Daniel Boulud’s Côte de Bœuf à l’échalote and Tartiflette

The Tartiflette is a must for feeding hungry skiers. According to Raj Vaidya, head sommelier at Daniel restaurant, “There’s no better pairing for a classic beef-and-potatoes dish than a California red. Following the wildfires that devastated California wine country, now is the time to support.... My first thought is a juicy wine from Napa Valley’s Turkey Wine Cellars, its 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon. ... Another great alternative, though, would be a Merlot from Carneros in Sonoma, like Inconnu’s from 2014...”

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Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small casserole dish, combine the excess beef fat, 6 shallots, 3 cloves of garlic, and half the thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes, until the shallots are soft and the fat melted.

Step 2

While the shallots are baking, season the beef generously on all sides with salt and pepper. In a large sauté pan, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat, add the beef, and reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining shallot, garlic, and thyme, and cook for 10 minutes undisturbed. Add the butter to the top of the beef and carefully flip it over to cook the other side, about 10 minutes more, occasionally basting with the butter. Transfer the beef to a platter and let it rest for another 10 minutes.

Step 3

While the beef is resting, deglaze the sauté pan with the sherry vinegar and let it reduce by half. Then pour the liquid, along with the shallot, garlic, and thyme, over the beef to flavor it.

Step 4

To serve, remove the baked shallots from the oven and strained out the melted beef fat, reserving it. Slice the beef along direction of the bone and drizzle with the reserved beef fat. Add the baked shallots and garnish with the watercress.

Step 5

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a medium saucepot, combine the potato chunks, cream, and milk, and bring to a simmer; season with salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes crush easily when pressed with the tines of the fork. Strain the potatoes, reserving the cooking liquid, and set aside.

Step 6

While the potatoes are cooking, warm a small sauté pan over medium-low heat and add the bacon. Cook for 7-10 minutes, until the fat is rendered and the bacon is golden brown. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. Increase the heat and add the garlic and leek to the bacon fat. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes, and then set aside.

Step 7

Scatter 1/3 of both the bacon and leek into a small gratin dish, then add half the potatoes. Press slightly with a fork, then add another 1/3 of the bacon and leek and half the cheese. Add the remaining potatoes, bacon and leek, and cheese. Pour the reserved cream and milk to the halfway point of the dish. Bake for 10 minutes, then finish with freshly ground white pepper and serve.