Luger Sliced Beefsteak Tomato and Sweet Onion Salad
Chapter 1: Starters & Salads
Before the dry-aged porterhouse arrives sputtering in its bath of clarified butter, the palate requires a violent awakening. At the great Brooklyn pleasure temples, this comes as a plate of massive, prime red-ripe beefsteak tomatoes and thick-cut sweet onions, drowned in a proprietary steak sauce. It is not a delicate, tweezered affair; it is an unapologetic, structural masterpiece relying entirely on the peak seasonal ripeness of the produce and the complex, horseradish-laced alchemy of the sauce.
Before you start
Make the sauce a day ahead.
The steakhouse sauce requires at least 24 hours in the refrigerator for the acids and sugars to integrate properly.
Ingredients
- beefsteak tomatoes2 large
- sweet onion1 large
- flaky sea salt1 tsp
- high-quality ketchup1/2 cup
- canned crushed tomatoes1/2 cup
- distilled white vinegar1/4 cup
- dark brown sugar1/4 cup
- Worcestershire sauce3 tbsp
- soy sauce1 tbsp
- anchovy paste1 tsp
- molasses1 tsp
- shallot1 large
- garlic cloves2 med
- prepared horseradish3 tbsp
- Louisiana-style hot sauce1 tsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Combine the ketchup, crushed tomatoes, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire, soy sauce, anchovy paste, molasses, shallot, and garlic in a medium, non-reactive saucepan.
Place over medium-low heat and whisk gently until the brown sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture comes to a bare simmer. Let it simmer for exactly 3 to 5 minutes to marry the flavors and tame the raw bite of the alliums.
- 02
Remove the pan from the heat, allow it to cool for ten minutes, then whisk in the horseradish, hot sauce, kosher salt, and black pepper.
Never boil the horseradish, as high heat destroys the volatile compounds that give it its signature nasal punch. Transfer the sauce to a glass jar and refrigerate overnight.
- 03
Using a very sharp serrated knife, slice the beefsteak tomatoes and sweet onion crosswise into thick, 1/2-inch slabs.
Discard the stem and blossom ends of the tomatoes, and keep the onion rings intact. A dull knife will crush the tomato flesh, ruining the structural integrity of the salad.
- 04
Arrange the tomato and onion slices in an alternating, overlapping shingle pattern on a heavy, chilled platter.
Season the raw vegetables lightly with flaky sea salt to draw out their natural juices. Bring the platter to the table alongside a gravy boat overflowing with the chilled steakhouse sauce, instructing your guests to pour it over the vegetables with reckless abandon.
Notes
Respect the tomato.
Never put a beefsteak tomato in the refrigerator. Cold temperatures permanently alter the cellular structure, turning a prime, juicy summer tomato into a mealy, flavorless disappointment.
Sourcing the onion.
If you cannot find a true sweet onion like a Vidalia, Walla Walla, or Maui, you can use a standard white onion. However, you must soak the slices in ice water for 15 minutes before serving to leach out the harsh sulfurous compounds.