Savory Oyster Steak Salad with Mocha Spice Blend

I’m still excited to experiment with my new sous vide machine, so I figured I’d whip up a spice blend that would go really well with meat. The coffee and cocoa in this mixture really give the meat an extraordinary depth of flavor, which is perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the brown sugar and smokiness of the paprika. Cooked to perfection and tossed into a salad… A new favorite has been born!

Serves 8

• 1 unpeeled sweet potato, scrubbed and diced
• 1 Tbsp + 2 tsp olive oil, divided
• salt, for sprinkling
• 1 16-oz (450-g) oyster steak
• 3 Tbsp mocha spice blend
• 8–10 cups salad greens
• 1 container heirloom grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 ripe avocado, diced
• ½ small red onion, diced
• roasted and salted pepitas, for sprinkling

Dressing

• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1½ tsp soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp salt

Mocha Spice Blend

• 1 Tbsp coffee grounds (not instant coffee)
• ½ Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp dried minced garlic
• 3 Tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

For the blend: Combine all spice blend ingredients in a small bowl.

For the salad: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking spray and place sweet potato cubes on the sheet. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt. Roast for 25–30 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, whisk dressing ingredients together until emulsified. Set aside.

While potatoes are roasting, wash oyster steak and pat dry. Place in a baking pan and drizzle with 2 tsp olive oil. Rub 3 Tbsp of the mocha spice blend all over the steak to coat. Once the sweet potatoes are done, switch oven heat to broil. Place the steak in the oven and broil for 6–7 minutes per side.

While steak is broiling, place salad greens on a large serving platter. Arrange tomatoes, avocado, red onion, and sweet potatoes on top of the lettuce.

Remove steak from oven and cover loosely with foil; allow to rest several minutes. (Do not slice until ready to plate and serve.) Slice thinly and arrange on top of salad. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with pepitas. Serve immediately.

Note: I’ve included instructions to broil the steak, but if you’d prefer to sous vide it, cook at 135°F (57°C) for 2½–3 hours for medium doneness. Once steak has finished cooking, sear it in hot oil in a cast-iron pan for 2–3 minutes per side. Remove steak from pan and cover loosely with foil; allow to rest several minutes before slicing.

Tip: I tried this rub on salmon with equally delicious results!

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 725)