Charolais Sirloin with Béarnaise Sauce and Pumpkin Dumplings

Ingredients

• 4 pieces steak (from the hindquarter of original French Charolais beef)
• 1 Shallot
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• 120 ml white wine (e.g., Riesling)
• 2 tbsp wine vinegar
• 2 sprigs fresh tarragon
• 2 sprigs fresh chervil
• 200 g butter
• 4 egg yolks (M)
• 1 sprig fresh finely chopped tarragon
• 1 sprig fresh finely chopped chervil
• Salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 150 g dumpling bread (or day‑old rolls)
• 250 g pumpkin (e.g., Hokkaido)
• 1 small onion
• 1 Garlic clove
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 Eggs (size M)
• 50 ml milk
• 35 g low‑fat quark
• 2 tbsp flour
• Salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• freshly grated nutmeg
• 80 g finely chopped pumpkin seeds
• 200 g lamb’s lettuce
• 1 Shallot
• 1 small apple
• 3 tbsp Lemon juice
• 1 tsp Honey
• 4 tbsp rapeseed oil
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. 1.

   Grill the steak over high heat for about 2 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Alternatively sear in a pan with neutral oil. Then finish in the oven at 120°C for about 8 minutes to reach an internal temperature of ~54°C, or adjust to desired doneness.

2. 2.

   Peel and finely dice the shallot for the wine reduction. Melt butter in a small pot and lightly brown the shallot cubes. Add peppercorns and cook briefly. Deglaze with white wine and vinegar, add herbs, and reduce the liquid to one‑third of its original volume. Strain the reduction into a bowl set aside for the Béarnaise.

3. 3.

   Melt the butter slowly over low heat until it turns clear and pale; do not allow it to brown. Let the clarified butter cool slightly.

4. 4.

   Add egg yolks, wine reduction, and a pinch of salt to the bowl. Whisk vigorously over a hot but not boiling water bath with a whisk until frothy. Gradually drizzle in the warm clarified butter in thin streams while continuing to whisk. The Béarnaise is ready when it has a thick, creamy texture. Stir in chopped herbs and season with salt and pepper.

5. 5.

   Dice Hokkaido pumpkin into 0.5–1 cm cubes. Peel and finely dice onion and garlic. Sauté pumpkin, onion, and garlic in butter until translucent. When the pumpkin is tender, transfer to a bowl along with dumpling bread and mix into a smooth dough with the remaining ingredients. If the mixture is dry, add a little milk; if too wet, fold in flour. Chill for at least 15 minutes. Shape dumplings with damp hands and simmer in salted water for about 10 minutes. Toss finished dumplings in crushed pumpkin seeds.

6. 6.

   Wash and clean lamb’s lettuce. Dice shallot and apple finely. Whisk lemon juice, rapeseed oil, salt, pepper, and honey into a small bowl to make a dressing. Serve the salad just before marinating.