Podium Steak and Potatoes with Jess Cerra
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There’s a reason that I eat steak and potatoes two nights before each race I do, and it’s not just that it’s delicious or because it has become my race ritual ever since I won the Xterra National Championship in 2010. It also provides the pre-race fuel I need to go hard.
Ingredients:
- 2 steaks
- Bag of fingerling potatoes
- Green beans
- Salt and Pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Olive oil
- Grape tomatoes
- 1 Lemon
- Fresh parsley
So to get started, it’s important to let your steaks sit at room temperature for anywhere from 30-60 minutes. At that point, preheat your oven to 450, and season your steaks and fingerling potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then put the potatoes in a rimmed baking sheet and stick them in the oven on the bottom rack for 20 minutes, tossing a couple times while they’re in there.
While those are roasting, heat a cast iron skillet over high heat, and sear the steaks for one-minute per side before putting them in the oven on the top rack for about 5 minutes—add a few minutes if you have thick steaks—until they’re medium rare.
While everything’s in the oven, start trimming the ends off your green beans, which you’ll cook in just a minute.
Once the steaks are done, put them on a plate and tent them with aluminum foil. But don’t clean the skillet. Instead, drizzle it with olive oil and add the beans and a cup of grape tomatoes, and then season it with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.
Put that all on the stove and sauté it for 5-6 minutes until the beans are golden and the tomatoes burst. Then squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top and toss to combine.
When the potatoes are done garnish them with fresh chopped parsley, and add everything to two different plates. You now have a delicious, fuel-filled meal for two.