Hangar Steak with Farro Risotto and Fava Beans

Farro is one of those ‘ancient grains’ that has been revived of late with the push towards whole grain foods.  As a part of the wheat family, it creates a less creamy risotto than arborio or carnaroli rice, but its nutty taste and richness from the slow cooking technique more than make up for it.  Hangar steak is a less expensive cut of meat but with the right seasonings its flavor can nearly outshine any other.  The trick is having your butcher remove the nerve that runs through the center of the meat, creating two small loins that can be tied into equal sized loins and seared accordingly.  The garnishes in the risotto can vary but these really complement the meaty dish, balancing salty saucisson sec with the calmed citrus flavor of lemon confit.  Add whatever seasonal vegetables strike your fancy for this adaptable, year-round classic.

Difficulty: Moderate

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. olive oil

½ onion, finely diced

1 cup faro

3 cloves spring garlic (or 1 clove regular garlic), finely diced

¼ cup diced dry sausage

¾ lemon confit, diced

¼ cup red scallions

3 pieces sundried tomato, finely diced

2 cups white wine

2 cups chicken stock, hot

1 ½ cups veal stock, divided

1 tsp. Esplette

¾ cup blanched, shucked favas

1 2-pound hangar steak, divided lengthwise and tied

2 Tbsp. Alaya spice

Technique:

• In a large sauté pan with high edges, sweat the onions in the olive oil until translucent.  Add the faro and stir until coated; reduce heat to low and add 1 cup wine.  Stir until nearly all the liquid has been absorbed and repeat with the remaining wine and chicken stock, 1 cup at a time.
  
  Add garlic, saucisson, lemon, scallions and sundried tomatoes.  Check that the faro is tender but firm, cover, and turn off the heat
  
• Heat the grill on high and season the hangar steaks with Alaya spice.  Cook the steaks on all four sides for approximately 15 minutes total; rest on the cutting board for 2-3 minutes before cutting against the grain in 1” slices on the bias.
  
• Heat the veal stock in a small saucepan and finish the risotto with ¾ cup stock and the fava beans.  Combine any juices from cutting the steak with remaining stock and spoon over the meat once served.

Veal Tenderloin with Sunchoke Purée, Peas and Carrots

Finding new ways to rework typical dishes in a seasonal way is probably my favorite part of cooking.  For example, ‘meat and potatoes’ or ‘peas and carrots’ can seem bland and ordinary, but substitute milk-fed veal for beef, Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes) for potatoes, and farm fresh spring veggies for their preservative-packed counterparts, and you have a gorgeous, flavorful dish with practically the same amount of work.  Sunchokes are like a cross between potatoes and water chestnuts, with a slightly sweet, nutty taste.  Prep time can be shortened with a little strategic shopping as well: choose sunchokes with the most regular surface to make peeling easier; pick out the large, thick pods to yield bigger peas; have your butcher clean and tie the veal tenderloin while you shop.  The secret to an effortlessly juicy sauce on this dish is deglazing the pan with chicken stock before finishing in the oven.  It picks up the extra spices and captures the flavors of the fresh herbs/garlic (called aromatics).

Difficulty: Moderate

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 lb. (500g) sunchokes

¼ lemon

sea salt & white pepper

1 cup chicken stock, divided

1 cup (4 oz./120g) shucked peas (¾ lb. in the pods)

10 pieces (3 oz./90g) Thumbelina carrots, peeled and halved

1 small veal tenderloin, trimmed & tied (2” diameter/9 oz./250g), room temperature

1 tsp. Alaya spice (from La Boîte à Epice)

1 Tbsp. high-heat oil (grapeseed/safflower)

1 medium garlic clove, lightly crushed

1 sprig thyme or rosemary

Technique:

• Prepare a medium bowl of cold water with lemon.  Peel and quarter sunchokes, putting them directly in the water so they don’t turn brown (oxidize).
  
  
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook sunchokes for 12-15 minutes until completely tender, drain water, and crush with a vegetable masher.  Blend with ½ cup hot chicken stock until completely smooth; season to taste with salt & pepper and hold warm.
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and prepare an ice bath.  Blanch peas for 30-45 seconds, until tender, remove with a large slotted spoon and chill.
• Return water to a boil and add carrots for 6-7 minutes until tender but firm; chill in the ice bath.  Reserve a few carrot tops/leaves for garnish.
   
• Preheat the oven to 350˚F and turn on the fan.  Heat an oven-proof sauté pan on medium high heat until smoking hot.  Season room temperature veal generously with sea salt and the Alaya spice.  Add grapeseed oil to the pan and sear meat on all sides until a deep golden color.  Add aromatics (herbs/garlic), deglaze with ½ cup of chicken stock, and move to the oven for 5 minutes.
  
  
• Remove string from veal and rest on the cutting board for 2-3 minutes before slicing.  Reheat the sunchoke purée; add peas and carrots to the veal pan over medium heat until hot and serve over purée.  Finish with the veal medallions and spoon the leftover pan juices over the top.