Serves 4

This recipe takes longan in a completely different direction. Instead of making a traditional sweet reduction, ripe longan is blended with soy, rice vinegar, ginger and Chinese five-spice to create a glossy savory-sweet sauce for tender beef.

Ingredients

Beef

– 1 1/4 lb (567 g) beef tenderloin steaks, approximately 1 1/2 inches thick
– 1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral cooking oil
– 1 teaspoon kosher salt
– 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Longan Five-Spice Sauce

– 1 1/2 cups (about 240 g) fresh longan flesh, peeled and seeded
– 1/4 cup (60 ml) low-sodium soy sauce
– 2 tablespoons (30 ml) rice vinegar
– 1 tablespoon (15 ml) honey
– 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh orange juice
– 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
– 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
– 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
– 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
– 1/3 cup (80 ml) beef broth
– 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Crispy Shallots

– 2 large shallots, very thinly sliced
– 1/3 cup (80 ml) neutral cooking oil
– 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Garnish

– 2 scallions, thinly sliced
– 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
– 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Prepare the longan sauce

Place the longan, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, orange juice, ginger, garlic, five-spice powder, red pepper flakes and beef broth in a blender.

Blend until mostly smooth.

Pour into a small saucepan.

Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The sauce should reduce by approximately one-third and become glossy.

Remove from heat.

Stir in the butter until completely incorporated.

Set aside and keep warm.

2. Make the crispy shallots

Place the sliced shallots and oil in a small skillet while the oil is still cold.

Turn the heat to medium.

Cook for approximately 8–12 minutes, stirring frequently.

The shallots will gradually become golden and crisp.

Once deeply golden, immediately transfer them to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt.

They will become even crispier as they cool.

3. Prepare the beef

Remove the beef from the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes before cooking.

Pat the steaks completely dry.

Season both sides with salt and black pepper.

Heat a heavy cast-iron skillet over high heat for approximately 3 minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon oil.

When the oil is shimmering, carefully add the steaks.

4. Cook the tenderloin

For approximately 1 1/2-inch-thick steaks:

– Cook 3 minutes on the first side.
– Flip and cook 2 1/2–3 minutes on the second side.
– Hold the steaks upright with tongs and sear the edges for approximately 30 seconds.

For medium-rare, remove the steaks when the center reaches approximately 125–130°F (52–54°C).

The temperature will rise during resting.

Transfer the beef to a cutting board and rest for 7–8 minutes.

5. Finish the sauce

While the beef rests, gently reheat the longan sauce over low heat.

Do not boil it.

Taste the sauce.

If it seems too sweet, add 1 teaspoon rice vinegar.

If it needs more savory flavor, add 1 teaspoon soy sauce.

6. Plate

Slice each tenderloin into thick slices.

Spoon a generous amount of longan five-spice sauce onto each plate.

Arrange the beef over the sauce.

Top with crispy shallots, scallions, sesame seeds and cilantro.

Serve immediately.

Longan Tip: Don’t over-reduce the sauce. The goal is a silky sauce that still tastes distinctly of longan rather than a heavily concentrated syrup.