Black Magic Steaks in Blackberry Balsamic Gastrique with a Blackberry, Green Olive, and Walnut Salad
This is a stunning meal that isn’t hard to put together. The salad can be made ahead too. Tender beef with an earthy savory and lightly sweetened rub meets a bracingly tart yet sweet berry and balsamic reduction. An easy and rich yet refreshing salad balances the meal. You can use any cut of beef you prefer but I like beef tenderloin or ribeye best here. A fun plating technique is to spoon a pool of sauce into the center of the plate and then quickly tap the pool with the back of the spoon to produce a splatter effect. Here it makes for a fun Halloween look but this would work equally well for a Valentine’s Day dinner. Salad adapted from here.
Servings 3
Calories 539kcal
Ingredients
Steak
- 1 1/2 teaspoons celery salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 tablespoon chili powder omit for nightshade-free and use 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon activated charcoal powder food grade
- 1/2 teaspoon porcini mushroom powder optional, for umami
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch cayenne omit for nightshade-free
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce or 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 18 ounces beef tenderloin 3 6-ounce steaks
Salad
- 2/3 cup walnuts toasted and chopped
- 1/2 cup pitted green olives chopped
- 1 cup blackberries quartered
- 1/2 shallot minced
- 1 jalapeño stem and seeds removed, minced, omit for nightshade-free
- 1 tablespoon walnut oil or avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon of the gastrique above or pomegranate molasses
- 1 tablespoon parsley minced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the Steak
- Preheat the oven to 200ºF.
- Combine all the seasonings in a small bowl and stir to combine. Thoroughly dry the steaks and season with the coconut aminos. Sprinkle all over with the prepared seasoning mix.
- Place steaks on a wire rack set into a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the internal temperature of the steak is 115ºF, about 20-45 minutes for medium-rare. This will vary depending on the thickness of your steak (thicker steaks will take longer) and oven conditions so check its internal temperature. See note for steak doneness temperatures.
For the Gastrique
- While the steaks cook, prepare the sauce. Add allulose, balsamic, and blackberries to a pan and cook, stirring often over medium low heat until reduced by half, mashing the berries to release their liquid, about 10 minutes.
- Strain the mixture to a bowl and reserve.
For the Salad:
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine evenly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To Serve
- When ready to serve, heat a cast iron pan over high heat as the steak is coming out of the oven. When hot, add the remaining tablespoon of avocado oil. Add the steak to the hot oil (it should sizzle immediately). Cook until steak is golden brown, about 1 minute. Flip and cook the other side the same way. No need to rest a reverse seared steak.
- Spoon gastrique between two plates onto the middle of the plate. Set the plate into a sink and using the back of a spoon, splatter the sauce. Top the splattered sauce with steak and salad and serve immediately.
Notes
For different doneness, see below:
- Rare: 105°F
- Medium Rare: 115°F
- Medium: 125°F
- Medium Well: 135°F
Nutrition
Calories: 539kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 2021mg | Potassium: 1012mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 835IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 5mg