Bon Appétit (April 2016)
It had been too long since we'd seen our friends Drew and Ralph. The two of us work 9-to-5 jobs, but Drew and Ralph run a successful group of Thai restaurants and a very popular art gallery here in D.C. So we have somewhat opposite schedules, and if we don't make solid plans to see each other, well, you know how these things go.
So one night last week, we found a night that worked and invited them over to catch up.
It was the perfect opportunity to try this Spiced and Grilled Steak with Citrus Chutney.
This is actually a marvelous option for a midweek dinner with friends, because you can make the chutney days -- or up to a week -- in advance. And you can make the spice rub the night before. Then all you have to do when your guests come over is rub the steak and grill it for 10 minutes. Super easy! (To be clear, we did none of that advance work, opting instead to frantically do everything all at once after coming home from work and the gym, meaning we ate dinner at approximately 9:15. We'd love to say that's abnormally late for when we're able to get dinner on the table with guests, but, well, we'd be lying.)
The steak rub is really great. The coffee-and-cocoa-and-coriander combo is fantastic. (Incidentally, we couldn't find hanger steaks at the market, so we used flank steak instead, which grills even faster.)
But this dish is really all about the chutney. This citrus chutney is phenomenally good. It's sweet and sour, but the vinegar keeps it from being too treacly.
That said, let's not kid ourselves: This is preeeeeetty much a grapefruit-kumquat marmalade. We can all agree to call it a chutney if we want, but it's basically a fruit preserve.
In fact, Clay dubbed this entree "jelly steak."
But here's the surprising secret: Jelly steak is really good. Jelly steak is crazy good. Jelly steak might just be our new favorite steak.
You need to try it for yourself!
Spiced and Grilled Steaks with Citrus Chutney
Bon Appétit (April 2016), recipe Dave Muller & Lana Porcello
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Servings: 8
INGREDIENTS
Chutney
- 1/2 grapefruit, thinly sliced, seeds removed
- 8 ounces kumquats, sliced, seeds removed
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2/3 cup sugar
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
Steak And Assembly
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 2 tablespoons ground coffee
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 4 teaspoons light brown sugar
- 4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- Vegetable oil (for grilling)
- 2 hanger steaks, center membrane removed, each cut into 4 pieces
Special Equipment
- A spice mill or a mortar and pestle
DIRECTIONS
Chutney
Bring grapefruit, kumquats, shallot, sugar, salt, and 1/4 cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and lowering heat if needed, until citrus is soft and liquid is syrupy, 45–60 minutes. Stir in vinegar and let cool. Cover and chill.
Do Ahead: Chutney can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.
Steak And Assembly
Toast coriander seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool, then finely grind in spice mill or mortar and pestle. Mix ground coriander, coffee, salt, brown sugar, cocoa powder, and pepper in a small bowl.
Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; lightly oil grate. Season steaks generously with rub (you’ll have some left over). Grill steaks, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and cooked to desired doneness, 8-10 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes, then slice against the grain. Serve with citrus chutney.
Do Ahead: Rub can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
