After Cracklin Cornbread recipe, more comfort food for grey days from Heritage (Artisan Books, October 2014) by Sean Brock.
Slow-Cooked Rib Eye with Potato Confit and Green Garlic–Parsley Butter
Serves 6
I know, I know, meat and potatoes . . . so avant-garde. But sometimes one exceptional meal at home with loved ones can be just as special as a twenty-course tasting menu at a grand restaurant.
Slow-cooking is a technique that lends itself well to a large cut like the rib eye. The secret is twofold: get a good sear on the meat before placing it in the oven, and arrange it so that the delicious fat cap slowly bastes the meat as it cooks.
Such a decadent cut of meat topped with a flavorful pat of butter deserves a sinful side dish, and this potato confit certainly fills the bill. It can be made well in advance and stored in the fridge. In fact, the longer it sits, the better it tastes; the potatoes just continue to soak up all that tasty and delicious fat.
Green Garlic–Parsley Butter
2 cups chopped green garlic (green and white parts)
1 pound unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 cup minced shallots
Grated zest of ½ lemon (use a Microplane)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
Rib Eye
1 center-cut bone-in rib-eye roast (about 7.5 pounds), deckle and fat cap left on
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Canola oil
15 thyme sprigs
15 rosemary sprigs
1 garlic bulb, cut in half
5 cups Heirloom Potato Confit
For the green garlic–parsley butter:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Make an ice bath in a bowl with equal parts ice and water. Put the green garlic in a strainer and submerge it in the boiling water for 7 seconds, then remove and submerge it in the ice bath until completely cold. Remove from the ice bath, shake off the excess water, then drain and dry on paper towels.
2. Put the green garlic in a blender and blend on high until smooth, about 5 minutes; add a splash of water as needed to keep the blade running smoothly.
3. Combine the garlic puree, butter, parsley, shallots, lemon zest, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and anchovy paste in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed until thoroughly blended, about 2 minutes. Divide the butter in half and put each portion on a sheet of plastic wrap. Roll each one into a log and wrap tightly in the plastic. Place in the freezer and freeze until solid.
For the rib eye:
4. Preheat the oven to 250°F. Place a rack in a roasting pan.
5. Liberally season the beef with salt and pepper. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. When the skillet is hot, add ¼ inch of canola oil. When the oil begins to smoke, add the beef fat side down and sear until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Repeat on all sides. Remove from the heat.
6. Cover the rack in the roasting pan with the thyme, rosemary, and garlic. Place the beef on the herbs and garlic bulb halves, fat side up. Put the pan in the oven and roast the beef for about 2 hours and 45 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 125°F. Remove the pan from the oven and let the beef rest for 25 to 30 minutes before carving it. Baste the beef with the pan juices several times as it rests. Remove the green garlic butter from the freezer 1 hour before serving.
To complete:
7. Carve the rib eye into 6 slices and arrange on warmed plates. Top each slice with a ½-inch-thick disk of room-temperature- green garlic butter and serve with the potato confit.
Note:
This recipe makes more green garlic–parsley butter than you will need for the rib eye, but it can be frozen, tightly wrapped, for up to 1 month and used in other dishes.
(*Excerpted from Heritage by Sean Brock -Artisan Books, Copyright © 2014- Photographs by Peter Frank Edwards)