Christina Konstantopoulou Stoke Brasserie & Grill Ribeye Steak with Crique Ardéchoise and Cacao

Method

1. The day before, prepare the rib-eye, butter, and sauce.
2. Trim the rib-eye, removing fat and silver skin. Refrigerate the rib-eye overnight, uncovered.
3. Reserve the fat for browning the trimmings and searing the meat. Cut the silver skin and trimmings into small pieces for the sauce.
4. Gently reduce the wine to about 15g (1 tbsp), taking care not to burn the pan.
5. Off the heat, stir in the sugar until dissolved. While the wine reduces, divide the butter in half. Beat one half with cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl; set the other half aside.
6. Once the wine is reduced, add the chopped chocolate and the reserved butter to the pan. Stir until fully melted and smooth.
7. Pour the warm chocolate-wine mixture into the cocoa butter and stir until glossy and well combined.
8. Set the bowl over an ice bath and whip vigorously until the mixture thickens and lightens in colour.
9. Alternate whipping on and off the ice to prevent the butter from hardening. Season with sea salt flakes and black pepper. Cover and keep at room temperature.

Red Wine Sauce:

1. Slice the mushrooms. Brown the beef trimmings in beef fat or olive oil.
2. Add half the mushrooms and sweat for 10 minutes. Strain through a sieve, reserving the solids. Degrease the pan with kitchen paper.
3. Return the pan to the heat and deglaze with Madeira. Boil and reduce by half, then add the red wine and reduce by half again.
4. Add the reserved trimmings and mushrooms back to the pan, along with the stocks and remaining mushrooms. Simmer gently for 45–50 minutes, skimming regularly.
5. Strain the sauce through damp muslin a couple of times without pressing. Rinse the cloth between passes. (If the sauce is oily, chill overnight and remove the solidified fat before reheating and straining again.)
6. Warm the sauce in a clean pan. Add vinegar and reduce until it coats the back of a spoon. Season with salt and white pepper.

Vegetables:

1. Trim the sprouting broccoli to be the same length. Peel the stalks. 
2. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Blanch the broccoli until vivid green and tender, about 2 minutes depending on size. 
3. Shock in iced water to stop the cooking process. Once chilled, drain and wrap in kitchen paper. Reserve in the fridge. 

Rib-Eye:

1. Take the rib-eye out of the fridge at least 1 hour before cooking to temper. Preheat the oven to 75°C.
2. Pat the rib-eye dry with kitchen paper. Heat a heavy stainless-steel pan over high heat and add beef fat or olive oil.
3. When the pan is smoking hot, sear the rib-eye for 20 seconds on each side until evenly browned.
4. Remove the meat, season generously with salt, and add butter to the pan.
5. Once the butter is foaming, return the rib-eye to the pan with rosemary, thyme, garlic, and cacao nibs. Continue browning for 20 seconds per side, then transfer everything to a roasting tray.
6. Roast, rotating the meat every 20 minutes and basting with the pan juices. Once the internal temperature reaches 54°C, remove from the oven.
7. Rest the rib-eye on a rack over a tray for 30 minutes in a warm place, pouring the butter, herbs, garlic, and cacao nibs over the top.

Potato Terrine:

1. Finely slice the onions, crush the garlic, and chop the parsley.
2. Peel and coarsely grate the potatoes, then wring them out in a tea towel to remove excess moisture.
3. Combine the grated potato, onion, garlic, and parsley. Season to taste.
4. Heat oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat.
5. Add the potato mixture and gently shape it into a cake-don’t press down too firmly or it will become dense.
6. Dot small pieces of butter over the top and cook for 10 minutes. The butter will melt and help crisp the edges-watch for browning.
7. Once golden underneath, flip the cake onto a plate and slide it back into the pan. Cook the second side for another 10 minutes, reshaping gently if needed.