Steak Frites

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Hanger steak is a tasty cut of meat mainly because of the marbling, the flavorable fat. The French might beg to differ and say it's because of the traditional and only way to serve steak—with a good size pat of butter on top. The other French suggestion, serve with homemade fries aka pommes frites, the perfect companion for any kind of steak.

If hanger steak is not available, by all means you can adapt recipe to any London broil cut. Enjoy!

George Hirsch's Grilled Hanger Steak Recipe

(aka skirt steak or Romanian steak) | Makes two-four servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

1 pound skirt steaks (flank or T.R. London broil), trimmed

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup bourbon (optional) substitute red wine or O.J.

1/2 cup homemade or prepared barbeque sauce

4 cloves garlic, chopped fine

2 Tablespoons each: parsley and basil

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons hot sauce

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Day one, time to think ahead: marinate for 24 hours 

To keep steaks from curing up, make diagonal cuts 1/8 inch deep about every one inch through the skirt steak on both sides. 

Mix together the olive oil, bourbon, garlic, parsley, basil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, hot sauce, and black pepper in a large bowl or large plastic zip bag. Remove 1/2 cup of marinade and reserve in refrigerator to baste steaks while grilling on Day two.

Add the skirt steaks and mix to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 23 and a 1/2 hours. You’ll need the extra half hour to get the grill ready. 

Day two, and not before.

Remove the steaks from the marinade, drain and discard marinade.

Preheat grill to high temperature.

Grill the steak for 4-5 minutes each side or to desired doneness. Brush steaks on both sides lightly with the reserved 1/2 cup marinade mix. Flip the steaks over only once. 

Remove steaks from the grill. To serve sliced steak, wait five minutes allowing juices in steak to rest before slicing thin pieces, cutting against the grain.


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Pommes Frites 

Recipe by George Hirsch | Makes four servings 

8 large Russet potatoes, well scrubbed 

approximately 3-4 cups canola or vegetable oil, enough to fill a deep sided sauce pan 1/2 way. 

USE CAUTION: Fill pan with oil No More Than 3/4 full, or oil could boil over. 

Sea salt to taste

Cut potatoes evenly with skin on, into 1/4 inch thick strips. For this step it's helpful if you have a mandolin. For uniform cooking while frying the potatoes, cut in uniform size pieces. After cutting, submerge potatoes in cold water for at least twenty minutes, changing the water at least two times, until the water is clear. Dry the potatoes well with paper towels. A good tip; use salad spinner to dry.

Cooking will require frying potatoes in two stages, blanching in first stage then crisp and brown in stage two.

First stage of cooking: For first frying, heat oil to 320 degrees F.

Without overloading fryer, cook the potatoes 1 cup at a time, for about 5 minutes or until cooked through, (but not browned during this first stage of cooking). Remove and drain potatoes with a skimmer or basket, then place on a plate lined with paper towels. 

Second stage of cooking: Second Frying, heat oil to 375 degrees F.

Fry potatoes again in stages without overloading fryer until golden brown and crispy, for about 1-2 minutes. Remove with a skimmer or basket, pour on to a shallow pan and sprinkle with sea salt. 

Serve immediately with favorite condiments.

Pesto Mayo

Blue Cheese

BBQ Sauce

Caramelized Garlic Mayo

Peanut Sauce

& any type of flavored Ketchup

Thanksgiving Countdown: Favorite Sides

This is the part of the Thanksgiving menu that does it for me. Steamy whipped mashed potatoes with flecks of caramelized garlic- my absolute favorite, especially with a side of Honey Grilled Acorn Squash. Don't get me wrong, I won't pass up on the sweet potatoes and cranberry dressing. But if my plate is too full, then I might wait on the Wild Rice Stuffing until my next serving, then pair it with some Savory Herb Gravy.

George Hirsch Lifestyle Mousseline Potatoes

Garbanzo on the Side

Garbanzo is the another name for the chickpea. Here’s a salad that takes longer to say it than to make it. The key to success in this combo is to only use garden or farm fresh tomatoes. It has a cool refreshing mediterranean taste and feel. It's a perfect side-dish to make on a hot evening in the kitchen.

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Tomato & Chick Pea Salad

Makes four side servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle 

1 Pint red grape or cherry tomatoes, rinsed & split a half pint 

1 Pint yellow grape or cherry tomatoes, rinsed & split a half pint 

2 cups (or 2 cans) chick peas (aka garbanzo, ceci, Indian pea) drained & rinsed

1/4 cup olive oil

juice of one lemon

zest from one lemon

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 mint leaves chopped

2 Tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped

one teaspoon hot sauce

fresh ground black pepper

pinch sea salt

In a large bowl mix olive oil, lemon juice, zest, garlic, mint, parsley, hot sauce, pepper, and salt. Add all tomatoes, mix and let marinate for 10 minutes. Add chick peas, toss and allow to sit for 30 minutes at room temperature before serving. Serve with a grilled slice of Naan. 

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Fagioli al Fiasco

Do you know your fire?

Hankering for a hearty cold weather side-dish? This one happens to be made with a super power food, the cannellini bean - sometimes referred to the white kidney bean. Cannellini beans are a great source of fiber and iron.

Here's a recipe that I learned from my chef friend Gino in Tuscany. He serves this local speciality, a typical Sienese dish in his trattoria located in the medieval village of Montebeniche. You would die for his Fagioli al Fiasco, aka Beans in the Flask; basically beans cooked in a Chianti bottle. Note, without the wrapped straw. It's so simple, yet one of my most memorable dishes I tasted while in Italy.

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Fagioli al Fiasco (aka Beans in the Flask)

Cannellini beans are soaked overnight in water with salt.

The next day put into the ‘fiasco’ or heat-proof crock with 2 Tbsp of olive oil and 2 cloves of garlic, a quarter onion, 2 sage leaves, a small piece of fresh rosemary. Then fill 3/4 full of water or better yet vegetable, chicken or meat broth. Bring beans up to a boil, then moved to a lower temperature, cap and gently simmered for an hour. Traditionally the fiasco was capped and put next to a dying fire in the hearth and slowly cook until the next day.