A four-ingredient recipe for those last tomatoes
Steak + tomatoes + scallions + rice vinegar
Hey there!
Welcome to the first issue of Mission: Dinner!
First, a little house-keeping. If you’re just here for the recipe, I got you! There’s a printable version right after the second photo. :)
Since we still have five official days left of summer, I wanted to make the most of them with this recipe.
I first made this dish one September over a decade ago while living in a fluorescent-lit one-bedroom apartment with friends in East Harlem. I had picked up gorgeous tomatoes at a nearby farmers’ market and treated myself to a couple of nice steaks, too.
My boyfriend at the time (who is now my husband) kept asking me why the dish tasted so good.
The peak summer tomatoes were one reason, of course.
“It also has a secret ingredient,” I said.
“What’s that?” he replied.
“Water,” I said.
He looked at me, confused.
I told him how, after I cooked the steak, I added a little water to the pan to help sweep up the browned bits. I then poured those umami-rich juices over the tomatoes, already seasoned with a little vinegar, salt, and pepper. (Have you ever tried a Bloody Bull cocktail? This has a similar appeal.)
In the recipe below, I make use of every last bit of flavor left in the pan by cooking some scallions in the same skillet until they’re wilted and sweet, then stirring them with a bit of vinegar to make a scallion relish, of sorts.
About the steak and how I cook it
This recipe works well with any type of steak, so if you have a favorite cut, feel free to swap it in. I wrote up instructions for steaks that are 1 to 1 ½ inches thick. If you use thinner steaks, you’ll generally need to cook them for a few minutes less.
My favorite steaks lately have been grass-finished sirloins. They can be about half the price of the more money cuts, like New York strips and rib-eyes, but are still tender with deep beefy flavor.
So what are grass-finished steaks?
Cattle generally eat grass or hay for most of their lives, but in the U.S., most spend the last few months of their lives in feedlots eating corn. The corn feed typically makes the resulting meat fattier (more marbled), more mild tasting, and more tender. There can be a host of environmental and animal welfare issues with feedlots, which is why I try to stick to grass-finished beef when I can.
Grass-finished steaks come from cattle who eat grass or hay their whole lives. These steaks are often leaner and more minerally tasting, and they sometimes have a higher rate of omega-3 fatty acids. Because they’re so lean, they taste best when cooked rare or medium rare. Otherwise, they can be painfully dry.
My favorite way to cook steak
At my supermarket, one sirloin steak is usually 1 ½ pounds and 1 ½ inches thick. It’s enough to feed my family of three with leftovers for a salad the next day. (If you want more meat per person, you can also cook two 1-pound steaks.)
In culinary school, I learned to cook steak so you allow the first side of the steak to brown fully before flipping it and allowing it to cook through in the oven. Not only is it annoying to have to turn on the oven when you don’t need to, but this method often results in steaks with thick gray ribbons on the inside when you cut into them.
I now prefer the method where you flip the steak regularly, because I find it easier to get perfectly cooked meat.
I always panic a little at first because the meat looks pallid and gray after those first flips, but, like magic, it browns beautifully during the last few minutes of cooking. Just make sure you dry the steak well before seasoning it. Then don’t let it hang out too long after you salt it (it will draw out the juices) unless you’re salting it well in advance. (See the bonus points section.)
Steak with Tomatoes and Scallion Relish
Serves 4
Time: 30 minutes
By Kristin Donnelly from Missiondinner.substack.com
2 pounds best quality tomatoes (about 4 large)
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar or white wine vinegar, divided
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 bunch (5 or 6) scallions (also known as green onions)
One 1 ½ pound sirloin steak (about 1 ½ inch thick) or two 1-pound steaks, such as New York Strip or Rib-Eye steaks (1 to 1 ½ inch thick)
2 tablespoons oil (olive or a neutral oil is fine), divided
Flaky salt, like Maldon (optional)
Prep your veggies
Using a small knife, remove the core from the tomatoes. Using a larger knife, slice the tomatoes into ¼-inch-thick rounds.
Arrange the tomato slices on a platter and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of the vinegar. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
Using your large knife, trim off the hairy root ends of the scallions. Thinly slice the scallions crosswise into rings.
Prep and cook the steak(s)
Pat dry the steak(s) with paper towels and sprinkle salt generously over both sides of the meat, and season each side with a few grinds of pepper.
In a large, heavy skillet, preferably one that is not nonstick, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat until it just starts to shimmer; tip the skillet slightly if you need to help fully coat the pan.
Add the steak(s) to the skillet and cook, turning every 30 seconds or so, until well browned and cooked as desired. For medium rare meat, it will take about 8 to 10 minutes for 1-inch-thick steaks and 10 to 12 minutes for 1 ½ inch steaks. Turn down the heat to medium if the drippings in the pan threaten to burn. Also, be sure to brown any fatty edges by holding them against the hot pan using tongs.
(For the most accurate way to check the doneness of your meat, insert an instant-read or probe thermometer into the thickest part of the steak and cook to 115°F to 120°F for medium-rare meat.)
Transfer the steak(s) to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. (The temperature will rise as it rests.)
Deglaze the pan and cook the scallions
Meanwhile, reduce the heat under the skillet to medium if you haven’t done so already. Add ¼ cup water to the skillet and use a spatula to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer until the liquid reduces to about 2 tablespoons, about 3 minutes, then pour the juices over the tomatoes.
Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and heat for 10 seconds. Add the scallions and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Transfer the scallions to a small bowl and stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons vinegar. Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary.
Assemble the dish
After the steak(s) rests, thinly slice it crosswise (against the grain). Arrange the sliced steak on top of the tomatoes. Spoon the scallion relish on top (or serve alongside). Sprinkle with flaky salt, if desired, and serve.
The short version
Thinly slice the tomatoes and arrange them on a platter. Season lightly with salt and pepper and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon vinegar. Trim and slice the scallions.
Season the steak generously with salt and more lightly with pepper and cook in a skillet to medium rare. Let rest, then thinly slice.
Set the skillet over medium heat, and add ¼ cup water to deglaze the pan. Reduce by half and pour the juices over the tomatoes.
Cook the scallions in the same skillet, then transfer to a bowl. Stir in 2 teaspoons vinegar.
Serve the steak over the tomatoes and with the scallion relish. Sprinkle with flaky salt, if desired.
Fun for kids
Have the kids arrange the sliced tomatoes on the platter how they like.
Swaps
Instead of rice or white wine vinegar, use any vinegar you have. It will change the flavor, but it will still be good.
If you don’t like scallions, skip them! If you prefer, you can wilt some greens, like spinach or baby kale, in the remaining juices.
Bonus points
I like to salt the steak just before cooking so it doesn’t release too many juices before it hits the pan. If you like, however, you can salt the meat well in advance so it tastes seasoned all the way through. To do so, sprinkle the meat all over with salt at least 45 minutes before you want to cook it (and up to one day ahead). If you’re salting the steak more than 2 hours in advance, refrigerate until a half hour before you’re ready to cook.
I find this meal to be complete as-is, but corn-on-the-cob as an additional side dish would enhance its end-of-summer vibe.
Did you make this recipe?
I’d love to see how it turns out! Tag me on Instagram @kristincdonnelly or use the hashtag #missiondinner
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Still thinking about this one ... the vinegar is a revelation! I used tarragon vinegar I found at a farmers market... ready to make it again.