Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until tender, about 1 minute. Add the heavy cream and simmer until reduced by half. Whisk in the gorgonzola until it melts. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Brush the steak lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Grill the steak, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, turning once. Remove from the heat and cover with foil. Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar, paprika and onion powder in a small bowl. Reserve 4 teaspoons and store the rest in an airtight container. (Seasoning will keep in the pantry for up to 6 months.) Mix the stick of softened butter with 3 teaspoons of the seasoning in a small bowl; cover and refrigerate.

Toss the asparagus with the remaining 1 teaspoon barbecue seasoning mix and 1 tablespoon olive oil; add salt and pepper to taste. Cook the asparagus in a grill pan over medium heat until tender, turning once, about 6 minutes total. Reserve 4 stalks for the sushi.

Reserve a quarter of the steak for the sushi; cut the rest into -inch-thick slices. Top with the gorgonzola cream sauce, reserving about 1/2 cup for sushi, and serve with the asparagus and some barbecue butter.

Southern-Style Sushi

Photograph by Tina Rupp