Chef Roy Villacrusis uses a traditional Korean sweet and salty kalbi marinade to flavor the Aussie grassfed steak before grilling it. A mix of sautéed fresh mushrooms make for an umami-rich bed for the beef.
Portion size: 8 ounce steak, with mushrooms
2 pounds trimmed Australian grassfed skirt steak
Kalbi marinade:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1//2 minced Asian pear or Fuji apple
1/2 cup soy sauce
5 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup sesame oil
Fried leeks:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup finely sliced leeks
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Mushroom salad:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup garlic
1 cup chopped baby portabella mushrooms
1 cup chopped fresh maitake mushrooms
1 cup chopped fresh oyster mushrooms
1 cup chopped fresh shiitake mushrooms
1/4 cup, plus extra for garnish sweet soy sauce
2 tablespoons, plus extra for garnish truffle oil
For the marinade: Rub the steak with half of the brown sugar; let it sit for about 10 minutes. Add the remaining brown sugar to the marinade (1/4 cup). In a large bowl, mix together the pear, soy sauce, wine, garlic, onion and sesame oil. Stir until blended. Add the meat and marinate it overnight, refrigerated.
For the fried leeks: Heat the oil in a sauté pan over MEDIUM heat, until it shimmers (see Chef notes). Toss the julienned leeks with the cornstarch. Season with salt and pepper. Fry them until light brown, stirring them to cook evenly. Remove the leeks with a slotted spoon and lay them on a paper towel to absorb excess oil. Season for final flavor with salt and pepper and set aside.
To cook: Preheat a grill to HIGH heat. Pat the skirt steak dry and grill it for about 3 minutes on each side, or until it reaches medium-rare. Let it rest off the heat for 5 minutes before slicing it thinly, across the grain. Reserve.
For the mushroom salad: In a sauté pan on MEDIUM heat, add the oil. Sauté the garlic for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms in the same order as in the ingredients list, making sure to not overcrowd the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Add the sweet soy and stir everything. Add the truffle oil and take it off the heat. Divide the mushrooms among four plates. Top with the sliced steak and garnish with the fried leeks. Drizzle some sweet soy and truffle oil on top and serve immediately.