This dish offers up some intense dark flavours and colour, but the real showstopper on this plate is definitely the beef, so choose a good-quality source. Squid ink, mean while, is essentially a colouring agent and doesn’t impart any distinct flavour. A little goes a long way and the effect of adding the ink to the groats is beautifully dramatic.
Cooking
2 sirloin steaks, 6 to 8 ounces each
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium shallot, sliced
1 sprig of fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup dried black trumpet mushrooms (or other black fungus)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons butter
1/8 cup black sesame seeds
salt and pepper to taste
Whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, Worcestershire sauce and marinate the steaks for about an hour. Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Sear the steaks in a cast-iron pan over high heat using the canola oil. When the steak is very well coloured, reduce the heat to medium and add the butter, thyme and shallot to the pan.
Use a spoon to baste the steaks with the pan drippings for a further few minutes till the meat is cooked to your liking.
Pour boiling water over the dried mushrooms and allow them to soften for about 20 minutes before draining. Pat them dry with a towel and clean away any tough stems. In a saucepan, melt the butter with the maple syrup and balsamic vinegar over medium-low heat. Once combined, add the mushrooms and allow them to heat through. Season with salt and pepper, and the sesame seeds.
For the groat porridge
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup chicken or mushroom stock
1 fresh bay leaf
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
½ cup whole oat groats
¼ cup red wine
1 tablespoon butter, plus an additional 2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon squid ink (available at specialty grocers, such as La Bottega Nicastro Fine Food Shop in the ByWard Market)
Sauté the onion in the butter for 2 minutes or till the onion is translucent. Add the groats and cook for about 5 minutes, or until they begin to toast nicely. Add the bay leaf and the red wine. Once the wine has been almost entirely absorbed into the groats, add the stock, and bring it to a simmer. Cook covered for about 30 minutes. When the groats are tender, add the squid ink, butter and thyme. Season with salt and pepper before serving.
For the hollandaise
1 egg yolk
4 tablespoons butter, cubed
2 teaspoons dark miso paste
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 wedge of lemon
Salt and hot sauce to taste
Over a double boiler, whisk together the egg, vinegar and miso paste. Continue to whisk for about 2 minutes until the mixture becomes light and doubles in volume. Whisk in the butter, cube by cube, keeping the mixture warm. Season with salt, hot sauce and a squirt of lemon juice.
To serve: spread half of the groat porridge onto a plate. Cut the steaks into slices and place on top of the porridge. Top with the mushroom mixture and the hollandaise.
