Equipment
Ingredients
Steak & Aromatics
- 400 g beef ribeye steak, room temperature
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 15 ml olive oil
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 2 garlic, smashed, skins left on
- 2 fresh rosemary, whole sprigs
Black Garlic Purée
- 50 g black garlic cloves, peeled
- 50 ml beef stock
- 30 ml heavy cream
- 5 ml balsamic vinegar
Charred Sprouting Broccoli
- 200 g sprouting broccoli, trimmed
- 15 ml olive oil
- 10 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 708 kcal
- Protein
- 49 g
- Carbohydrates
- 19 g
- Fat
- 50 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 1291 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 19 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 23 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 175 mg
- Potassium
- 1092 mg
- Calcium
- 144 mg
- Iron
- 5.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 80 mg
- Phosphorus
- 447 mg
- Zinc
- 12.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 202 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 101 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 118 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 4.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.40 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.76 mg
- Niacin
- 12.0 mg
- Folate
- 74 mcg
- Water
- 264 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Remove the ribeye from the refrigerator. Pat completely dry with paper towels, season generously with kosher salt, and let it rest on a cutting board for 25 minutes to temper. This ensures even cooking.
In a small blender, combine the peeled black garlic cloves, beef stock, heavy cream, and balsamic vinegar. Blend until the mixture forms a completely smooth, dark paste.
Transfer the blended garlic mixture to a small saucepan. Simmer gently over low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture reduces to a thick purée consistency. Remove from heat and keep warm.
Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add 15ml of olive oil, then carefully place the seasoned steak in the pan. Sear undisturbed for 2 minutes to develop a deep brown crust, then flip.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter, smashed garlic cloves, and rosemary sprigs to the skillet. Tilt the pan slightly and use a large spoon to continuously baste the steak with the foaming, aromatic butter. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 54 degrees Celsius (130 degrees Fahrenheit) for medium-rare.
Transfer the steak to a clean cutting board, leaving the fat and aromatics in the skillet. Rest the meat for 10 minutes so the juices can redistribute. Do not slice early.
While the steak rests, return the skillet with the remaining beef fat and butter to medium-high heat. Add the sprouting broccoli, tossing to coat in the seasoned fat. Sear until the florets are charred and the stems are tender-crisp. Turn off the heat and toss with fresh lemon juice.
Slice the rested steak against the grain into thick strips. Spoon a generous swoosh of the warm black garlic purée onto each plate. Arrange the charred sprouting broccoli next to the purée, and shingle the steak slices alongside. Pour any resting juices from the cutting board over the beef.
Chef's Notes
- Black garlic has a sweet, syrupy umami flavor similar to a blend of balsamic vinegar and tamarind. Balancing it with a touch of heavy cream rounds out its acidity and prevents it from overpowering the beef.
- Basting the steak with butter, known as arroser, gently cooks the meat from the top down while injecting deep aromatic flavors directly into the crust.
- Using the residual beef fat and rosemary-infused butter to char the sprouting broccoli creates a unified flavor profile across the entire plate.
- Always use a separate, clean cutting board for resting and slicing the cooked meat to avoid cross-contamination from the raw steak.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Steak is best consumed immediately for optimal texture. Purée keeps exceptionally well.
Freezer: 1 month — Black garlic purée can be frozen. Do not freeze cooked steak or broccoli.
Reheating: Reheat steak slices gently in a low oven. Warm the purée in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of cream if needed.
Troubleshooting
Steak is burnt on the outside but cold or raw in the center.
Cause: The steak was cooked straight from the refrigerator or the pan heat was left on high for too long.
Fix: Slice the meat and return undercooked pieces to a warm skillet for 30 seconds per side, or place the whole steak in a 180 degrees Celsius oven for 4-5 minutes before slicing.
Prevention: Always temper thick cuts of meat for at least 25 minutes before cooking, and drop the heat to medium once the initial crust forms.
Black garlic purée splits or appears greasy.
Cause: The purée was boiled too aggressively, causing the cream and stock to separate.
Fix: Remove from heat immediately and whisk in a splash of cold heavy cream or water vigorously until it comes back together.
Prevention: Simmer on low heat and stir frequently to maintain the emulsion.
Garlic cloves in the basting butter turn bitter and black.
Cause: The pan was too hot when the butter and garlic were added.
Fix: Remove burnt garlic immediately. If the butter smells acrid, discard it and quickly melt a fresh piece of butter to finish basting.
Prevention: Keep the skins on the garlic to protect the flesh, and ensure the heat is dropped to medium before adding them to the pan.
Cultural Context
Black garlic originated in Asian cuisines, created through a weeks-long Maillard reaction under controlled humidity and heat. In Modern European cooking, it has been embraced as an umami-packed flavor element to complement the savory depth of roasted and seared meats, bridging eastern technique with classic western steakhouse traditions.
