Dry Aged AAA Beef Strip Loin with Warm Asparagus, Crispy Truffle Potato

Makes 4 servings

Beef:

Purchase dry aged beef which most butchers carry. Please note: When trimming dry aged beef it is important to remove any exterior tissue that has been exposed to the air because that is the place which is most susceptible to bacterial growth. Use a sharp butcher’s knife to trim away the dark outside part of the strip loin.

Cut steaks about 1 to 1.5 inches thick. Simply season both sides of the steaks with salt and cracked black pepper and grill to your desired temperature. Be sure to allow the steaks to rest for about half the cooking time.

Crispy Truffle Potato:

In a food processor grind the potatoes to about ¼ inch in size. Place in a large mixing bowl with cold water and stir vigorously to remove the starch. Drain the potatoes in a strainer and shake it vigorously to remove as much water as possible, then place them on a clean towel with a clean towel over the top, and wring them together to remove the rest of the water. Spread the potatoes in an even layer on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Using a dry sifter, shake gelatin evenly over the potatoes and place them in  oven for 4 to 5 minutes to melt the gelatin.  Remove the pan and set it aside to cool slightly.

Transfer potatoes to a mixing bowl and mix in flour, truffle oil and diced truffles:  the mixture will become quite sticky. To form the potatoes rinse a loaf tin with water, line it with plastic wrap, add the potato mixture and cover with a second piece of plastic wrap. Using another loaf pan or a shallow dish, press the mixture firmly into the pan to create a uniform shape. Place the loaf pan of potato in the freezer for 30 to 60 minutes just until it is firm enough to cut slices from. Do not freeze the potatoes as they will start to brown.

Slice the semi-frozen potatoes to your desired thickness of slices and deep fry at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 3 minutes, then place them on a tray lined with a paper towel. Reduce the heat on the fryer to 325 degrees and fry them for a second time for about 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crispy. Place them on a dish lined with a paper towel and season immediately with salt to taste.

In place of a deep fryer heat 1 inch of grape seed oil in deep pan and fry potatoes using tongs to turn and cook evenly.

Asparagus:

To finish the asparagus simply warm it in a sauté pan with butter or olive oil and a pinch of salt.   Shave parmesan cheese onto finished asparagus at serving time.

Assembly:

To assemble the plate have some fun with it.  You could stack everything up in a pile or take a more linear and structured approach and place everything precisely where you want it.

Malbec: the essence of being Argentinean

Kris Kabush is Executive Chef at the Hart House Restaurant in Deer Lake, Burnaby, British Columbia. His culinary style is influenced by many different cultures.

Each country has its own personality and this is no exception in the world of wine. As far as red wines are concerned, Argentina is undoubtedly defined by Malbec. French in origin, the Malbec variety was introduced in the country in the mid-nineteenth century, where it found its ideal growing environment, eventually becoming synonymous with quality and value in the minds of wine lovers around the world.

Argentinean Malbecs have an unmistakably intense purple color and offer aromas of cherries, strawberries and plums. On the palate, the wine is a fruit explosion, a characteristic that becomes delightfully complex when the wine is oak-aged. Soft tannins balance out the sweetness of the fruit.

Classic pairings with Malbec include beef tenderloin with a bittersweet sauce, pasta with tomato sauce, and hard cheeses. Malbec’s round and complex personality is showcased in a dish developed by Kris Kabush, in which he pairs the iconic Argentinean wine with House Aged Beef, Crispy Truffled Potatoes and Organic Asparagus