American Wagyu Zabuton with Shishito Salsa

By: Chef Phillip Tessier

The zabuton is a highly marbled cut that is luscious when served by itself, but is enhanced by the mildly spicy and bright shishito pepper salsa. The zabuton and shishitos have roots in Japanese cuisine, although this recipe takes inspiration from other international flavors to achieve a beautiful and savory dish.

In Japanese shishi means lion and to is an abbreviation for togarashi which means “chili pepper”. Shishitos have a wrinkled exterior that looks like the stone lion statues found in Japanese shrines.

Chef Phillip Tessier is an award-winning chef, author, coach, culinary partner and innovator. He is the first American chef to place on the podium at the Bocuse D’Or competition in Lyon, France and coached the U.S. Team to victory in 2017.

Ingredients

Shishito Salsa

  • 1 tablespoon Fresno chili, small diced
  • 2 ounces Charred Jalapeno
  • 10 ounces Charred Shishitos
  • 1 ounce Picked Parsley leaves
  • 1 ounce Sliced Parsley Stems
  • 1 ounce Picked Cilantro Leaves
  • 1 ounce Sliced Cilantro Stems
  • 2 teaspoons Fresh Oregano
  • 2 teaspoons Garlic Cloves
  • 6 ounces Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 ounce Red Onions
  • 1 ounce Lime Juice
  • 1 teaspoon Salt

Zabuton

  • 2 Snake River Farms Zabuton Buy Now
  • Salt and Pepper

Shishito Salsa

Add olive oil to a cast iron on high heat and char the shishitos. Add in garlic and thyme and continue charring on high heat.
Let the peppers cool, split and remove seeds. Set aside.
Repeat the same process to char the jalapenos. After cool, split and remove seeds. Set aside.
Split the Fresno chilis and clean out seeds and stem then set aside.
Dice the red onion and place into the lime juice. Let sit for at least 10 minutes.
Place garlic, parsley leaves and cilantro leaves into blender and blend until smooth, green oil is formed.
Add in the charred jalapenos, shishitos, and Fresno’s and lightly pulse in the blender until the peppers are coarsely chopped.
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and add lime juice and onion mixture.
Finish with salt.

Zabuton

Remove steak from the package and dry well.
Let temper at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Preheat a grill to 400 degrees.
Season the steak as desired with the salt and pepper.
Place steak on the grill and do not flip until nice grill marks have been achieved.
Flip steak and repeat on the other side.
Slide the steak over to the side to continue receiving the residual heat.
Cook until 125 degrees internal for medium rare. Keep on the heat longer for higher temperature.
Rest the steak for 10 minutes before slicing or serving whole.
Plating: Carefully place a heaping spoonful of the salsa over the steak. Garnish with sprigs of cilantro and parsley to cover.