Granite Peak Recipe

Prepare marinade

In a shallow bowl, whisk together 2 tbs olive oil, lime juice, minced garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, 1.5 tsp kosher salt and 0.75 tsp black pepper. Add the flat iron steak and turn to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerated up to 2 hours.

Preheat grill

If using a gas or charcoal grill, prepare for high, direct heat and add the soaked mesquite wood chips to a smoker box or directly on coals. Bring grill to roughly 500°F (260°C) surface temperature and oil the grates.

Grill steak

Remove steak from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Place steak over direct heat. Grill 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare depending on thickness (internal temp 125–130°F / 52–54°C). After sear, move to indirect heat for 2–3 minutes if needed. Transfer to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil and rest 8–10 minutes before slicing thinly across the grain.

While steak marinates, combine 1 cup rinsed wheat berries, 3 cups water and one bay leaf in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered until wheat berries are tender but still slightly chewy, 45–55 minutes (check after 40 minutes). Add 0.75 tsp kosher salt in the last 10 minutes of cooking. When cooked, drain any excess water, discard bay leaf and stir in 1 tbs butter. Keep warm until plating.

Toast the dried guajillo and arbol chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat 10–20 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned. Remove and let cool slightly. In the same skillet, toast 0.25 cup raw peanuts and 1 tsp sesame seeds until golden, about 2–3 minutes. Add the peeled garlic to the skillet and brown lightly for 30–60 seconds.

Place toasted chiles, peanuts, sesame seeds and garlic in a food processor or blender. Carefully heat 0.5 cup neutral oil in a small saucepan until shimmering but not smoking. With the motor running, slowly pour the hot oil into the blender to bloom the chiles and nuts (use caution). Add 1 tbs apple cider vinegar and 0.5 tsp kosher salt. Pulse to a coarse, spoonable texture — you want a chunky, slightly oily salsa. Taste and adjust salt or vinegar. Reserve at room temperature.

Toss 8 oz blue oyster mushroom clusters with 1 tbs olive oil, 1 tsp soy sauce, 0.5 tsp smoked sea salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Thread larger clusters onto skewers if desired to make them easier to move on the grill.

Grill alongside the steak over high direct heat for 2–3 minutes per side until nicely charred and slightly softened. Remove and keep warm.

While the wheat berries simmer, heat 1 cup neutral oil in a small heavy-bottomed skillet to 325°F (use a thermometer). Toss thinly sliced shallots with 2 tsp flour if using (this helps crisping). Fry in batches until golden brown and crisp, about 1–2 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt. Reserve a small handful for immediate garnish and keep remainder crisp at room temperature.

Finish mushrooms and steak: drizzle 1 tsp finishing olive oil over the rested sliced steak. Plate a portion of white Sonora wheat berries, arrange sliced flat iron atop or beside the grains, place flame-grilled blue oyster mushrooms adjacent, and spoon 1–2 tbs salsa macha over the steak and a little on the mushrooms. Scatter crispy shallots and 2 tbs microgreens or chopped cilantro over the dish for texture and brightness.