WAGYU DONBURI

WAGYU DONBURI

There are many different variations of this dish, but essentially it is composed of sticky rice, slices of steak and a salty sweet onion sauce. The dish can be topped with a soy cured egg yolk or caviar, but here we have combined the aromatic heat of fresh wasabi with the tangy umami flavour of Japanese mayonnaise to create a spicy accompaniment. Fresh wasabi has an incredible flavour and keeps well in the fridge, but you can use wasabi powder instead if not available.

Servings: 2 Prep Time: 30 Minutes. Cook Time: 45 Minutes. Total Time: 1 Hour, 15 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

200g Sushi Rice
350g Japanese Wagyu Sirloin Steak
Fleur De Sel

Donburi sauce

1 Shallot finely diced
1 teaspoon grated fresh Ginger
1 tablespoon of Groundnut Oil
100ml light Soy Sauce
70ml Mirin
1 tsp Maple Syrup

Wasabi Cream Sauce

35g Japanese Mayonaise
2 teaspoons Lemon
2 teaspoons grated Fresh Wasabi

To Garnish

1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and finely sliced
1 teaspoon Shichimi Togarashi
1 Spring Onion, finely sliced
1 Red Chilli, de-seeded and finely sliced
2 teaspoons Chopped Chives

METHOD

STEP 1

Remove the wagyu steak from the fridge and leave to one side for 30 minutes while you cook the rice.

Place a small pan (with a lid) onto a a medium heat and add the rice. Pour in 350ml of cold water and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down to very low and put the lid on. Cook for 20 minutes, remove from heat, and leave to stand covered for a further 10 minutes.

STEP 2

As the rice is cooking make the donburi sauce. Add the groundnut oil to a small frying pan, place over a medium heat and and the shallots. Fry gently until they are golden, but watch they don’t catch and burn. Add the soy, mirin, maple syrup and ginger to the pan and simmer for 4-5 minutes until the sauce has reduced slightly. Set aside.

Make the wasabi cream by mixing the Japanese mayonnaise, lemon juice and grated wasabi together. Spoon into a small serving bowl.

Add a tablespoon of sesame oil to another small frying pan, place the pan over a low heat and add the sliced garlic. Fry gently for a minute or so until the garlic is golden and crisp but watch that it doesn’t burn. Remove the garlic onto a small plate lined with kitchen paper and set aside.

STEP 3

While the rice is resting cook the steak. Preheat your cast-iron skillet or non-stick pan with an oven proof handle over high heat. Sprinkle some salt on both sides of the steak and pat it to make it stick to the meat. If you have a thick steak, preheat your oven to 180C fan.

It is not essential to grease the pan, as when the wagyu hits the hot pan it will begin to caramelise. Turn the steak on all sides several times and spoon over any of the hot fat that renders out to aid the caramelisation process. A thin steak will take around 3/4 minutes to cook to medium rare. If you have a thick steak, place the pan in the oven for around 3-4 minutes. We recommend using a meat thermometer like Meater to ensure the perfect ‘cuisson’ which would be a core temperature of no less than If 50°c. Remove from the heat and allow to rest on a carving board for at least 5 minutes.

STEP 4

Fluff up the rice and stir in a teaspoon (to taste) of Shichimi Togarashi to season. Divide the rice between two warm bowls, spooning it into a cone shape.

Slice the rested steak, divide and arrange slightly overlapping around the bowl. Sprinkle over the cooked garlic slices and chives and top with spring onion and the sliced chilli.

Serve immediately with the wasabi cream on the side.