Chef Michael Carroll – Head Chef, Kindred
Kindred
119 N. York
Elmhurst, Illinois 60126
*And*
Ever Onward and Elmhurst Hall
Recipe:
Hanger Steak + Melons with pickled watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumber and mushrooms
Serves 4
4 Hanger steaks or your favorite grilling steak, (NY Strip, Ribeye, Skirt)
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced thin
1 cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and sliced thin
1 watermelon
1 pkg Beech mushrooms or substitute King trumpet, crimini, portobello.
6 TBS of Mushroom soy sauce
2 shiso leaves
1 cup bulgar
Olive oil
Salt
Pickled Watermelon Rind
Cut melon into quarters. Remove the red fruit, (eat or serve anyway you see fit). Peel the green away from the quartered sections using a vegetable peeler or knife. Cut the pieces in half and place in a heat resistant dish and set aside.
Pickling Liquid
4 cups water
4cups white wine vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 TBS salt
1 tsp ground clove
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 each star anise
Bring all of the ingredients to a boil. Pour over watermelon rinds and allow to pickle until cooled. Best if allowed to sit overnight. Slice thin for serving.
Miso Citrus
1/4 cup orange juice
3/4 cup grapefruit juice
3 TBS miso paste
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until miso paste is incorporated.
Sautéed Beech Mushrooms
Add 2 TBS olive oil to a hot sauté pan. Add mushrooms and one pinch of salt. Cook until tender. Reserve.
Bulgar Wheat
Add bulgar, 2 cups of water and 1 pinch of salt to a pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and lower heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Turn heat off and allow to sit covered for 10 minutes. Serve or allow too cool for later use.
METHOD:
Coat entire steak with mushroom soy sauce and allow to marinate at least 6 hours, overnight is preferred. Prepare the pickled watermelon and let sit overnight as well. Next, prepare your miso citrus and set aside. Finally, saute the mushrooms and make the bulgar. These can be made in advance and then rewarmed when plating the steak.
Cook steak over a grill until desired internal temperature. Allow steak to rest for 10 minutes (do it, it’s worth it). While resting, assemble your accoutrements by arranging/shingling the cantaloupe, watermelon rind and cucumbers. Warm steak on grill for a few seconds and slice on a cutting board if desired. Warm bulgar and mushrooms if desired and place on the plate or platter. Place steak on plate in an artful way if desired. Drizzle with miso citrus. Garnish with hand torn shiso leaves.
