Ingredients

• 1.8kg/4lb côte de boeuf
• 300g/10½oz butter
• 4 large potatoes
• peeled and cut into 1cm/½in-thick chips
• dripping or vegetable oil
• for deep-frying
• 3 tbsp tarragon vinegar
• ½ tsp whole white peppercorns
• 1 small banana shallot
• finely chopped
• 2 free-range egg yolks
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small bunch fresh tarragon
• leaves only
• finely chopped
• 1 bunch fresh watercress
• leaves only

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
• Place the côte de boeuf into a roasting tray and roast for 30-40 minutes
• until cooked to your liking.
• While the meat is cooking
• prepare the chips.
• Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 140C/285F. Alternatively
• heat the oil in a deep
• heavy-based frying pan until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns very pale golden-brown when dropped into it. (Caution: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
• Carefully lower the chips into the hot oil
• in batches
• and fry for 4-5 minutes
• or until pale golden-brown but tender. Remove from the hot oil using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper.
• Remove the pan of oil from the heat but do not discard the oil.
• When the côte de boeuf is cooked to your liking
• remove it from the oven and set aside to rest for 5-10 minutes.
• Heat 50g/1¾oz of the butter in a large frying pan over a high heat. When the butter is foaming
• add the beef and fry for 1 minute on each side
• or until browned all over
• spooning the melted butter over the meat as it fries. Set aside to rest again.
• For the béarnaise
• melt the remaining butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Skim off any milk solids that rise to the surface
• to clarify the butter.
• Bring the vinegar to the boil in a separate
• non-reactive saucepan with the peppercorns and shallots. Reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering and simmer over a low heat for 3-4 minutes
• or until most of the liquid has evaporated
• leaving only about 1 tablespoon in the pan.
• Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl
• then gradually add the melted butter a little at a time
• whisking after each addition – the aim is for the mixture to emulsify and thicken slightly. Discard any milk solids at the bottom of the pan.
• When all of the butter has been incorporated into the eggs
• spoon in the shallots and any liquid remaining in the pan
• then stir in the chopped tarragon and season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Keep warm.
• Just before serving
• return the pan of oil to the heat and heat to 190C/375F (a bread crumb will sizzle and go dark brown in 1 minute). Lower the cooked chips into the hot oil and cook for 3-4 minutes
• or until golden-brown and crisp. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon
• set aside to drain on kitchen paper
• and sprinkle with salt.
• To serve
• carve the côte de boeuf into slices and divide them among the serving plates. Pile the chips alongside
• then finish with a dollop of béarnaise and garnish with the watercress leaves.