Beef Tataki, Beer Steamed Mussels, Pecan Apricot Rice and bread.

Beer-Steamed Mussels

By Ravi Kapur

Serves 6 as a main dish or 10 as a first course

6 lbs. mussels, scrubbed clean and debearded

12 oz. bottle of wheat beer

3 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1-  oz. (3 Tbs.) cold unsalted butter, cut into  -inch cubes

  cup coarsely chopped mixed herbs such as rosemary, chives, savory, thyme, sorrel, and/or parsley, plus additional for garnish

1 French baguette, cut into  -inch thick slices and toasted

When creating this butter sauce, Chef Hayward stressed the importance of restraint when cooking with mussels: “Keep it simple to let them sing.” He used sheep’s sorrel as part of the herb blend, which has a lemon-like acidity.

In a 10 quart stockpot with a tight-fitting lid, bring the beer to a boil. Add the mussels, cover, and cook, tossing occasionally, until the mussels have completely opened, about 8 to 12 minutes. Discard any unopened shells. Transfer the mussels to a very large wide bowl and cover with foil.

Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer lined with a damp paper towel into a 3-quart saucepan. Add the vinegar and salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil. Let the sauce cook to meld the flavors and reduce slightly, about 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, a few cubes at a time, until all the butter has been added and the sauce is emulsified. Stir in the herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon the sauce over the mussels and garnish with more herbs. Serve with the bread to sop up the sauce.

Pecan-Apricot Rice

by Anthony Lamas

Serves 6 to 8

2 cups uncooked basmati rice, rinsed

7 oz. (about 1 cup) dried apricots, thinly sliced lengthwise

3 oz. ( 3/4 cup) pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

6 medium scallion, trimmed and thinly sliced (3/4  cup)

2 Tbs. olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

 Fragrant, long-grained basmati rice lends substance to this crunchy, fruity blend. For tips on selecting and cooking different varieties of the grain, see The Science of Cooking Rice.

Cook the rice according to the package directions.

Transfer the rice to a medium bowl. Using a fork, fluff in the dried apricots, pecans, green onions, and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Japanese Beef Tataki

Serves 10 to 12 as a first course

by Pete Evans from Moveable Feast with Fine Cooking 

Season 1, Ep. 6

Tataki means “pounded” in Japanese, but the process of preparing this thin-sliced meat is actually subtle. Beef is first seared, then marinated, then seasoned with spices or other ingredients that have been ground (or “pounded,” if you will). Here, two sauces make the beef full-flavored and tender.

 Note from Norm. I did not put the steak in ice water. Instead I put it on a ziplock bag filled with ice to cool it down enough to set the juice and then sliced it.
For the beef and garlic chips

1-1/4 lb. trimmed center-cut beef tenderloin

Olive oil for frying garlic and for the beef

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced lengthwise

For the onion ponzu

1/2 cup minced white onion

3 Tbs. grapeseed oil

1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1 Tbs. unseasoned rice vinegar

1 Tbs. dark soy sauce

1/4 tsp. minced fresh ginger

1/4 tsp. minced garlic

For the tataki dressing

5 Tbs. soy sauce

1/2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

Pinch of bonito flakes (optional)

For the garnish

3 whole scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

2 Tbs. thinly sliced chives

Sear the beef

Heat a griddle over high heat, or preheat a gas grill to high. Lightly brush the beef with oil and season with salt and pepper. Prepare an ice bath.

Sear the beef on the griddle or grill on all sides until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Plunge into the ice bath and allow to cool,  3 to 4 minutes. Remove the filet and drain well on paper towels, patting the meat dry.

In a 2-quart saucepan, heat 3/4 inch of oil over medium–high heat until shimmering hot. Add the garlic and fry until golden and crispy, about 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon. Drain on paper towel.

Make the onion ponzu

In a small bowl, whisk together the onion, oil, lemon juice, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic until combined.

Make the tataki dressing

In another small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, vinegar, and bonito flakes, if using.

With a sharp carving knife, thinly slice the beef and arrange on 10 to 12 dinner plates. Spoon some of the onion ponzu on top of the beef, then drizzle on some tataki dressing, and top with the garlic chips, scallions, and chives.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF MOVEABLE FEAST WITH FINE COOKING

Recipe adapted from Moveable Feast with Fine Cooking.