Anthony Bourdain believed food was a portal for understanding others. This steak was just part of that.
I used to hang out at Les Halles back in the late ’90s when Anthony Bourdain was the executive chef. The New York restaurant was close to my apartment, and I was in my Francophile food stage.
One night, as I was enjoying an order of steak frites, I asked my waiter about the seasoning.
“Let me check with the chef,” he responded.
Minutes later, out comes this tall lanky guy in chef whites, who pulls up a chair at my table, sticks out his hand and says, “Hey, I’m Tony Bourdain, and I understand you want to know my secrets.”
With that wicked grin we witnessed many times on TV, he continued, “Ever heard of salt and pepper?” I felt pretty stupid and I guess it showed. He laughed and told me it was a little more complicated than that.
From that point on, if he was working, he always made a point of visiting with me when I was at the restaurant. He always was busting my chops about being a food stylist, telling me I didn’t have what it took to be a line cook and giving me grief over what I did to beautify food for the camera.
Bourdain was funny, intense, wicked, obscene, an incredible wordsmith, and believed in and advocated for the underdog, probably because he felt like one. What you saw on TV was the same person you interacted with in person. No pretenses, he was who he was.
He believed, as I believe, that food was the portal for understanding someone unlike you. That true democracy happens at a table. He asked about the human condition in a real way. He truly was curious, and shared that curiosity with us. And, in a world of the food celebrities, he showed us the importance of home cooking in every show he aired.
So, I honor him with a recipe for steak frites, well at least with the steak part. My dirty little secret is when I put the steaks on the grill, I send someone to McDonald’s for three orders of large fries.
True steak frites use the hanger steak. Hanger steak has long been the preferred cut in most European countries. In the days of real butcher shops, the hanger was the piece of meat that employees took home for their families and has lovingly been nicknamed the butcher’s tenderloin.
In a positive turn of events in this country, old-style butcher shops are being re-established, and the hanger steak is easier to find. Even some major grocery chains, like Whole Foods Market, are handling it, but it is best to pre-order the cut.
The steak is extremely flavorful but a bit chewy. It’s not tough; it’s just not tender. But if you want an intense beef flavor, then this cut may be for you. You can substitute a flat iron steak, which all grocers are handling now.
We’re going to throw this in a marinade that helps tenderize it a bit – this marinade works with any steak – but you certainly can skip this step and go straight to the grill. The grilled onions supplement caramelized shallots that are usually served with hanger steaks in France. It’s a delightful combination not to be missed.
Tony, you are in a new Parts Unknown. I hope you are at peace.
The suicide hotline number is 800-273-8255.
Fred Thompson is a Raleigh cookbook author and publisher of Edible Piedmont magazine. Reach him at fdtfx1@earthlink.net.
Serving suggestions
Serve with: What else, French fries, but roasted or mashed potatoes are also good.
To drink: Your favorite big red wine, or bourbon
Steak Frites with Grilled Onions
6 garlic cloves finely minced
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1/4 cup tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon yellow or brown mustard seeds
2 tablespoons coarse-grained mustard
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sherry or balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 8-10 ounce hanger steaks (Flat iron cut also works)
Skewers, optional (If using bamboo, soak in water for 30 minutes)
3 large red onions, peeled and sliced into thick rings
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Make the marinade: Combine the garlic, ginger, tamari, mustard seeds, both mustards, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a non-reactive dish like a glass baking dish. Add the steaks and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Do not marinate this overnight – 8 hours is maximum.
It’s not necessary to use skewers for the onion, but it does aid in keeping the onion slices from separating and falling through the grill and also makes them easier to turn. So thread a skewer through each onion slice if desired.
Light a fire in your grill using your favorite method or preheat a gas grill on high.
Remove the steaks from the marinade about 30 minutes before you plan to cook, discarding the marinade. Pat the steaks as dry as possible with a paper towel.
Place the steaks on the grill along with the onion slices and cook for about 5 minutes per side. This cut of meat really should be served medium rare or medium at most. Turn the onions when you turn the steaks. When the steaks are done, remove to a platter and let rest for 5-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, slide the onions off the skewers into a mixing bowl, separating the rings and toss with the vinegar while the onions are still warm. After the steaks have rested, spoon the onions over the steaks and serve.
Yield: 6 servings
This story was originally published June 28, 2018 at 5:16 PM with the headline "Anthony Bourdain believed food was a portal for understanding others. This steak was just part of that.."