Author Notes
Somehow this worked. If you don't have a wonderful balsamic vinegar, then you should use a ruby port instead. —Sagegreen
Test Kitchen Notes
It's definitely an unusual combination, but as Sagegreen succinctly put it, "somehow this worked." So, maybe we should just embrace that and not question it. But, you know what, I'm going to take a minute to try to figure out why. Red onions brown and sweeten off to the side while you cook your steak, leaving delicious crispy browned bits in the pan. Then you meld together the flavors already in the pan with raspberries and a generous dose of balsamic vinegar. The resulting sauce is intense, tart and sweet, but also remarkably meaty and savory, which allows it to pair well with the steak. It almost reminded me of a gastrique. If you're sensitive to strong acidity, you might want to try Sagegreen's suggestion to use port instead, but I loved the mouth coating bold flavors of the sauce. I’d recommend serving this with very mildly flavored, even creamy sides, not a salad with vinaigrette as that would be just too much vinegar. - fiveandspice —fiveandspice
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Ingredients
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1
generous pinch of pink Himalayan salt, divided
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1 pound
grassfed fillet sirloin, cut vertically into 4 strips
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spray of grapeseed oil
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1
red onion, sliced into rings
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1/2 cup
aged balsamic artisan vinegar (I used Ariston's 'very best' from Modena)
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4 ounces
raspberries
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1/2 teaspoon
crushed pink, white and green peppercorns or more, divided
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Thai basil leaves for garnish
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(optional enhancements-roasted garlic and fresh grated ginger)
Directions
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Pound the steak a bit with the smooth side of a meat mallet. Add a generous pinch of salt to both sides of the steak. Let this rest for about 40 minutes, room temperature. If you do refrigerate, then make sure your return the steak to room temperature before cooking. The steak should be dry.
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When ready to cook, heat the grapeseed oil in a heavy braising pan to a high heat. Add and begin to cook the onions. Move the onions to the sides of the pan. Then add the steak. If you want, you can include a little grated ginger and garlic you have already roasted for flavor enhancements. Sear the steak on one side for about 4 minutes, so it has turned crusty brown on the outside, then turn over and sear on the other side the same way. Check by inserting a knife sparingly (so you don't release a deluge of juice) in to the steak, to see if the it is cooked enough for you. If it is done to your liking, remove the steak to a plate to let rest. Add the peppercorns right away. Keep the onions in the pan.
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Add the raspberries, pinch of salt, and vinegar. Stir and cook until the vinegar has reduced by almost 1/2.
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Drizzle the reduced vinegar over the steak. Spoon the onions and raspberries on top. Garnish with Thai basil leaves or a comparable herb. Add a pinch more of the crushed peppercorns and Himalayan salt. Hope you enjoy!
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