MEAT YOUR MATCH
By: Marylaine Viernes
Of serenades and marinates… here are TWO perfect steak ideas that will make you and your date’s heart sing; unique flavors set to romance the palate with a truly Asian twist to a traditional dish!
The Miso Marinated Flat Iron Steak with Yuzu Kosho
You won’t “miso” a beat with this flavorful steak marinated with East Asian flair: Miso, Yuzu kosho, Sake, Wasabi and Mirin… put your heart at ease with this mind-blowing Japanese inspired dish…
You’ll need:
½ cup Miso paste
Wasabi paste in tube
3 tbsp sake
½ cup mirin
½ cup brown sugar
yuzu kosho, (a citrus pepper paste, available in most Asian and online grocery stores)
4 pinches of Himalayan salt
4 slices of flat iron strip steak (you may also use flank steak)
Optional: butter for frying
• Simply combine the sake and mirin with the brown sugar until it is well-dissolved.
• Add the wasabi paste, emptying about half of the small tube, or about 1 ½ tablespoon, depending on your preferred level of spiciness.
• Let it sit for a couple of minutes, then prepare the strips of steak and then put a pinch of salt in each piece.
• Add a dash of yuzu kosho. Set it aside for 3-5 minutes.
• Add the miso paste in the earlier concoction and stir very well until it is smooth and creamy in texture.
• Put in the strips of steak in the marinade.
• Wait for 1-2 hours and then fry with salted butter or grill. Add another light dash of yuzu kosho when it is almost done, cooked depending on your preference.
• Serve hot.
I gotcha baby with Steak Kombucha
We add another Oriental twist to steak with kombucha tea, a fermented and lightly effervescent tea drink, now growing in popularity thanks to its many health benefits. It is said to be beneficial for those battling cancer, diabetes, gout, hemorrhoids and more. Most of all, it is said to be good for the Heart! What a perfect ingredient in this Season of Hearts!
The recipe below serves 4. Start with preparing the following ingredients:
1 cup of classic kombucha tea (ginger-lemon variant is also good)
3 tablespoons of light soy sauce
3 tablespoons of rice vinegar, unseasoned
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Half a cup of olive oil
A teaspoon of red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Thinly sliced shallot, 1 large piece or 2 small pieces
6 Persian cucumbers
1 tablespoon of Sriracha sauce (Gochujang is an alternative)
Sea salt flakes
2 pounds of skirt steak, cut into 4 even pieces
Half cup of butter to cook the steak
10 ounces of shredded mozzarella (2 ½ cup)
¾ cup of grated parmesan
2 large eggs
STEAK MARINADE PREPARATION: Place the steak in a large resealable bag and then season it with a few pinches of kosher salt, and set it aside as you prepare the marinade and then do the following steps:
• In a medium bowl, whisk the kombucha, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, oil and red pepper flakes together.
• When smooth, pour half of the concoction into the bag with the steak and seal immediately, pressing out the air and massaging the bag to disperse the marinade. Wait for 20 minutes in room temperature, but if refrigerated, allow up to 2 hours only.
• Take the remaining half of the marinade and add the sliced shallots. Set aside for a few minutes.
CUCUMBER SALAD PREPARATION: Gather the cucumbers onto a chopping board and crush them using a rolling pin or a large knife. Make sure to be gentle so as to not squash them completely, leaving bite-sized, smashed chunks only.
• Put the cucumbers in a bowl and add a pinch of salt and let it dry for a few minutes.
• Toss the marinade with the shallots onto the bowl of cucumbers. Add sriracha or gochujang sauce, cover and then set aside.
COOKING & SERVING
• Cook the steak in two batches so as to not crowd the pan. Also make sure that the butter does not burn. Watch closely until the steak pieces turn golden brown on both sides.
• Once the level of doneness is achieved, transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 8-10 minutes.
• Slice the steak into hanging tender strips and then sprinkle a bit of flaky sea salt as you serve it over the smashed cucumber salad. It also goes very well with simple steamed rice.
Now you can invite everyone over to the dinner table by saying,
“Kom” and get it!”