Peruvian Steak and Potato Stir-Fry
The last time that we traveled to Montana to visit my parents and were able to socialize with their circle (many moons ago), we were invited for dinner at Jane and Fred Leopold’s house. A little bit about the Leopolds…they were our “friends from Vermont” as in, despite the fact that their full-time residence was fifteen minutes from ours, we met and became close friends during the many weekends spent skiing at Mt. Snow (see Evergreen for more on this topic). But more relevant is that after about 15+ years of my parents living in Montana, having people come out to visit and basically berating their friends with the reasons they should move to the “best place on earth,” the Leopolds were the only ones to take the bait. They moved to Bozeman in 2010, fifteen minutes from my parents’ home once again, and as far as I can tell have never looked backed. They thrive in Montana’s seasons, skiing in the winter, hiking in the spring, summer and fall and taking more interesting road trips than anyone we know.
Now back to dinner. Jane and Fred have traveled to Peru on numerous occasions and over the years, Jane has come to perfect the country’s Steak and Potato Stir-Fry. My mother had told us about it and when we last went for dinner I was excited to hear that it was on the menu. The concept was new to me and a huge hit all around. I mean sliced beef tangled with French fries? Say no more.
I recently stumbled upon this old recipe for Peruvian Steak and Potato Stir-Fry from Food & Wine, May 2011, and thought it looked similar to Jane’s and worthy of a try. My family couldn’t have agreed more. In the recipe below, I have doubled the original which will require you to cook the steak and potatoes in batches but worth the effort because you’ll be hard pressed to find a leftover fry in the pan. Enjoy!
Peruvian Steak & Potato Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 1/2 c extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 lbs skirt steak
- 2 red onion halved and sliced
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 16 oz frozen french fries
- 1/2 c sliced pickled jalapeños
- 2 lg tomatoes chopped
- 1/2 c cilantro chopped
- hot sauce for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, cumin, coriander, garlic and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Cut the steak into 4-inch pieces; slice the steaks across the grain 1/2 inch thick and add to the bowl along with the onion. Let marinate for 10 minutes or more.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1/2 inch of oil until shimmering. Add the french fries (in batches so that they fit in skillet) and fry over high heat until golden and crisp; drain on paper towels. Alternately, if you happen to have an air fryer, this would be a great time to use it.
- When fries are done, pour oil from skillet (but do not wipe clean) and reheat until very hot. Add the steak and onion along with the pickled jalapeños and stir-fry over high heat until the meat and onion are cooked through and lightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes. You will want to let the meat sit for a minute or so between stirs to get the char. If all of your meat cannot fit in the skillet, cook in batches and return all of the meat to the skillet once cooked through.
- Add the tomato and cook until softened and beginning to char, about 1 minute. Add the french fries and cilantro and carefully flip with a spatula to combine. Serve right away with hot sauce.