Steak baguette and shoestring fries

This crusty steak baguette piles juicy rib-eye, tangy mustard mayonnaise, caramelised onions and molten Gruyère into warm bread, with crisp shoestring fries and a creamy peppercorn dip for dunking alongside.

Prep:less than 30 mins

Cook:10 to 30 mins

Serves:Serves 2

Dietary:Contains gluten, dairy, eggs, mustard, fish and sulphites

By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen Live

---

This indulgent steak baguette with shoestring fries earns a Nutri-Score of D, thanks to the butter, double cream, Gruyère and deep-fried potatoes. It is best enjoyed as an occasional weekend treat alongside a balanced diet.
Per serving (approximate): 1,450 kcal | 95g fat | 105g carbs | 8g sugars | 6g fibre | 55g protein | 3.2g salt

---

Shop the Recipe

The kit that makes this recipe easy

• Frying pan
• Chef knife
• Mixing bowl
• Saucepan
• Chopping board
• Grater

Treat yourself to fresh new gear – you’ve earned it.

Method

Mix the mustard mayonnaise – 5 minutes (can be done ahead)

1. Stir together the mustard mayonnaise. Grab a bowl and mix the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, wholegrain mustard, a splash of Worcestershire sauce and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, give it a taste, and pop it in the fridge. This keeps brilliantly, so make it a day ahead if you like — the flavours only get better.

Prep the potatoes and dipping sauce – 15 minutes (overlaps with resting the steak)

1. Prep the potatoes. Peel the potatoes and cut them into thin matchsticks on a chopping board — take your time here, as even sticks mean evenly crisp shoestring fries. Rinse them well in plenty of cold water to wash away the excess starch, then drain and dry them thoroughly. Wet potatoes will spit in the oil, so be thorough.
2. Reduce the Worcestershire sauce. Pour the Worcestershire sauce into a saucepan and let it simmer gently until it has reduced to about 50ml/1¾fl oz. It will smell wonderfully savoury as it concentrates down.
3. Finish the peppercorn dipping sauce. Add the double cream and the crushed green peppercorns to the reduced sauce, bring it to the boil, then take it off the heat. Set it aside to thicken slightly and warm it through again just before serving.

Cook the steak – 10 minutes

1. Sear the steak. Heat a frying pan over a high heat until it is properly hot — this is the secret to a great crust. Season the rib-eye with salt and pepper, then cook it for 2 minutes on each side so it stays beautifully pink in the middle.
2. Baste with butter. Add the butter, crushed garlic and thyme sprigs to the pan, tilt it slightly, and spoon the foaming butter over the steak again and again. This basting step infuses the meat with gorgeous garlicky, herby flavour.
3. Rest and slice the steak. Lift the steak out of the pan and let it rest for at least 5 minutes — do not skip this, as it keeps every drop of juice locked in. While it rests, stir any pan juices into your mustard mayonnaise for extra flavour if you fancy. Then slice the steak against the grain with a sharp knife.

Fry the shoestring fries – 10 minutes (start while the steak rests)

1. Heat the oil. Preheat the deep-fat fryer to 180C. Please take care — hot oil can be dangerous, so never leave it unattended and keep little hands well away.
2. Deep-fry the fries. Lower the dried potato matchsticks into the hot oil and fry for 2 minutes until golden and crisp. Work in batches so they fry rather than stew, then lift them out carefully and drain well.
3. Brown the butter. Melt the butter in a frying pan and keep cooking it until it turns golden brown and smells wonderfully nutty. Add the chopped garlic, thyme and parsley and let them sizzle for a few seconds.
4. Toss the fries. Pour the herby brown butter into a large bowl, add the hot fries and toss everything together so every stick gets coated. Season with sea salt and pepper while they are still hot — they will soak up the seasoning beautifully.

Build and grill the steak baguette – 5 minutes

1. Toast and fill the baguette. Preheat the grill to high. Cut the baguette in two, then slice each piece lengthways and open them up. Mix the warmed caramelised onions with the chopped thyme.
2. Layer up the filling. Spread the inside of each baguette generously with the mustard mayonnaise, then pile in the onions and the sliced steak. Sprinkle the grated Gruyère over the top.
3. Grill until molten. Slide the baguettes under the hot grill for 1 minute, just until the cheese melts and bubbles. Keep a close eye on them — bread toasts fast! Finish with the sliced cornichons for a sharp, crunchy lift.

Serve – 1 minute

1. Plate up and enjoy. Serve the steak baguette straight away with the shoestring fries alongside and the warm peppercorn dipping sauce on the side for dunking. Have napkins ready — this one is gloriously messy!

Additional Notes

• Dry the potato matchsticks thoroughly before frying to guarantee crisp, golden shoestring fries.
• Resting the steak for at least 5 minutes is essential — it makes all the difference to a juicy steak baguette.
• The mustard mayonnaise and peppercorn dipping sauce can both be made ahead, so all you need to do at the last minute is cook the steak and fries.
• Take great care when deep-frying: never leave hot oil unattended.

Recipes from this episode

Pollock with squid and ink mash

Sea bass with sweet and sour sauce and green apple and cashew salad

Japanese style small plates

Easy chicken jalfrezi

Steak baguette and shoestring fries