Bite with Belkys: Wok Seared NY Strip with Champagne Reduction from Karma

The Chef: Michael Schukar

The Restaurant: Karma

The Dish: Wok Seared NY Strip with Champagne Reduction

Ingredients and Preparation for Steak and Champagne Reduction:

• 10 oz. Prime New York strip
• 3 oz. Korean spicy sauce (recipe below)
• 10 oz. French champagne
• 2 oz. diced red pepper
• 2 oz. diced green pepper
• 2 oz. diced yellow pepper
• 2 oz. heavy cream
• 1 Maui onion, cut into rings
• ½ jalapeno, diced
• Peanut oil
• Mung bean sprouts
• Low sodium soy sauce
• Shaoxing wine
• Tempura batter (recipe below)
• ½ lb. Pencil asparagus
• Tempura dipping sauce (recipe below)

- Prepare peppers by removing all white membrane and seeds then cut into ¼-inch dices. Heat a sauté pan very hot, add a small amount of oil and sauté peppers until translucent. Deglaze with high-quality French champagne. Add Korean spicy sauce and cream. Reduce sauce until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

- Season steak with fresh cracked black pepper and kosher salt. Heat the wok (or a cast iron pan) until it smokes. Add a splash of peanut oil and sear the steak on both sides until it has a dark brown crust. Finish cooking the steak to desired temperature in a 450 degree oven. Dredge asparagus and onion rings in cornstarch, dip in very cold tempura batter and fry in 375 degree oil until golden brown and crispy. Reserve.

- Stir fry bean sprouts in a hot wok with soy sauce and a splash shaoxing wine. Remove steak from oven and let rest for a few minutes. Slice the steak against the grain in ¼-inch slices and place over bean sprouts. Top with champagne kimchee sauce. Place tempura vegetables on plate with a small bowl of dipping sauce. Garnish with an edible orchid (optional)

Ingredients and Preparation for Korean spicy sauce:

• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp. Kosher salt
• 1 Thai chili
• 1 Japanese shishito pepper
• 1 jalapeno
• 1 chipotle pepper
• 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. fresh minced ginger
• 1 cup rice vinegar
• ½ cup distilled white vinegar

- Puree all ingredients in a food processor. Simmer over medium heat until the sauce thickens. Reserve.

Ingredients and Preparation for Tempura batter:

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 cup all purpose flour

- Mix all ingredients together and hold below 40 degrees. To simplify, you can substitute the ready-made tempura mix from the supermarket.

Ingredients and Preparation for Tempura dipping sauce:

• ½ cup dashi
• 3 tbsp. dark soy sauce
• 3 tbsp. mirin
• ½ tsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. bonito flakes

- Mix all ingredients in a sauce pan, except bonito flakes, and bring to a boil. Add bonito at end and strain through a fine sieve.

Serves 2.

Serving Suggestion: Red wine

Belkys Nerey: "Kimchee is a little spicy, so if you don't like it hot, Chef Michael says he'll whip up another recipe for you."

Karma
2325 Galiano Street
Coral Gables, FL 33134
305-445-2293