Ingredients
Serves 4-64 rib eye steaks (600gm each)
Salt & pepper
Spring Chopped Salad
Serves 4-6
30gm kohlrabi, diced
30gm swede, diced
30gm turnip, diced
30gm celeriac, diced
20gm heirloom radish, shaved
30gm fresh corn kernels, roasted
30gm heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
30gm broad beans peeled, blanched
30gm peas, shelled and blanched.
30gm shaved shallot
50gm shaved fennel (leaves retained and chopped)
20gm kalamata olives, torn
50gm frisee Lettuce hearts torn
30gm iceberg lettuce diced
120ml Queso Fresca dressing
Queso fresca dressing:
6 egg yolks
25ml white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove
350ml sunflower oil (grape seed can be substituted)
100gm salted ricotta cheese
100gm barrel fermented fetta cheese
1 lemon juice
Sea salt
White pepper freshly ground
Method
For the salad
Peel, dice and shave all ingredients as close to service as possible.
At Steer we pride ourselves on our salads and therefore taker great care to ensure all ingredients are perfectly cut and very fresh.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and gently fold together taking great care not to over work or damage the lettuces.
Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground white pepper and dressing.
Present the salad in a large wooden or glass bowl for the table to share.
For the dressing:
In a food processer blend the eggs and the garlic, add the vinegar and then the oil in a slow continuous stream until the dressing is smooth and homogenous.
For a smooth cheese dressing; add the cheese and blend for 20-30 seconds and then run through a fine sieve or simply whisk the cheese in for a grainy texture.
Steers chopped salad is a favourite accompaniment to our premium steak selection and is also very popular served as an entrée.
How to Cook a Perfect Steak
Firstly you will need a great steak…..
Preferably select dry aged beef which has been hung for a minimum of 14 -21 days either grass or grain fed.
You should know where your beef comes from. Ask questions such as is it grass or grain fed, how old the beast was, if it was grain fed and for how long? (120 days should be a minimum for grain fed beef and up to 600 days in the finest examples (at Steer we hold beef from 150-600 day beasts). Was the beast ethically treated?
At Steer we prefer grain fed in the style of NYC (of course Steer has sensational grass fed beef as well).
Look for good fine and even marbling throughout the eye of the meat, firmness and an alluring beefy aroma. Basically the beef should look, smell and feel great.
Always use a good quality pre heated heavy frying Pan or barbecue adding aromatic wood to the BBQ adds interesting flavour profiles but be careful not to mask the natural flavour of the beef!!
Cooking the Steak:
Allow the beef to come to room temperature before cooking.
Season the steak with good salt such as Maldon or Murray River sea salt flakes immediately before cooking or the salt will begin drawing fluid from the beef and therefore de-nature it, do not use pepper at this point as it will simply burn during the searing process.
Rub the steak with a minimal amount of beef fat or good olive oil and place on the grill or pan, press the steak to ensure maximum contact and allow the steak to caramelize (a rich golden brown colour) turn occasionally once caramelised on both sides.
Caramelising the beef increases flavour only, ‘sealing in juices’ by searing the beef is a myth.
In a professional kitchen we can test the internal temperature of the beef by feel; this requires years of practice so I recommend the use of a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the muscle.
• Rare 50-55 degrees
• Medium Rare 55-60 degrees
• Medium 60-65 degrees
Remove the steak and lightly season again with salt and now freshly ground black pepper.
Allow the steak to rest for 3 minutes per 150gm. The internal temperature should return to 45 degrees regardless of how the beef is cooked.
To serve re-sear the steak and allow the external surfaces to become hot, leaving the medium rare unctuous internal flesh just warm and very juicy.