know Martin had the same dish on his menu, but lomo saltado, as it's called in Peru, is a classic in Peru. Steak with French fries is very popular in Vietnam, but in a departure from French tradition, the two are combined in this way, in a stir-fry. The only difference between the Peruvian version and the Vietnamese is that our version has fish sauce and fresh green chiles. I make it with what is known as beef bavette, another name for skirt steak. The fries, which are added at the end, absorb the delicious pan juices.

Ingredients

• 1 pound skirt or flank steak
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon canola oil, plus more for deep-frying
• 1 large russet potato, peeled and cut lengthwise into batons about 1/2-inch thick
• 1 jalapeño chile, stemmed and thinly, sliced into rings
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
• 4 tablespoons rice wine
• 4 tomatoes, cored and cut into 3/4-inch wedges
• 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
• 1 cup 3/4-inch long scallion batons, white and light green parts only

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

1. Cut the beef lengthwise with the grain into long strips about 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut each strip across the grain on the diagonal into 1/4-inch thick slices. Transfer to a bowl and add the cornstarch, pepper and 1 teaspoon of the oil, and toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature for. Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

2. To cook the French fries, pour oil to a depth of 2 inches into a wok, or a wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat to 350°F on a deep-frying thermometer. Add the potato batons and fry for 5 to 6 minutes, until deep golden brown and tender. Using a spider or a slotted spoon, transfer the batons to paper towels to drain. Set aside. Pour off the oil and reserve for another use.

3. Divide the beef into 2 equal portions. Heat the wok over high heat until hot; the metal will have a matte appearance and a drop or two of water flicked onto its surface should evaporate on contact. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add half the beef pieces in a single layer and cook for about 1 minute, until browned on the first side. Flip the pieces and cook for 1 minute more, until browned on the second side.

4. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the wok (leave the beef in the wok) and return the pan to high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add half of the jalapeño slices and 1 teaspoon of the garlic and cook, stirring for 10 seconds. Add 2 tablespoons of the wine and cook for about 30 seconds, until the wine has evaporated.

5. Add half of the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of the oyster sauce and toss to combine. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in half of the of the scallions and half of the French fries and cook for 1 minute more.

6. Transfer to a warmed serving platter. Wipe out the wok and repeat steps, 3, 4 and 5 with the remaining ingredients, then add to the platter. Serve immediately.