TFF - Salt Crusted Porterhouse and Smashed Potatoes with Peas

If you remember reading this post, last week, you'll understand when I decided that my hubby needed a "pick-me-up" kind of dinner to lift his spirits after a particularly rough day. I've been looknig for an excuse to make this Tyler Florence recipe for awhile now, and being the meat and potatoes kind of guy that he is, I thought this one would be right up his alley! (as a side note, I am not much of a "cast iron" cook, but after visiting my SIL and BIL this week, that is gonna change! I learned to love Roger's favorite cast iron pan, so you'll likely be seeing more of this!)

On the way home from work one day last week, I picked up a lovely Porterhouse steak and prepared to pamper the man of the house. Talk about a low-maintenance meal! The only change I made was to garnish the potatoes with peas instead of mashing them into it, because I knew the hubs would avoid the lovely little greenies like the plague, so I played nice. I intended to make a fancy cocktail to go with this, but keeping the man of the hour in mind, I poured him a nice cold beer instead.

I admit I was a little leery of this dish, wondering how the salt crust would affect the flavor of the dish, but I needn't have concerned myself! The way Matt described it was "a cross between a juicy steak and corned beef". The first bite you take, the salt hits you first, but immediately mellows and you get the robust taste of the steak, sealed in the juices by the salt crust.

This recipe got an A+ from my husband, and we'll definitely be trying it again! Be sure to check out the roundup over at Tyler Florence Fridays tomorrow afternoon - this is my entry for the week!

SALT-CRUSTED PORTERHOUSE
Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence, Stirring the Pot
Yield: 2-4 servings
Time: 35 minutes

3 cups kosher salt
6 egg whites
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
¼ bunch flat-leaf parsley
4 sprigs thyme, leaves only
3 stems fresh sage
extra-virgin olive oil
2 (18oz) Porterhouse steaks (1 ½ inches thick)

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.

Bring steaks out so they can come up to room temp, drizzle with a little olive oil and a few turns of black pepper.
Put egg whites in a large mixing bowl and gently whisk until slightly foamy. Using a mortar and pestle (or food processor), mince garlic, bay leaves, rosemary and sage. Add to egg whites with salt and combine well until it holds together like a paste.

Take a large cast-iron skillet (or two smaller ones) and set strip steak in the center of the skillet and mould salt paste on top of and around the sides of the steak.Bake in the hot oven for 15 minutes (internal temp should reach 120 degrees F.) then pull out and rest for 7-8 minutes.Crack shell open – remove steak, slice and serve.Smashed Potatoes and Peas
Recipe Courtesy of Tyler Florence

8 medium new baby red potatoes
1 cup frozen peas, blnached
4 sprigs fresh mint
1/2 cup heavy cream
extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Prepare potatoes. Put potatoes in a large pot of cold salted water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 20-30 minutes. Drain and put back into the pot. Add cream and using a wooden spoon, smash the potatoes to break them up a little and incorporate the cream. Fold in peas and mint then season with salt and pepper.