Seared misuji steak with fresh wasabi

Ingredients

• 400 g beef top blade steak (misuji)
• 1 piece fresh wasabi root
• 4 cloves garlic cloves
• 1 piece yellow onion
• 2 tbsp high-oleic sunflower oil
• 2 tbsp Japanese dark soy sauce (koikuchi)
• 1 tbsp Japanese mirin
• 1 tbsp Japanese cooking sake
• 1 pinch fleur de sel
• 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Remove the beef top blade from the refrigerator 30 minutes ahead of cooking to bring it to room temperature, then pat both sides thoroughly dry with paper towels.
2. Peel the garlic cloves and slice them into very thin, uniform rounds about 1 mm thick. Peel the yellow onion and slice it into thin half-moons.
3. Pour the sunflower oil into a cold cast-iron skillet, add the sliced garlic in a single layer, and set over very low heat. Fry gently for 3 to 4 minutes, until the oil reaches about 140 °C (285 °F) and the garlic turns lightly golden and crisp without browning too deeply. Transfer the garlic chips immediately to paper towels to drain, leaving the fragrant oil in the skillet.
4. Increase the heat to medium under the same skillet and add the sliced onion. Saute in the garlic-infused oil for 4 to 5 minutes, until translucent with lightly browned edges, then transfer to a plate and keep warm.
5. Heat the cast-iron skillet over high heat for about 2 minutes until it reaches roughly 220 °C (430 °F) and begins to smoke lightly. Season both sides of the beef with fleur de sel and freshly ground black pepper just before placing it into the hot skillet.
6. Sear the steak undisturbed for 1 minute 30 seconds to 2 minutes to develop a deep brown crust, then flip and sear the other side for another 1 minute 30 seconds to 2 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer registers 52 °C (125 °F) in the center for medium-rare.
7. Transfer the steak to a warm cutting board, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes so the internal temperature rises to around 54 °C (130 °F) and the juices redistribute evenly through the meat.
8. Return the skillet to medium heat and deglaze with the cooking sake, mirin, and dark soy sauce. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spatula and simmer gently for 1 to 2 minutes until glossy and slightly syrupy, then remove from the heat.
9. Grate the fresh wasabi root in slow, circular motions on a fine grater right before serving to capture its full aromatic potency.
10. Slice the steak on a slight bias into neat 5 mm strips. Arrange the warm sauteed onions on serving plates, top with the sliced beef, drizzle lightly with the reduced soy pan sauce, and garnish with the crisp garlic chips and a dollop of freshly grated wasabi on the side.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

502 kcal

Protein

44.89 g

Carbohydrate

18.99 g

Fat

26.71 g

Fibre

3.23 g

Calcium

8.15 mg

Iron

0.38 mg

Magnesium

16.64 mg