Grilled Steaks with Sweet-Spicy Hoisin Sauce

• Recipe by Wolfgang Puck

Puck became adept at preparing accessible Asian-flavored dishes at his restaurant, Chinois on Main, which he opened in Santa Monica, California, in 1983. His sweet-and-savory Asian-inspired sauce, which is flavored with hoisin, ginger and soy sauce, is delicious with the tender grilled beef.

Ingredients

1. 1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more for rubbing
2. 4 medium shallots, thinly sliced
3. 4 garlic cloves, minced
4. 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
5. 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
6. 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
7. 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
8. 3 tablespoons soy sauce
9. 1/2 cup chicken stock
10. 3 tablespoons honey
11. 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
12. Six 1/2-pound strip steaks
13. 2 large sweet onions, sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
14. Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Light a grill. In a medium saucepan, heat the 1/4 cup of oil. Add the shallots, garlic, ginger, crushed red pepper and cilantro and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the hoisin, soy sauce and chicken stock, raise the heat to moderately high and boil until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the honey. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until blended; keep warm.
2. Generously rub the steaks and onions with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the steaks over high heat for 4 minutes per side, or until nicely browned and medium-rare. Transfer the steaks to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes. Grill the onions for 4 minutes per side, or until charred. Transfer the onions to a platter.
3. Thickly slice the steaks and arrange on the platter. Serve with the steak sauce.