Steaks & Black Bean-Butter Sauce

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Large dice the potatoes. Separate the kale leaves from the stems; discard the stems, then roughly chop the leaves. Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and hollow green tops. In a bowl, whisk together the black bean sauce, sugar, vinegar, and 1/4 cup of water. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sesame oil and as much of the gochujang as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the potatoes to be. Add the diced potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Stir to thoroughly coat. Transfer to a sheet pan; arrange in an even layer. Roast 20 to 22 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven.

Meanwhile, in a medium pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced white bottoms of the scallions. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until slightly softened. Add the chopped kale; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly wilted. Add the miso paste and 1/4 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until the kale is wilted and the water has cooked off. Transfer to a bowl; cover with foil to keep warm. Rinse and wipe out the pan.

Pat the steaks dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on all sides. In the same pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned steaks. Cook, turning occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare (125°F), or until browned and cooked to your desired degree of doneness.* Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a cutting board and let rest at least 5 minutes. 

*The USDA recommends a minimum safe cooking temperature of 145°F for steak. Cook the steaks an additional 2 to 3 minutes to achieve this.

Meanwhile, add the sauce to the pan of reserved fond (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook on medium-high, stirring frequently and scraping up any fond, 3 to 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Turn off the heat. Stir in the butter until melted and combined. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Find the lines of muscle (or grain) on the rested steaks; slice crosswise against the grain. Serve the sliced steaks with the roasted potatoes and cooked kale. Top the steaks with the finished sauce. Garnish with the sliced green tops of the scallions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!