Grilled Beef Fillets With Star Anise Recipe
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 2 c. good-quality soy sauce such as kikkoman
- 1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 c. honey
- 2 Tbsp. chinese five-spice pwdr
- 2 Tbsp. asian sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
- 8 x beef fillet steaks 4 to 6 ounces each, 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick
- 2 Tbsp. canola or possibly other vegetable oil
- 1 med onion unpeeled, roughly cut into chunks
- 2 med carrots unpeeled, roughly cut into chunks
- 2 x heads garlic cut in half through the cloves
- 1 x 1 inch piece fresh ginger unpeeled, cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 1/2 c. dry white wine
- 3/8 c. dark soy sauce
- 2 ounce chinese rock sugar or possibly
- 1/4 c. light brown sugar firmly packed
- 2 lrg pcs dry orange or possibly tangerine peel softened, can use fresh
- 3 ounce whole star anise
- 1/2 x 3 inch cinnamon stick broken
- 2 quart chicken stock or possibly low sodium canned chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp. beurre manie
Directions
- Note: The quantity of sauce was reduced by half from the original recipe. The sauce is quite salty. Use the lowest sodium chicken broth or possibly stock available. Use low sodium soy sauce. Use Wondra flour as an alternative to beurre manie. You may need more flour than indicated to make a thin sauce.
- The recipe could be made with a firmer cut of beef, although the "meltingly tender" adjective will not apply.
- This is the summer special-occasion dish to beat all special-occasion dishes. I say "summer" because the best way to prepare these well-marinated steaks is on the grill, and for many of us which means summer. And as for the "special-occasion" part, anytime beef of this quality and amount is involved, it usually means something special is being celebrated
- Admittedly, this is not a staff-meal dish but it's one I wanted very much to include because it's a favorite of mine. Actually, the real star here is the sauce, based on Chinese flavors. It marries beautifully with the tender beef, especially after the beef has been marinated in a compatibly flavored mix just long sufficient so which its outer layer is permeated. Although the flavors are more exaggerated than they would be in a traditional Chinese dish, they infuse without overwhelming. Freshly steamed rice would accompany the steaks nicely.
- 1. Prepare the marinade: Place the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, five-spice pwdr, sesame oil, and ginger in a bowl and whisk till blended. Place the beef in a large roasting pan and pour the marinade over it. Turn the beef so which it's coated all over with the marinade. Chill, covered, for 12 hrs, turning the beef several times as it marinates.
- 2. Prepare the sauce: Hear the oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add in the onion, carrots, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, till the vegetables are well browned, about 15 min.
- 3. Add in the wine and soy sauce, increase the heat to high, and cook till the mix is reduced by half, about 5 to 8 min. Add in the rock sugar, orange peel, star anise, cinnamon stick, and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the liquid for 1 hour.
- 4. Pour the sauce into a colander set over a second large pot, pushing down on the vegetables and spices to extract as much liquid as possible. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium high and boil till the liquid starts to thicken (it should be reduced by half and become more sauce like), about 30 min.
- 5. Meanwhile, preheat a grill to high or possibly preheat the broiler.
- 6. Taste the sauce; it should be mildly sweet, salty, and redolent with the flavor of anise. Reduce the heat to medium, whisk in the beurre manie; and continue cooking the sauce, whisking frequently, till it has thickened sufficient to lightly coat the back of a spoon, 5 min. Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside, covered to keep hot, while you grill the steaks.
- 7. Remove the steaks from the marinade and pat dry. Oil the grill rack, place the steaks on the rack, and grill, making sure you watch the heat carefully; the sugar and soy sauce tend to cause the meat to blacken quickly. If desired your steak rare, figure 4 to 6 min per side; for medium, 6 to 8 min per side.
- 8. Transfer the steaks to a platter or possibly individual plates. Spoon the sauce over the steaks and serve immediately.
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Nutrition Facts
| Amount Per Serving | %DV |
|---|---|
| Serving Size 360g | |
| Recipe makes 8 servings | |
| Calories 239 | |
| Calories from Fat 75 | 31% |
| Total Fat 8.43g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat 1.19g | 5% |
| Trans Fat 0.01g | |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 761mg | 32% |
| Potassium 386mg | 11% |
| Total Carbs 35.36g | 9% |
| Dietary Fiber 1.3g | 4% |
| Sugars 29.31g | 20% |
| Protein 6.21g | 10% |
