Sous Vide Coulotte Steak with Blistered Tomatoes, Balsamic Summer Vegetables, and Tallow-Roasted Nicola Potatoes

Sous Vide Coulotte Steak

Sous vide keeps this flavorful sirloin-cap cut evenly rosy. Thorough drying and a brief, hot sear build a crust without substantially cooking the center further.

Ingredients

• 1.75–2 lb coulotte steaks, preferably Stemple Creek, cut 1½ inches thick
• 1½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tbsp ghee
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat a sous vide bath to 131°F / 55°C for medium-rare. Trim any silverskin and leave no more than ¼ inch of exterior fat. Note the direction of the grain before cooking.
2. Season the steaks with salt, seal in a single layer in sous vide bags, and fully submerge. Cook for 2–3 hours for steaks about 1½ inches thick.
3. Remove from the bags and blot very thoroughly. Set on a rack for 5–10 minutes while preparing the skillet; dry again just before searing.
4. Heat a heavy skillet over high heat with the ghee. Sear the broad sides for 45–60 seconds each, then briefly sear the edges. Hold any fat edge against the pan for another 1–2 minutes as needed, without letting the ghee burn.
5. Rest for 3–5 minutes, season with pepper, and slice across the grain into ¼–½-inch slices. The center should remain evenly rosy.

Notes

• For medium doneness, use a 140°F / 60°C bath instead.
• Coulotte grain can change direction; divide the cooked steak into sections before slicing if necessary.

Blistered Tomatoes with 20-Year Balsamic

High heat concentrates the tomatoes while leaving enough juice to dress the steak. Adding aged balsamic off heat preserves its fragrance and syrupy texture.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ripe cherry or small mixed summer tomatoes, larger ones halved
• 2 tsp ghee
• ¼ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 2 tsp 20-year aged balsamic vinegar, plus a little more for finishing
• to taste freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat and add the ghee. Add the tomatoes in one layer and leave undisturbed for 2–3 minutes, until their skins blister and their cut surfaces brown.
2. Season with salt, toss gently, and cook another 4–7 minutes, until some tomatoes collapse and their juices become glossy rather than watery. Leave some pieces intact.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the balsamic and black pepper. Taste for salt and spoon over the sliced steak, adding a few fresh drops of balsamic at the table.

Notes

• If the tomatoes release a lot of liquid, reduce it briefly before adding the vinegar. Do not boil the aged balsamic into a glaze.

Roasted Zucchini and Eggplant with Basil and 12-Year Balsamic

Roasting on separate trays lets eggplant turn creamy while zucchini browns without becoming mushy. Basil and balsamic go on after roasting for a fresh, aromatic finish.

Ingredients

• 1 lb green and yellow zucchini
• 1 lb small eggplants
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• ¾ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp 12-year aged balsamic vinegar
• ¾ cup loosely packed basil leaves, large leaves torn

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F / 220°C. Cut the zucchini into ¾-inch-thick half-moons or rounds and the eggplant into roughly 1-inch chunks.
2. Toss the eggplant with 2 tablespoons olive oil and half the salt. Spread on a sheet pan with space between the pieces.
3. Toss the zucchini with the remaining tablespoon of oil, remaining salt, and pepper. Spread on a separate sheet pan, placing flat cut surfaces against the pan.
4. Roast the eggplant for 25–35 minutes and the zucchini for 20–25 minutes, turning once and rotating pans as needed. The eggplant should be creamy inside and the zucchini browned but still holding its shape.
5. Combine the hot vegetables in a serving bowl and gently toss with the balsamic. Let stand for 2 minutes, then fold in most of the basil. Taste for salt and scatter the remaining basil over the top.

Notes

• Avoid crowding the pans; trapped steam prevents the browned edges that give this medley its texture.

Tallow-Roasted Nicola Potatoes

A short parboil cooks the centers before roasting. Hot tallow coats the cut faces for a golden crust while Nicola potatoes retain their buttery, firm interiors.

Ingredients

• 2 lb Nicola potatoes, scrubbed and left skin-on
• 3 tbsp beef tallow
• 1 tbsp kosher salt for the boiling water
• ½ tsp kosher salt for roasting, plus more to taste
• to taste freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F / 220°C. Cut the potatoes into large, roughly 1½-inch chunks with several flat faces.
2. Place in a saucepan, cover with cold water by 1 inch, and add the boiling-water salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 8–12 minutes, until the outside yields to a knife but the centers remain slightly firm.
3. Drain well and let steam-dry for 5 minutes. Shake the colander gently to roughen the cut edges without breaking the potatoes.
4. Put the tallow on a heavy rimmed sheet pan and heat in the oven for 3–4 minutes. Carefully add the dry potatoes, turn to coat, and season with the roasting salt.
5. Roast for 35–45 minutes, turning after about 20 minutes, until deeply golden on several faces and tender throughout. Finish with pepper and additional salt if needed.

Notes

• Use a roomy pan and keep the cut faces against the metal for the best crust.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The sous vide bath provides a forgiving window for roasting the sides. Finish the tomatoes and sear the steak only once the potatoes are nearly crisp.

Instructions

1. About 3 hours before serving, heat the sous vide bath, season and bag the steaks, and begin cooking.
2. About 70 minutes before serving, heat the oven to 425°F / 220°C and begin parboiling the potatoes.
3. About 50 minutes before serving, put the potatoes into the hot tallow and oven. Cut and season the zucchini and eggplant.
4. About 35 minutes before serving, begin roasting the eggplant, followed by the zucchini about 5 minutes later. Use separate pans, rotate their positions, and allow a few extra minutes if the oven is crowded.
5. About 15 minutes before serving, remove and dry the steaks. Blister the tomatoes in one skillet while heating a second skillet for searing.
6. Sear and briefly rest the steaks. Finish the tomatoes with 20-year balsamic, toss the vegetables with 12-year balsamic and basil, and check the potatoes for salt.
7. Slice the steak and serve immediately with the hot potatoes and warm vegetables.

Plating

Keeping the potatoes away from the tomato juices preserves their crust. Tomatoes over the steak make a simple sauce without obscuring the roasted vegetables.

Instructions

1. Arrange the sliced steak in a slightly overlapping line on each warm plate.
2. Spoon the blistered tomatoes and their juices over the meat and finish with a few drops of 20-year balsamic.
3. Place the zucchini and eggplant alongside, keeping the basil visible.
4. Add the potatoes in a separate cluster, with their browned faces facing up and clear of the tomato juices.

Leftover Path

Separate storage prevents the potatoes from soaking up sauce and lets the steak be warmed gently rather than cooked again.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate the steak, tomatoes, vegetables, and potatoes in separate shallow airtight containers within 2 hours. Use within 3–4 days.
2. Recrisp the potatoes in a 425°F / 220°C oven for 12–18 minutes. Warm the roasted vegetables on a separate tray for the last 8–10 minutes.
3. Warm the tomatoes gently in a small saucepan. For the best steak texture, serve thinly sliced leftovers cold or gently warmed with the tomatoes; prolonged reheating will take the meat beyond medium-rare.
4. Alternatively, serve the sliced steak, vegetables, and tomatoes as a room-temperature composed salad with fresh basil, keeping the reheated potatoes alongside.