Fire It Up - Andrew Schloss [45]
1 teaspoon water
½ cup melted unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
⅛ teaspoon ground white or black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
If you are grilling with bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes. Toss the beef pieces and mushrooms with the oil. Thread the beef onto four of the skewers and the mushrooms onto the four remaining skewers. Sprinkle the rub all over the beef and mushrooms. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Light a grill for direct medium-high heat, about 450°F.
For the béarnaise sauce: Combine the wine, vinegar, shal-lots, and 3 sprigs of the tarragon in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and continue simmering until reduced by about half. Remove the tarragon and let the mixture cool to lukewarm.
Put the egg yolks and water in the top of a double boiler or in a stainless-steel bowl and whisk until frothy. Set the top of the double boiler or the bowl over gently simmering water, whisk in the vinegar mixture, and continue whisking until the eggs are slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the melted butter in a steady stream.
Chop the leaves from the remaining sprig of tarragon and stir into the sauce. Season with the salt and pepper, cover, and keep warm until ready to serve.
Brush the grill grate and coat with oil. Grill the skewers directly over the heat until the mushrooms are hot and the meat is browned on all sides and firm to the touch, about 8 minutes, turning every few minutes. Remove to plates, serving one beef and one mushroom skewer per person. Accompany with the béarnaise sauce.
STRIP STEAK/SHORT LOIN
Cumin-Crusted Strip Steak with Sweet Onion Chutney
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
When filet mignon steaks are cut from one side of the T-bone, what’s left on the other side of the bone is called a strip steak. This reliable piece of sirloin strikes a balance of tenderness and flavor that pleases the masses. It takes to almost any combination of marinades, rubs, and sauces. We take these steaks on a ride toward Mumbai with a crusty coating of aromatic whole cumin, coriander, and cardamom seeds. Onion chutney made with cilantro, mint, and serrano chiles rounds out the flavors. For a more fiery chutney, leave the seeds in the chiles.
INGREDIENTS:
4 boneless strip steaks (6 to 8 ounces each), fat trimmed to ¼ inch
Canola oil or olive oil for the steaks
¼ cup Coarse Cumin Rub
Sweet Onion Chutney:
2 thick slices sweet onion, such as Vidalia
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
2 serrano or jalapeño chile peppers, stemmed and seeded
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
DIRECTIONS:
Light a grill for direct medium-high heat, about 450°F. Let the steaks rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. Pat the steaks dry, and then coat all over with oil. Sprinkle with the cumin rub. Brush the grill grate and coat with oil. Grill the steaks directly over the heat for 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare to medium-done (an internal temperature of 135 to 145°F). Remove and let rest for 5 minutes.
For the chutney: While the steak cooks, put the onion slabs on the grill near the steak and cook until nicely grill-marked, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the grilled onions to a food processor along with the cilantro, mint, chiles, sugar, salt, and Worcestershire sauce. Pulse until chunky. Serve the chutney with the steak.
TOP SIRLOIN/SIRLOIN
Smoky Top Sirloin with Homemade Steak Sauce
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
On the back of a steer, the sirloin is a transition area between the tender short loin (home of tenderloin and filet mignon) and the much tougher rump. For that reason, buying steak labeled simply “sirloin” is a gamble. It could be tough and gristly or rather tender and beefy tasting. Ask for top sirloin butt steak, a beefy-tasting cut that veers toward tenderness. We like them at least 1½ inches thick, which could be a special order if your butcher routinely cuts thinner steaks. To enhance the full taste of sirloin, we pile on the smokiness