Steaks & Black Bean-Butter Sauce

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat 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, 1/2 cup of water, and half the vinegar (you will have extra) until the sugar has dissolved. 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. Toss to thoroughly coat. Transfer to a sheet pan; arrange in an even layer. Roast 24 to 26 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven.

Meanwhile, in a large 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 1/2 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 1 tablespoon 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.

While the steaks rest, 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 sesame seeds and sliced green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!