The Making of Cherche Midi's Funky Slab of Prime Rib

"We wanted to do a very luxurious steak," says Cherche Midi co-executive chef Daniel Parilla. "We do the cote de boeuf at Balthazar and Minetta Tavern, so we thought it would be nice to do something different." Rather than serving the rib as steaks, the decision was made to serve prime rib. Co-executive chef Shane McBride continues "the original idea of the restaurant was that it was the feminine Minetta, but we still wanted something for the boys to eat, so we went big."

The chefs take whole rib primals of USDA prime beef that has been aged by Pat LaFrieda for a lengthy 45 days (the average aging period is around 28 days) The roast is seasoned simply with salt and pepper and cooked for an hour and a half to two hours at around 350°. It is served with an au jus made from veal stock and neck bones that Parilla says he designed to "capture the essence of fresh meat. We didn't want it to be too heavy, reduced or concentrated. We wanted it to be lighter, to break the intensity if the dry aged beef." The accompanying onions braised in cider vinegar also serve to cut the richness of the dish. The beef is served with a side of pomme soufflé, which McBride explains as their attempt to "bring back some classics that people hadn't seen in a while."

Watch McBride and Parilla prepare the components and plate the dish:

Grid View

• The ingredients: USDA prime, dry aged whole rib, cider vinegar, potatoes, onions, butter, Maldon salt, black pepper, olive oil.
• Pepper.
• Salt.
• The rib is placed in the oven.
• Cider vingar.
• The onions are finished in the oven.
• The onions are finished with butter.
• The pommes soufflé are blanched in peanut oil at 300°.
• McBride agitates the potatoes as they fry.