New Recipes: Steak and Cake from Torii Mor

If steak frites is your go-to dish at restaurants, but you’ve been too intimidated to try cooking it at home, let this recipe reassure you that you can do it! Chef Paul from Torii Mor Vineyard and Winery created this recipe for two that we know you’ll enjoy, especially when paired with a Dundee Hills Pinot Noir.

Follow it with this dessert from Chef Paul that serves eight and involves cooking orange slices in simple syrup, layering them in a buttered dish, pouring batter over and baking it. If that’s not the definition of “delicious” then we don’t know what is! Try it alongside a Dundee Hills dessert wine, especially a port.

Steak Frites 

Ingredients:

• 2 ea Beef tenderloin petit filet mignon steaks
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tsp beef demi glace
• 1 shallot, peeled and
• 1⁄3 # fresh asparagus tips, trimmed
• 1⁄4 c red wine
• 1 lg russet potato
• 1 oz cold butter
• 1 tbl flavored oil (truffle, rosemary, whatever your preference)
• 2 c canola or vegetable frying oil

Peel the potato. Using a mandolin or julienne shredder, cut the potato into julienne and place in a bowl of water. Season the steaks with salt and pepper and allow 15 minutes at room temp before cooking. Remove your potatoes to a strainer to dry.

Heat your frying oil in a medium saucepan to 350 degrees. Fry your potatoes in the oil being careful that no excess water creates a grease splash. After browning, remove and strain to a bowl and season with salt and your favorite seasoning oil.

Heat a cast iron skillet to “high” on the stovetop, then sear your steaks and the shallots 5 minutes on each side, depending on desired doneness, and remove to a plate to rest. Return heat to high, deglaze pan with red wine, add demi glace and asparagus tip and simmer for 5 minutes. Finish with cold butter off heat.

Plate up with potato “nest” of fries first, then steak, shallot and asparagus plus sauce. Voila!

Blood Orange Olive Oil Upside Down Cake

 

For the oranges:

• 3-4 blood orange cut into even thin slices, 1⁄4 inch or so
• 1 c water
• 1 c sugar
• 1 tsp ground cardamom 

Heat the sugar and water over medium until sugar dissolves, add orange slices and simmer for 15-20 min. Remove to a plate to cool. Save the simple syrup for later to add to the garnish and brush the cake.

 

For the cake:

• 3/4 c plus 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2⁄3 c sugar
• 1⁄3 c olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1⁄2 tsp salt
• 1⁄8 tsp baking soda
• 1⁄2 tsp baking powder 

Start by preheating the oven to 350. Use the butter to grease your pie dish and both sides of the parchment paper. Lay the paper in the dish, sprinkle with the brown sugar, then layer the orange slices artfully atop the paper. Set aside.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, vanilla, and sugar together. Continue whisking while adding the olive oil. With a rubber spatula blend in the flour mixture until it’s a smooth consistent batter, about 1 min.

Pour the batter over the orange slices and gently spread so as not to dishelve your artful design. Bake for 40-50 min or until dry pick comes out clean from the center of the cake. Allow to rest on a rack for 15 minutes, Then carefully invert onto a board or serving dish.

To plate up and garnish, take a tablespoon of the simple syrup mixture and stir it briskly into a 1⁄2 cup of greek yogurt…use it like whipped cream and add a mint sprig, zest, a cherry or another garnish of your choice.