GRILLED RIB STEAKS

The American or English rib roast does not exist in France. Instead of roasting three or more ribs together, the French cut them into individual ribs and sauté or grill them. Each serves two people.

• Trim as much of the fat from the steaks as possible and let them come to room temperature, 1 to 2 hours, before cooking.
• Preheat a grill to high.
• Place the steaks in the center of the hot grill (or close to the coals). Cover and cook the steaks 4 to 5 minutes per side. Halfway through the cooking on each side, lift and rotate the meat 90 degrees, to enhance the appearance; the extra grill marks also add flavor by caramelizing more of the steaks’ surface. Once the meat has been turned, salt and pepper the first side. Check the firmness of the meat from time to time, noticing the changes that occur. Mediumrare is springy to the touch and well done is firm.
• If after the meat has been turned you see juices beginning to pool or come to the surface, you have reached medium-rare and are approaching medium. Remove from the heat immediately. For me, a good piece of beef or lamb should not be cooked beyond medium-rare. What is tender and juicy at rare or medium-rare, becomes tough and dry if cooked past medium.
• Bring the steaks to the table on a large carving board surrounded by the watercress. At the table, bone the steak, slice it thinly across its width on the diagonal to form broad slices, and serve.