beefsteak and fries

Cut the fries by hand and try to make them all the same thickness, about a little less than a centimetre. The length is irrelevant. Fry the fries in portions for the first time 4 minutes at 150°C. That is to 'poach' them, to cook the inside. Let them cool down and in the meantime wash the lettuce. Take out the hard pieces. Mix with a few tablespoons of mayonnaise. You can also put the lettuce unprocessed on the table with the mayo in a jar. Cut the tomatoes into pieces and remove the seeds. Bring the meat to room temperature. Rub the steaks with salt and pepper. Choose an adhesive pan. Turn up the heat and let a large lump of butter fizzle out. Place the steaks in the pan without pricking them with a fork. Make sure the pan is completely filled with meat and then don't touch it for at least 2 minutes! Don't even think about lifting them, for example. Turn the steaks over and let them fry again for 2 minutes. Now you have to choose. Turn down the heat in the meantime.

For saignant, bake them for 1 minute on each side, for à point 2 minutes and for bien cuit 3 minutes. We are talking about serious steaks, at least a few centimetres thick. Such thin pieces of meat 'fry and brown', that's nothing for this tough national dish. Put the pan away from the heat, put the lid on it and leave it covered for about ten minutes. In the meantime, fry the fries. Fry the fries for the second time and now at 180°C. The intention is that the outside now colours nicely and they become crispy. You have to judge this by sight. So stay with your fryer and shake the fries a few times and judge whether they have been fried sufficiently golden brown. Take them out in time before the sugars in the fries start to caramelise. This is not nice, not tasty and not healthy. On the dinner plate. A steak, a scoop of fries, a portion of lettuce, mayonnaise and a few pieces of tomato. Some more salt on the fries and voilà, the most typical Belgian national dish is right in front of your nose!