Like a big red wine, a stout is a classic pairing with a grilled steak. Another classic pairing for steak is a French hollandaise sauce. Here, we combine the two to get a rich, earthy sauce for a grilled flat iron steak. To offset all that heaviness, I’ve paired the steak and sauce with a light and clean heirloom tomato-quinoa salad. This would make for a great summer meal in the backyard.
Active preparation time: 20 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Serves: 2
Heirloom Tomato-Quinoa Salad
3 cup (710 ml) chicken stock
1 cup (237 ml) stout
2 Tbs garlic, minced
1 Tbs salt
2 cup quinoa
1 lb (454 g) heirloom cherry tomatoes (you can substitute diced large heirloom tomatoes)
1 cup cooked yellow beets, diced
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
1 cup red bell pepper, diced
½ cup red onion, sliced
1 cup blue cheese, crumbled
In a small saucepan, combine the stock, beer, garlic, and salt. Bring to a boil. Add the quinoa and cook until tender, about 15–20 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and drain any remaining liquid from the quinoa. Combine the quinoa with the remaining ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Beer Hollandaise
2 cup (473 ml) water
2 egg yolks
1 Tbs (15 ml) lemon juice
2 Tbs (30 ml) stout
12 Tbs (1½ sticks) butter, melted
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
Salt
In a small saucepan, bring the water to a simmer. In a mixing bowl that will fit on top of the saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, beer, and lemon juice. Place the bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly until the egg yolks begin to thicken to ribbons, about 3–4 minutes. Slowly add the butter to the egg yolk mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly until it is fully incorporated. Add the Tabasco and a pinch of salt, mix well, and hold in a warm place until ready to serve.
Flat Iron Steak
Two 6 oz (170 g) flat iron, or similar-sized, steaks
Salt
1 cup (237 ml) beer hollandaise
2 cup tomato-quinoa salad
Black pepper
Preheat the grill on high.
Season each steak liberally with salt. Grill the steaks to your desired doneness. Remove the steaks from the grill and set aside to rest for 3–4 minutes.
Slice the steaks and place the slices on two plates. Top with ½ cup (118ml) beer hollandaise each. Place 1 cup of tomato-quinoa salad on each plate. Season to taste with more salt and black pepper.
Beer Suggestions: A heartier stout that can stand up to the steak is ideal. Try Cigar City Marshall Zhukov (Tampa, Florida), Boulevard Brewing Company Boulevard Imperial Stout (Kansas City, Missouri), or North Coast Old Rasputin (Fort Bragg, California).
PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER CINA