Steak Revolution

SERVES 1 TO 2

One night after work, I had the great pleasure of sitting down for a meal with Jamie Oliver to discuss his latest cookbook. We went to Bar Isabel, a popular Spanish-style restaurant in Toronto owned by chef Grant van Gameren. Among the plates was a splendid sliced steak, the darkest brown on the outside yet warm and red on the inside. Masterfully caramelized, salty, with a toffee-like coating, the velvety rare beef was succulent. The cut was striploin, but I thought to myself right then and there that this sort of treatment would be perfect for petite tenders. I was way too distracted by the food and conversation (and maybe the wine) to ask the chef how he’d prepared the steak, so I spent the following weekend trying to figure it out. This recipe is as close as I could get, and it’s now part of my steak repertoire.

1 TABLESPOON UNSALTED BUTTER

1 TABLESPOON TERIYAKI SAUCE

1 TABLESPOON RED PEPPER PASTE OR TOMATO PASTE

1 TABLESPOON LIQUID HONEY

ZEST OF 1 LEMON

2 TEASPOONS FRESH LEMON JUICE

1 CLOVE GARLIC, FINELY GRATED

1 PETITE TENDER STEAK (ABOUT 12 OUNCES)

IN A SMALL SAUCEPAN over medium heat, heat butter until it just stops bubbling. Add teriyaki sauce, red pepper paste, honey, lemon zest and juice, and garlic. Simmer over medium-low heat until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and set aside until the marinade has cooled. Transfer to a bowl or resealable freezer bag.

ADD YOUR PETITE TENDER to the cooled marinade and turn the steak until it is well coated. Let sit for 30 minutes, or more if you can—your petite tender will be on the grill for just a short amount of time, so you want it to soak in a good amount of flavour. This should also give you enough time to prepare your grill.

PREHEAT YOUR GRILL to its hottest setting: peak heat for charcoal grills; full-on high heat for gas grills (with the hood or lid closed for about 10 minutes to heat up the plating). When your gas grill temperature reads in excess of 500°F or your charcoal grill is too hot to hold your hand 4 inches above the grill for much more than a second, and the coals have just turned mostly white, with scant streaks of black, it’s time to start cooking (see “Cooking with Charcoal” for more on this subject).

REMOVE YOUR STEAK from the marinade and pat off any excess, leaving just enough to coat.

PLACE THE MARINATED PETITE TENDER on the hottest part of your grill, and cook until it darkens, turning as needed to develop a nice, even crust. You are looking for a crust that is very dark brown and black over the surface of the whole steak, except for any small patches where the coating may have rubbed off. If you are using an instant-read thermometer, cook steak to an internal temperature of 100°F, but no higher. If you don’t have a thermometer, cut a small incision into the middle of the steak and test it with your finger; inside it should be red and soft but quite warm to the touch. You should find that the crust will tell most of the story: when it is dark and beautiful, the steak is very likely perfectly cooked.

WHEN YOUR STEAK IS DONE, transfer it to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut it crosswise into 1/8-inch slices. To serve, fan the slices out on a plate like fallen dominoes. Put the plate in front of your guests and watch your perfectly cooked petite tender disappear.