A few years ago my husband came back from a business trip in Paris and he couldn’t stop talking about a Parisian bistro called Le Relais de l’Entrecôte. The uniqueness about this place is that there is no menu. Aside from the dessert everyone in the restaurant is served the same single course menu: a walnut salad, an extra tender sirloin steak with its famous green sauce, and delicious golden thin-cut French fries. Just simply tell your waitress how you like your steak: blue, rare, medium or well done. That’s it…and moments later you will be served the most delicious steak-frites meal ever. What makes this place even more special is the feeling of home you get. Towards the end of your meal just as you are scraping off the last bit of the famous green sauce from your plate a waitress comes by to serve you seconds!
I eventually had the opportunity to dine at a Le Relais de l’Entrecôte restuarant, my first time being at the one located in the Village of Marylebone in London. I must admit it was pretty darn good, and what sets this menu apart from any other steak and fries dish is indeed their FAMOUS GREEN SAUCE. This sauce has well earned its title. It makes all the difference in the steak, even the French fries, and it can turn an ordinary steak and fries into a gourmet meal. My children loved it too, and I was happy to know there is a restaurant all 5 of us enjoy.
So back home, just like my husband after his Paris trip, I also couldn’t stop thinking about this bistro. I knew I needed to recreate this sauce. I wasn’t going to wait for the next time I was in Paris or London to have it again. When I started to do research on this sauce I wasn’t surprised to see many others out there also loved this sauce, and lucky for me they have already recreated their own version of this recipe. My search was made easy and I soon adapted a recipe that tastes just as good, arguably even better than the famous green sauce from Le Relais de l’Entrecôte itself.
Since today is Dutch-American Friendship Day I invited my Dutch girlfriend, Albertien van Tilburg, to join me in my next MNSDK Cooking with Friends post. As she expressed a need for a recipe her whole family could enjoy, I immediately thought of the famous green sauce. To be honest I was never EVER going to post this recipe. It was that one secret recipe I was going to keep for myself, and for my family, but I thought this recipe is just way too good not to share, and certainly way too good not to share with a very special Dutch friend.
Recipe for the famous green sauce is adapted from a combination of different recipes, but mainly from btchnktchn.com and jeffretsaid.com.
Try the Walnut Salad recipe to accompany your steak and fries.
Famous Green Sauce
This recipe is inspired by the famous green sauce served at Le Relais de l'Entrecote, now with locations in Paris, London, New York and Mexico City. It is simple to make, but there is nothing simple about the flavor. Try it with the walnut salad and French fries of your choice.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large white onions, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 bunches of tarragon, chopped (about 30 grams)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1-1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon canned anchovies in oil, chopped (about 3-4 small filets)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1-3/4 cups chicken stock
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (for the end)
Directions
- Step 1 In a medium pot add in the onions and olive oil. Cook over medium heat until onions are translucent. About 4-5 minutes. Then add in the garlic and cook for about a minute. Turn off heat.
- Step 2 Add the remaining ingredients (EXCEPT the butter). Cook and simmer on low heat for about 30-45 minutes, allowing the sauce to reduce slightly.
- Step 3 Turn heat off and let the sauce cool a bit. Transfer to a food processor or a blender and puree until smooth.
- Step 4 Return sauce to the pot. Add in the butter. Simmer on low heat and allow it to thicken a bit. About 15 minutes.
- Step 5 Enjoy this sauce over your favorite piece of steak (and fries).
- Step 6 TIP for steak: I like my steak thick and usually ask the local butcher for 1″-1.5″ cuts of steak. To prepare I usually drizzle olive oil on both sides, 6-7 shakes from the pepper mill, and a light sprinkle of salt. Grill 3 minutes on both sides for medium prepared steak (but I recommend the use of a thermometer to achieve your personal preference).
- Step 7 TIP for walnut salad: Along with some fries, you can also serve your steak with walnut salad. Recipe: Add 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons walnut oil, and freshly cracked black pepper into a small bowl. Mix until completely homogeneous and emulsified. Mix into your preferred greens, top with chopped walnuts. Serve.