Watch video on how personal Chef Sally Cameron shows us how to make the most tender flank steak with ginger and sake married with vegetable sides.  She also shares a second recipe  black-and-white sesame salmon, super easy to make.

Flank Steak:

Ingredients:

• ½ cup (120 ml) low sodium soy sauce or tamari
• ½ cup (120 ml) sake
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) agave syrup
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) ginger puree from a jar, (organic with no high fructose corn syrup)
• 4 tablespoons (60 ml) balsamic vinegar
• 3 large garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed
• 1½ tablespoons finely chopped chives
• 1 ½ – 2 pounds flank steak (700 grams – 1 kilo), well trimmed of any fat

Serves 4

Directions:

1)   Make the marinade by combining soy sauce through chives.

2)   Slice the flank steak across the grain into ½” (1 1/2 cm) wide strips. If the steak is very wide, you can slice it in half lengthwise with the grain first, then cross grain into strips. Place steak in a bowl, mix with marinade, then cover with plastic and allow to stand 45-60 minutes at room temperature. You can also mix it in a zip bag, press out the air and marinate.

3)   Heat a large non-stick sauté or fry pan over medium heat. Drain marinade from steak through a sieve and set aside. Lay steak strips flat in the hot pan; don’t crowd them. Cook until one side is a browned and getting caramelized edges. Flip the pieces over and cook just briefly, then remove to a rimmed baking sheet or plate. Repeat with the other pieces until done.

Note – If you want extra sauce to drizzle over the steak, place the raw marinade in a small pan and bring to a boil for a minute to kill any raw meat bacteria. Boil it down but be careful not to let it burn away.

Black-and-White Sesame Salmon:

Ingredients:

• 1 14-16 ounce (454 grams) salmon fillet (skin yourself or have the seafood counter do it for you)
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• Salt & pepper to taste (I use Penzey’s Szechuan Pepper Salt ^[2] blend)
• 1 tablespoon neutral flavored oil (I use grapeseed)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
• 1 1/2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives (optional garnish)

Directions:

1)   If the salmon is refrigerated, allow it to sit on the counter about 30 minutes to get the chill off.

2)   Place salmon skin side down on a cutting board. With a thin, sharp knife (filet knife if you have one), slip the knife blade between the skin and salmon flesh with the blade facing away from you. Hold the edge of the skin on the board tightly and with your knife blade angles slightly down, slice between the skin and fish all the way to the end. Remove the skin completely. You should have a clean piece of skin to discard with little salmon attached.

3) Next, turn salmon over with the bottom up. Carefully trim any dark purple bloodline. Gently run your fingers along the sides of the filets looking for pin bones. Remove bones with pliers or tweezers.

3)   With rounded side up, season salmon with salt and pepper blend.

4)   Mix sesame seeds and place on a small flat plate. Drizzle a few drops of sesame oil on each salmon filet and rub to coat the surface of the fish. Place salmon rounded side down in the sesame seeds and press gently to adhere. Remove salmon filets to a clean plate or waxed paper until ready to cook. Discard any leftover sesame seeds from the plate, as they have touched raw fish and cannot be saved.

5)   Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat with about 2 teaspoons of oil. When hot, place salmon filets sesame side down. Cook until sesame seeds are golden and a crust has formed. Gently turn the salmon over and turn heat to low. Cook salmon just a few minutes longer. It will be firm to the touch but until still a little translucent in the center.  Timing will depend on the thickness of your filets, but it doesn’t take long. My 1″ thick filets were done in about 7 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped chives for garnish if desired.