Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook (24 page)

MAKES 8 BURGERS

2 pounds 6 ounces 1.1 kilograms
boneless first-cut beef chuck roast

⅔ cup 200 grams chopped
onion

14 tablespoons 200 grams
unsalted butter,
diced

3 tablespoons 50 grams
tamari soy sauce

1¾ teaspoons 10.5 grams
fine sea salt,
plus more for the skillet

¼ teaspoon 0.5 gram
cayenne pepper

Cut the trimmed meat into strips that will fit into a meat grinder. Put the strips into a bowl sitting over ice to keep cold.

To the bowl of meat, add the onion, butter, soy sauce, salt, and cayenne. Grind the mixture through a meat grinder with a ¼-inch (6 mm) die. Run half of the ground meat mixture through the grinder a second time, return to the bowl, and gently mix everything together. Lay two sheets of plastic wrap on a counter slightly overlapping so that a double-wide piece of plastic wrap is formed. Form the meat into a log down the center of the plastic wrap. Fold the plastic over the log, pulling and tucking it under the meat like a giant sushi roll. Once you’ve rolled the log up in the plastic wrap, tighten the ends. Holding on to the ends, roll the cylinder on the countertop to tighten the plastic around the meat, forming a perfect, tight cylinder. The roll should be the width of a burger patty, which should be slightly larger than the diameter of your buns. We aim for 5 inches (13 cm) in diameter. Put the burger roll in the refrigerator to firm up, at least 1 hour and up to 12.

When you are ready to cook the burgers, slice the cylinder into 8 equal pieces, cutting through the plastic wrap. Unwrap the burgers. Set a large cast-iron skillet (you may want to use 2 pans at once) over medium-high heat and sprinkle a fine layer of salt on the bottom of the pan. Once the pan is hot, put 3 or 4 burgers in it and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. They will begin to render some of their fat into the pan and set on the bottom. Flip the burgers and cook the other side for 2 to 3 minutes. Continue to flip the burgers every minute or so until they are cooked the way you like them, 6 to 8 minutes total for medium-rare.

FIRST GRIND

SECOND GRIND

GRILLED RIB EYES
WITH SEAWEED SALSA VERDE

THIS IS A PLAY ON SURF AND TURF. SEAWEED IS RICH IN
minerals and umami flavor and makes for a wonderful briny contrast to beef. There are a surprising variety of seaweeds available, most of which are sold dried, and each of which has its own distinct flavor and texture. Here we’ve taken a blend of dried seaweeds, hydrated them in a flavorful liquid, and pureed them with garlic, anchovies, and fresh parsley into an original version of salsa verde. The sauce is not a bright vibrant green, but what it lacks in beauty it more than makes up for in flavor. Any leftover salsa verde is delicious with steamed vegetables and fish and as a sauce for pasta.

SERVES 4

RIB EYES

2 tablespoons packed 27 grams
dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon 18 grams
fine sea salt

½ teaspoon 1 gram
garlic powder

½ teaspoon 1 gram
onion powder

Scant ¼ teaspoon 0.5 gram
cayenne
pepper

2 (1½-pound 750-gram)
rib eye steaks

SEAWEED SALSA VERDE

3 sheets
nori

0.9 ounce 25 grams
dried dulse
or wakame

0.5 ounce 15 grams
dried kombu

5 medium
garlic
cloves

2.8 ounces 80 grams
oil-packed
anchovies
(about 20)

5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon 40 grams
capers and their brine

¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon 60 grams
fresh lemon juice
(from 2 lemons)

2 tablespoons 28 grams
rice vinegar

4 teaspoons 20 grams
fish sauce

1½ teaspoons 8 grams
tamari soy sauce

1 teaspoon 5 grams
sesame oil

1 large bunch fresh
parsley

¼ cup 56 grams
olive oil

MARINATE THE RIB EYES:
In a small bowl, combine the dark brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne and stir to blend well. Lay the rib eyes on a cutting board and sprinkle liberally with the salt mixture, patting it into the meat. Flip the meat over and generously season the other side. Put the meat on a wire rack set over a large plate or small baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

MAKE THE SEAWEED SALSA VERDE:
In a large bowl, combine the nori (tearing it up if necessary), dulse, kombu, garlic, anchovies and their oil, capers with their brine, lemon juice, vinegar, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil and let the seaweed hydrate in the liquids, about 10 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cut the bottom ends of the parsley stems off. Blanch the parsley in the boiling water for 1 minute. Drain the parsley and put the hot parsley in a blender. Add the seaweed mixture and olive oil. Turn the blender on low and increase the speed to high, occasionally turning the blender off and scraping down the sides to make sure the mixture is completely pureed. When the salsa verde is completely smooth, turn the blender off and strain it through a fine-mesh sieve. It will be thick and a distinct drab olive color. Refrigerate the salsa verde in a covered container until ready to use. Leftover salsa verde will keep for up to 5 days.

Preheat a grill to high heat (500°F/260°C). Remove the rib eyes from the refrigerator and let them sit for 20 minutes to come to room temperature.

Put the meat on the grill and let it cook for 1 minute. Use a spatula to flip the meat onto a clean part of the grill. Cook the meat for 1 minute and then flip it again. Cook the meat for 30 seconds and flip it again. Continue to cook and flip the meat until it has cooked for 8 to 10 minutes total for medium-rare. The constant flipping promotes rapid, even cooking of the meat. Remove the meat to a large rimmed baking sheet or individual plates and cover with foil. Let the meat rest in a warm spot for 5 minutes.

Carve the meat into thick slices and serve with the seaweed salsa verde.

SEAWEED SALSA VERDE

BLUE CHEESE–CURED CHATEAUBRIAND

CHATEAUBRIAND IS A LARGE PIECE OF CENTER-CUT FILET
mignon that is meant for two people. In this recipe, we cured the meat with blue cheese to mimic the flavor effect of dry-aging. We keep a layer of cheesecloth between the meat and the blue cheese in order to make it easy to remove the cheese at the end of the curing time. The process gives the beef a wonderful flavor. You can use any blue cheese that you prefer. We like Gorgonzola dolce, but there’s no need to make a special purchase if you normally keep a different kind on hand. A quick roast in a cast-iron skillet and a red wine pan sauce are all the meat needs post curing. You’ll be amazed at how rich and intense this dish tastes.