Name: Koji-rubbed steaks with miso butter and whisky
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 rib-eye steak (about 1 kg); 45 gm (¼ cup) koji rice powder (see note); 100 ml extra-virgin olive oil; 600 gm mixed mushrooms (Swiss brown, king brown and enoki); 6 spring onions, thinly sliced; 1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced; 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 60 ml (¼ cup) Japanese whisky; 150 ml beef stock; 2 400 gm can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed; 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; ¼ cup coarsely chopped parsley; 1 tbsp lemon juice; Miso butter; 150 gm unsalted butter, softened; 2 golden shallots, finely chopped; 2 tbsp white miso paste; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; ¼ cup finely chopped parsley; 2 tsp Dijon mustard

We’ve used koji rice powder to fast-track the dry-ageing process – 45 days in 48 hours.

Ingredients

1 rib-eye steak (about 1 kg)

45 gm (¼ cup) koji rice powder (see note)

100 ml extra-virgin olive oil

600 gm mixed mushrooms (Swiss brown, king brown and enoki)

6 spring onions, thinly sliced

1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

60 ml (¼ cup) Japanese whisky

150 ml beef stock

2 400 gm can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup coarsely chopped parsley

1 tbsp lemon juice

Miso butter

150 gm unsalted butter, softened

2 golden shallots, finely chopped

2 tbsp white miso paste

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

¼ cup finely chopped parsley

2 tsp Dijon mustard

Method

To quick dry-age steak, sprinkle koji rice powder over steaks to completely cover. Place steaks on a wire rack set over a tray uncovered in the refrigerator to dry age (48 hours)

For miso butter, combine ingredients in a small food processor and process until smooth; season with pepper, then roll butter tightly in baking paper or plastic wrap to form a cylinder, twist the ends to seal and chill until needed.

Rinse off koji powder and pat dry with paper towel. Bring steak to room temperature (30 minutes). Drizzle steak with 1 tbsp oil and lightly season. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Cook steak to your liking (5-6 minutes for medium rare). Transfer to a board, cover loosely with foil and allow to rest (15 minutes; see note).

Heat remaining 60ml (¼ cup) oil in the frying pan over high heat. Cook mushrooms, in batches, stirring occasionally, until golden (10 minutes). Transfer to a tray. Reduce temperature to low. Add half the miso butter to pan, swirling the pan, until nut brown (1-2 minutes). Add onion, leek, garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (3 minutes). Deglaze with whisky and simmer until reduced by half (2 minutes). Add stock, beans and Worcestershire. Return mushrooms. Bring to a simmer; simmer until sauce begins to thicken slightly (6-8 minutes). Remove from the heat. Stir in parsley and lemon juice; season to taste.

Slice steak. Arrange bean and mushroom mixture on a serving plate. Top with steak and miso butter to serve.

If the steak browns too quickly, transfer to try and roast in 170°C oven (8-10 minutes). Koji rice powder, a Japanese fermenting culture, can be used to tenderise meat and bring out the umami flavour.

This recipe also calls for ageing, resting (see method).
Note

Photography by Ben Dearnley Photographer

Ben Dearnley is a Sydney-based photographer who has been shooting since 1995, after completing a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies at Newcastle University. He was a photography assistant for three years before starting his own photography business focusing on food, still life and lifestyle. He has worked for a large number of local magazines and cookbook publishers, including Australian Gourmet Traveller, Donna Hay Magazine, Delicious, Coles, Australian Women’s Weekly Cookbooks, Murdoch Books, Pan Macmillan and others. He also shoots content for brands such as Sonoma Bakery, The Heart Foundation and Napoleon Perdis. When not in his studio, he enjoys swimming, walking his current Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Hazel, and tinkering in his shed.

Instagram

Styling by Vivien Walsh

Recipe by Tamika O'Neill

Ingredients

Method

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