Dirty Martini-Inspired Steak Frites Recipe

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Before french fries and Caesar salads took over, the best pairing for a bright and briny dirty martini was a rich and buttery steak. Of all the classic steak and cocktail pairings out there, the dirty martini is such a foolproof option thanks to its simple nature with just amount of brininess to complement the savory meat. At its best, a dirty martini also includes tangy, sharp blue cheese, adding even more intrigue to its already spunky flavor. In this dirty martini-inspired steak frites recipe, I take things a step further by skipping the pairing suggestion and straight-up infusing those iconic cocktail flavors right into the meat itself.

Made with vermouth, olive brine, olive oil, Dijon mustard, and garlic, the marinade in this recipe stops just short of pouring an actual martini over steaks. To add even more of a dirty martini influence to the steak, you'll also whip up a creamy blue cheese dressing to drizzle over the final product (a dressing that also pairs wonderfully with the fries!). And, speaking of the frites, they get a twice-fried treatment here for optimal crispiness, making for the perfect accompaniment alongside the martini-inspired steak.

For the french fries, you'll need russet potatoes, canola oil, salt, parsley, and parmesan. For the steak and blue cheese dressing, you'll need vermouth, olive brine, Dijon mustard, garlic, blue cheese crumbles, yogurt (I recommend Greek), buttermilk, green olives, cracked black pepper, and steak. This recipe is best suited for inexpensive cuts like bavette, hanger, or coulotte, which benefit from the added flavor and tenderizing quality of a marinade. Cuts like filet mignon, ribeye, and New York strip already that have buttery, rich flavor on their own, so I recommend avoiding those for this recipe.

Slice the peeled potatoes into thin shoestring French fries.

Place in a bowl and cover with water for 30 minutes.

In the meantime, make the marinade. Whisk together the vermouth, olive oil, olive brine, Dijon mustard, and 2 cloves minced garlic in a bowl.

Add steaks to a shallow dish or bag and cover with the vermouth marinade. Marinate for 30 minutes.

Make the blue cheese dressing: To a food processor, add the blue cheese, yogurt, buttermilk, olives, olive brine, garlic clove, salt, and pepper.

Pulse until mostly smooth, then set aside.

Cook the fries: Heat the canola oil in a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven to 350 F over medium heat.

Drain the fries from the water and completely dry them. Once completely dry, add the fries to the hot oil and fry until golden, about 5 minutes, working in batches.

Remove the fries and drain on a paper-towel lined sheet tray.

Increase the heat of the oil between 375 to 400 F. Working in batches again, return the fries to the oil and fry until golden, about 2 minutes per batch.

Drain on a paper-towel lined tray. Salt while still warm with the 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste), then toss with parsley and parmesan.

Heat a light layer of canola oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat until very hot, but not smoking.

Remove the steaks from the marinade, shake off excess, and add to the hot skillet. Cook until browned on either side, about 3 minutes per side.

Remove the steak from the skillet and let rest on a plate for 5 minutes before serving.

Slice the steaks and drizzle with the blue cheese olive dressing. Serve alongside the french fries.

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This recipe is written for steaks that are medium to medium-rare, or very pink in the center. Waiting until the skillet is very hot before searing ensures a perfect, golden brown crust while keeping the insides tender, pink, and juicy. If you like steaks even more rare, flip the steaks as soon as the crust forms, about 2 minutes after adding to a very hot skillet. If you prefer steaks firmly medium and into medium-well, let the steaks cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes per side, or about 10 to 12 minutes total.

If you don't feel comfortable relying on time alone (or maybe you lose track of time easily, like I do), you can also use a meat thermometer to check the steak's doneness. The exact temperature to aim for when cooking a steak to medium is 135 F, which allows the steak to rise to 140 to 145 F in its own residual heat. Likewise, a steak is medium-rare around 125 to 130 F, and medium-well will require 140 F or slightly beyond. If in doubt, start with a lower cook time, as you can always put the steaks back on heat if needed.

Being a staple of the frozen foods aisle, enjoying french fries at home isn't typically a big hassle. Making them from scratch, on the other hand, is a tougher task. Potatoes have a high starch content, which typically makes them effortlessly creamy, fluffy side dishes. The starches, paired with moisture, are also exactly what prevents the potatoes from becoming crispy when baked or fried. Making french fries that are both fluffy inside and crispy outside requires cooking them in two batches — first at a slightly lower temperature to cook the insides, then at a higher temperature to evaporate moisture and crisp the exteriors.

If you are using frozen french fries instead, you can skip the double-fry by turning the heat of your oil up and going right into the final crisping fry. Frozen french fries are pre-cooked and flash frozen, so they're already cooked and only need to be crisped up before eating. You don't need to go the deep-frying route if you use frozen fries, and you can instead bake them in the oven or air fry them, following package instructions for crispiest results.

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