In Season: Wagyu
Chefs at restaurants all over town are pushing out new spring menus this month. At Virago, chef Andrew Whitney is also pushing innovation. He recently added 13 new items to the menu, including several new sushi rolls that blend his love for the traditional preparations and techniques used in Japanese cuisine with the abundance of ingredients available locally.
For this Wagyu tataki dish, he just barely sears thin strips of Wagyu beef (he suggests sourcing from Porter Road Butcher) and serves them with hothouse tomatoes that have been quickly pickled in a soy dressing.
'One of my favorite flavor combinations is beef and tomatoes. I grew up eating grilled steaks with slices of tomato from the garden. This dish takes that combination and elevates it by using the flavors Virago is known for,” Whitney says.
You can explore all of M Street Restaurant Group's spring menu updates during the company's Chef Week, which takes place April 24 through 30 and will include both culinary and artistically visual collaborations at the restaurants Virago, Saint Anejo, Whiskey Kitchen, Moto, and Kayne Prime.
Wagyu Tataki
Courtesy of chef Andrew Whitney, Virago
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
8-ounce center cut striploin (note: preferably highly marbled; we use Wagyu but prime will work as well)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
Cooking oil
½ ounce beech mushrooms (or any mushroom will work)
½ ounce butter
Several small radishes, thinly sliced
½ ounce soy sauce
Pickled grape tomatoes (recipe below)
Pickled Tomatoes
Ingredients:
3 ounce soy sauce
1 ounce water
1½ ounce rice wine vinegar
¼ ounce salt
¼ ounce sugar
Clove of garlic, thinly sliced
1 pint grape tomatoes
Directions:
Mix all ingredients, except the tomatoes, until well-combined, and set aside. Slice the tomatoes length wise, and add them to the pickling liquid. Let sit for 2 hours.
Beef
Liberally season the beef with salt and pepper. Place a skillet over high heat, until hot. Add a small amount of cooking oil to the pan. Sear beef hard on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from the pan, and let rest. While beef is resting, turn heat to low-medium. Add the mushrooms and butter, and cook until slightly browned. Drain the mushrooms, and season with a pinch of salt.
To plate:
Slice the rested beef against the grain as thin as possible, and lay flat on the plate. Garnish with radish, mushroom, and tomatoes; then drizzle with pickling liquid.