Wafu Steak with Soy-Garlic Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 T-bone steak, about 700 g (1½ lb) and 3 cm (1¼ in) thick
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 4 cm (1½ in) daikon, finely grated, to serve
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
• Steamed rice and a green salad, to serve

Sauce

• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp butter

Steps

1. Take the steak out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead. Pat it dry and season both sides with the salt and pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Pan-fry the steak for 4 minutes without moving it, until deep brown.
3. Flip and cook the second side for 3–4 minutes. Hold the steak on its bone edge with tongs for 1 minute to colour it. Check that the centre is 52–54°C (125–130°F), then move to a board and rest for 5 minutes.
4. Drain most of the fat from the pan, leaving about 1 tbsp. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook the garlic slices for 1 minute, until pale golden. Remove them to a plate before they brown any further.
5. Add the soy sauce, mirin, vinegar and sugar to the pan and scrape up the browned bits (fond). Simmer for 1 minute, then take off the heat and swirl in the butter.
6. Cut the steak off the bone and slice it into 1 cm (½ in) strips against the grain.
7. Serve over rice with the grated daikon beside it, spoon the sauce over, and top with garlic chips and spring onion.

Notes

• Daikon: squeeze out extra liquid before serving; it lightens the richness. Radish is a fine substitute.
• Ponzu: replace the soy mix with 4 tbsp ponzu for a more citrusy sauce.
• Other cuts: ribeye and strip steaks work the same way.
• Chef's touch: stir the juices from the resting board into the sauce; they are free flavour.
• Twist: add a dab of wasabi beside the daikon for a sharper, sushi-bar bite.