Dinner for 2: Dirty Martini Steak Frites

(plus Dry Martinis!)

Hi everyone and Happy February! A sunny Southern California welcome to you all, including our new subscribers. I’m so glad you found your way here where we chat about California Cuisine each Friday.

If your eyes need a rest, the audio is posted above.

This month features the Dinner for 2 series! Every Friday you’ll receive a meal recipe that is perfect for you and a dinner companion. Maybe that person is your spouse or significant other. But it could also be a parent, an adult child, a sibling, or an old friend.

It’s just you and someone you want to spend time with, tête-à-tête as they say, enjoying a meal and good conversation.

Some weeks will include dessert (yes, portioned just for two!) and others will feature cocktails for two.

The Lost Supper Club

Do food writers ever get together and have dinner? Yes, they do! I recently had the pleasure of meeting up with Rebecca Blackwell of Let’s Get Lost. She was in my neck of the woods and we planned a dinner together for her Lost Supper Club.

While we had chatted numerous times online, on Zoom, and on the phone, we finally got to meet in person and it was FABULOUS! I’ve met a friend for life. And the supper club? It was a blast! You’ll enjoy reading her post. It’s filled with recipes including my Slow-roasted Pulled Pork Tacos with Green Slaw and Rebecca’s Orange and Date Cake with Candied Pistachios (it’s SO good!).

Dinner for 2 Series

The Dinner for 2 meal this week feels like it could be a mash-up of dishes from TV’s Mad Men and Rough Diamonds (I just binge-watched this Netflix Belgian drama about the Antwerp diamond district and highly recommend it!). The meal is Steak Frites, the national dish of Belgium, sauced with an olive-y mixture that contains all the moving parts of a dirty martini cocktail.

And the drinkie to enjoy with this dinner? Well, a martini, of course! I prefer the clean essence of a classic dry martini but make yours a dirty one if you prefer. Not a martini fan? Any gin-based cocktail or dry wine is a great match for this meal.

Recipes

Dirty Martini Steak Frites

Serves 2

Time: 45 minutes

A more elegant version of meat and potatoes! Perfectly cooked steak topped with a dirty martini sauce and served alongside crispy potatoes. Yes, friends, I used a bag of frozen French fries! But if you are motivated to make your own fries from scratch, please do. Thanks to Delish for the recipe.

If you want something fresh and green with this, a salad of bitter leaves like mustard greens, dandelion greens, or arugula drizzled with a simple oil and vinegar dressing would be *chef’s kiss.*

Ingredients:

• 26 oz pkg frozen French fries

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 1/2 lbs ribeye, petite sirloin, or NY strip

• 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

• 1/2 cup pitted green olives, coarsely chopped

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1/2 cup gin

• 1/4 cup dry vermouth

• 1/2 cup beef broth

• 1 Tbsp olive brine

• 1 Tbsp butter

Directions:

1. Prepare the French fries according to package directions. They will take around 30 minutes in the oven so get that started first.

2. Pat the steaks dry on both sides. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the olive and heat until shimmery (under 1 minute).

3. Add the steaks to the pan and cook for 3 minutes on the first side. Don’t move the meat but allow to sear and develop a crust. Flip the steaks and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until desired doneness. Remember the steaks will continue to cook from residual heat while resting. Move the steaks to a plate and cover to keep warm.

4. To the same pan, dump in the olives and garlic. Stir and cook for a minute, then tip in the gin and vermouth. Scrape the pan to deglaze and bring the mixture to a simmer. When the pan starts to look dry, pour in the broth and continue to simmer for 5-ish minutes. Take it off the heat and add the brine and butter. Stir to combine.

5. When the fries are done, divide them and the steaks onto two plates. Spoon the sauce over the steaks and serve.

Dry Martini

Serves 2

Time: 5 minutes

A classic cocktail that is stirred, not shaken (sorry, James Bond). Quality ingredients must be used here because there is nowhere for inferior ones to hide. Quality does not mean expensive, however. Good London dry-style gin (such as Beefeaters) and dry vermouth (like Dolin) yield a tasty drink.

If you and your dining companion are martini lovers, you probably have your own preferences on the gin-to-vermouth ratio, so please make your drinkies with the proportions you like.

Ingredients:

• 5 oz gin

• 1 oz dry vermouth

• garnish: lemon twist

Directions:

1. Add 4 or 5 ice cubes to a mixing glass. Tip in the gin and dry vermouth. Stir the mixture until cold, around 20 seconds.

2. Strain into two chilled cocktail glasses. Garnish with a lemon twist and serve.

The Podcast

Have you tuned in to the new Betty Eatz Podcast? The first episode is up and features Rebecca Blackwell of Let’s Get Lost! We dish about cooking for a family, life in an RV, and her brand-new cookbook. Plus, she shares her recipe for the best-ever homemade dinner rolls!

Find the podcast here on Substack as well as on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Tell Me

From your circle of family and friends, who would enjoy eating this meal with you? I’d love to know who you will invite to do so!

A head’s up: next week’s Dinner for 2 is just for paid subscribers and features chicken with orange and shallots, plus mini Basque cheesecakes! See you next Friday!