Pepper-Crusted New York Strip with Braised Leeks and Twice-Baked Potatoes

Ingredients

2 strip steaks
1 C black peppercorns, coursely ground
2 T unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, smashed
4 sprigs fresh thyme
to taste sea salt
1 T vegetable oil

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Braised Leeks

4 large leeks
1 T unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, smashed
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 t whole black peppercorns

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Twice Baked Potatoes

2 Idaho potatoes, scrubbed clean
3 oz fresh goat cheese, at room temperature
2 T sour cream
1/2 C scallion green, thin sliced on diagonal
to taste Kosher salt

Method

For the Steaks

Heat a heavy sauté pan over high heat. Meanwhile, press one side of each steak into the cracked peppercorns. Film the bottom of the pan with oil and heat just until smoking. Immediately put in the steaks, pepper-side down and sear for 2 minutes, then turn the heat down and sear for 3 minutes longer, or until a nice crust develops. Flip the steaks and sear the other side for 2 minutes. Add the butter, garlic, and thyme to the pan, and baste the steaks with the pan drippings. (If you like your steaks cooked past medium-rare, this is when you should transfer them to a 350 deg. oven to finish cooking.) Before slicing let the steaks rest on a warmed plate or, preferably on a small rack in a warm place (like the stovetop).

For the Leeks

Trim and discard the tough green tops from the leeks. Trim off the hair like roots without cutting off the bottoms of the leeks. Starting about 1 inch from the root end and cutting toward the leaves, split each leek lengthwise, leaving a small portion of the bottom intact to hold the leek together as it cooks. Wash the leeks in a good sized basin of water, agitating them gently to release any dirt trapped between the layers of leaves. Leave them in the water for a few minutes, then lift the leeks out of the basin and rinse under cold water. Place the leeks in a straight sided saute pan and add the butter, garlic, thyme, peppercorns, and salt to taste: cover the pan. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook just until fork tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the leeks cool in the cooking liquid. If preparing the dish ahead of time, store and reheat the leeks in the same liquid.

For the potatoes

Make two beds of Kosher salt in a shallow pan. Rub the potatoes lightly with oil and bake in a 350 deg. oven until fork tender, about 35 minutes. Let the potatoes cool until you can handle them. Peel one of the potatoes, then coarsely chop it and place in a bowl. Cut the other potato in half lengthwise. Leaving shells about 1/4 inch thick, scoop out the insides of both halves and add to the bowl. Mash the warm potatoes with a fork, mixing in the cheese and sour cream: season with salt and white pepper. Fold in the scallions. Spoon the mashed potatoes into the shells, leaving the surface a little rough so the peaks brown nicely during the second baking. Broil the potatoes 6 to 8 inches from the heat for 4 minutes, or until heated through and nicely browned.

Wine Suggestion

Big fruit Napa Syrah
The central coast of California has some great wines with soft tannins.

Photo: Courtesy of Charlie Palmer