Recipes Nugget Markets Signature Recipes
Char-Broiled Sirloin with Fig & Tawny Port Reduction
- Prep time
- 25-30 minutes PT30M
- Cook time
- 20-25 minutes PT25M
- Yield
- 6 to 8 servings
- Difficulty
Ingredients
- 9-oz. Natural Angus Sirloin
- 1½ tablespoons ground allspice
- Kosher and cracked black pepper to taste
Port & Fig Sauce:
- 2 cups tawny port
- 2 cups More Than Gourmet Classic French Demi-Glace
- 6-8 dried figs
- 1 bunch fresh arugula
Preparation
Make the Port & Fig Sauce first. In medium-sized saucepan, combine tawny port, demi-glace and dried figs. Bring to a soft boil and simmer for about 20 minutes or until liquid volume is reduced to just about 1½ cups. Strain sauce to remove figs, then slice each fig in half, lengthwise; set aside.
Meanwhile, prepare the sirloin. Raise top rack in oven to uppermost level. Turn oven on to broil. Rub sirloin with allspice, salt and pepper. Place sirloin on sheet pan and set under broiler. Broil each side for a maximum of 4 minutes; serve medium rare. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing into 12-15 equal-sized pieces.
Rinse and pat arugula until mostly dry. Remove just the top portions.
Arrange 1½ dozen pieces of toasted crostini on a platter. Place a few pieces of arugula onto each crostini. Next, top arugula with a slice of sirloin and half a fig. Drizzle warm tawny port sauce over composed appetizer. Serve quickly!
Techniques used in this recipe:
- slice
- If you are slicing a round object, cut a slice from the bottom to make it lie firmly. Use the pointed end of a chef's knife to puncture the skin and make the first cut. Hold the object being sliced with your fingers bent and cut vertical slices to the desired thickness. With each slice, move your fingers back to the width of the next slice. Dont cut yourself!
- broil
- broil: a cooking method in which items are cooked by a radiant heat source placed above the food, usually in a broiler or salamander.
- simmer (I)
- simmer (I): to maintain the temperature of a liquid just below boiling.
Glossary:
- allspice
-
So named because its aroma and flavor resembles several spices, principally nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. Native to tropical America is has the distinction of being the only spice produced exclusively in the Western Hemisphere; the best quality allspice usually comes from Jamaica but it is also produced in Mexico and other Central American countries.
When picked, the berry is approximately 1/4-inch in diameter and green in color. The characteristic reedish-brown color results from the sun-drying process.
The most common uses of allspice (either whole or ground) are in pickles, relishes, cakes and cookies, stewed and preserved fruits, mincemeat, and tomato-base sauces.
- demi-glace
-
French. “Half-glaze.” A mixture of equal proportions of brown stock and brown sauce that has been reduced by half. One of the Grand sauces.
Pair with
-
Syrah
How does one describe Syrah? Rustic, muscular, yet elegant! Its abundant aromas and flavors often suggest leather, damp earth, wild blackberries, smoke, roasted meats, and a strong peppery spice.
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Zinfandel
Zinfandel is a mouthfilling, dry red wine packed with jammy blackberry, boysenberry and plummy fruit flavors. It can be quite thick, chewy and extremely dark in color.
-
Petite Sirah
Primarily cultivated in California, this varietal is distinct from true Syrah and is traditionally a blending grape. Left to itself, it often shows somewhat peppery flavors, and many consumers have come to love it.
-
Tempranillo
Spain's most famous grape! Produces a refined wine that bursts with cherries when young. It is typically aged for two years or more, at which point Tempranillo takes on an earthy, sweet vanillan flavor.
