BAVETTE WITH TARRAGON AND YELLOW MUSTARD

© 2018 by Rob Firing

SERVES 4 TO 6

The tarragon bush in my backyard turns into a monster in July and August, and I’m always looking for ways to use this peculiar and underrated herb. Fresh tarragon has the pinch of anise and the warmth of basil, and it goes very well with steak, under the right circumstances. Grilling it with a big bavette covered in yellow mustard is one of those right circumstances. The mustardy crust will lose the vinegary taste but keep enough tang to bring out the special flavour of tarragon. It makes for a terrific summertime steak for a crowd (or just for you, ending up with brilliant leftovers).

1/4 CUP YELLOW MUSTARD

1 TABLESPOON EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

1 BUNCH OF FRESH TARRAGON LEAVES, ROUGHLY CHOPPED (ABOUT 1/2 CUP)

PINCH OF SALT

1 WHOLE BAVETTE STEAK (ABOUT 3 POUNDS)

CRUSHED DRIED CHILIES (LIKE ÁRBOL CHILIES)

IN A BOWL, combine mustard, olive oil, tarragon, and salt. Using your hands, rub the mixture all over your bavette until well coated. Starting at a short end, roll the steak up like a sleeping bag. Set aside at room temperature while you prepare your grill.

PREPARE YOUR CHARCOAL GRILL to one-third cooler than peak heat, or heat your gas grill to medium-high (preheated on High for 10 minutes, lid closed). For charcoal, the coals should be almost all whitened, and you should be able to bear holding your hand 4 inches above the grill for a little more than 2 seconds. This is hotter than usual, but bavette can take the heat, and the grill will cool down as you cook, giving you a chance to turn that mustard into a tangy, smoky crust.

YOU HAVE THE OPTION now of cooking the bavette whole or cutting it in half crosswise.

GRILL YOUR BAVETTE, flipping as needed, until the crust begins to darken and the steak reaches an internal temperature approaching 125°F in the middle. You can also check your steak for doneness with a small incision: juices should flow from a medium-rare (pinky-red) centre. Remember, the ends will be more done than the middle, and that’s okay—there will be lots of steak of varying doneness to go around. When your steak is done, let it rest loosely wrapped in foil for at least 10 minutes.

TO SLICE YOUR STEAK, cut it in half widthwise with a sharp knife (unless you’ve done this before grilling), then rotate the steak so that the grain runs perpendicular to your knife. Cut it in 1/4-inch slices on a bias away from you to maximize the surface area of each slice.

SERVE sprinkled with a pinch of crushed dried chilies, for colour and the occasional peppery bite.