Name: Pastrami-Crusted Wagyu with Salt & Vinegar Root Chips and Pickled Red Cabbage
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT1H25M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT1H50M0.000S
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: 1 red onion, thinly sliced; 1/2 red cabbage, thinly sliced; 2 cloves garlic, smashed; 1 cup apple cider vinegar; 1 tablespoon light brown sugar; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 platinum grade gelatin sheet; 1 cup heavy cream; 2 ounces Gorgonzola dolce, crumbled; 2 ounces Gruyere, cubed; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 small bunch chives, thinly sliced; 3 tablespoons whole black peppercorns; 2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds; 2 tablespoons whole mustard seeds; 1 bay leaf; 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar; 1 tablespoon kosher salt; One 16-ounce A5 Wagyu beef strip loin; Oil, for frying; 2 small sweet potatoes, thinly sliced; 1 Yukon gold potato, thinly sliced; 2 tablespoons malt vinegar powder; 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 teaspoon confectioners’ sugar; 1 small candy cane beet, thinly sliced; 1 small red beet, thinly sliced; 1 tablespoon beef fat; Four 3/4-inch-thick slices brioche, crusts removed

Directions

Special equipment:

a yakitori grill with bintochan(see Cook’s Note); a whipped cream canister and 3 CO2 cartridges; a spice grinder; a deep-fryer or deep-fry thermometer; a powdered sugar shaker

Place the yakitori grill on a heat-resistant surface in a well-ventilated area. Arrange the binchotan charcoal pieces in a single layer on a heat-resistant surface or directly in the grill if the grill design permits safe torch use. Using the blowtorch, apply direct heat to the binchotan charcoal. Move the torch slowly over each piece to ensure even heating. Continue to heat the charcoal with the blowtorch for 3 to 5 minutes, until the charcoal starts to glow and is covered with a thin layer of ash. Allow the charcoal to and burn for at least 5 minutes before cooking.
For the pickled red cabbage: Add the onion, cabbage and garlic to a large, heatproof bowl. Place the apple cider vinegar, brown sugar and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and pour directly over the cabbage and onion slices. Set aside to pickle while you assemble the rest of the dish.
For the Gruyere foam: Bloom the gelatin leaf in cold water until soft. Heat the heavy cream, Gorgonzola, Gruyere and salt over low heat until steaming, stirring to help melt the cheese. Remove from the heat and add the gelatin sheet. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl and place in the fridge until ready to serve. When ready to serve, re-blend the cheese and cream mixture with an immersion blender. Transfer to a whipped cream canister and charge with three CO2 cartridges. Shake, hold the canister upside down and release the foam slowly into a small sauce dish. Garnish with the chives. Set aside until ready to serve.
For the pastrami: Add the peppercorns, coriander seeds and mustard seeds to a small saute pan and toast for 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat until fragrant. Transfer to a spice grinder with the bay leaf and pulse until cracked but still coarse. Pour on a sheet tray and mix in the turbinado sugar and salt. Cut beef into two even portions and coat with the spice rub evenly on all sides.
Place the beef on the yakitori grill and cook for 3 minutes on all sides, including the short sides, until the internal temperature reaches 135 degrees F. Set aside to rest until ready to serve.
For the salt and vinegar root vegetable chips: Set up a deep-fryer or fill a heavy-bottomed pot with 2 inches of oil and bring to 330 degrees F.
Soak the sweet potato and Yukon gold slices in cold water for 5 minutes. Remove and pat dry. Mix together the malt vinegar powder, salt and confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl. Add to a powdered sugar shaker and set aside.
Fry the potato and beet slices in batches until golden, about 2 minutes, turning constantly. (Please note that the size of the slices will affect the frying time and temperature, so adjust as necessary.) Remove from the fryer and drain on a paper towel-lined sheet tray. Shake the vinegar powder mixture over the chips on both sides. Set aside until ready to serve.
For the beef fat brioche: Melt the beef fat in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the brioche slices and toast in the beef fat until golden, about 1 minute per side. Remove and set aside until ready to serve.
To assemble: Strain the red cabbage and allow it to sit in the sieve for 3 minutes to drain entirely. Slice each portion of beef into two pieces, then slice each portion into four even slices. Cut the brioche toasts to the same width as the beef slices, and arrange the beef slices on top of the brioche, cut-side up, slightly overlapping each other. Serve the beef-topped toast alongside a small pile of pickled red cabbage, salt and vinegar root chips and the Gruyere foam.

Cook’s Note

If you don’t have a yakitori grill or bintochan charcoal, you can still enjoy the delicious flavors of the pastrami-crusted A5 wagyu using a charcoal grill.