master

We’re thrilled to feature our final dish adapted from a winning dish on Season 9 of MasterChef on FOX. A bed of creamy polenta—a traditional cornmeal dish beloved in northern Italy—makes for a sophisticated pairing for snappy green beans and steak topped with fresh peach salsa.

Ethan Mick

with Jalapeño-Peach Salsa

MasterChef Seared Steak over Goat Cheese Polenta

Steak

Polenta

Garlic

Peach

Jalapeño Pepper

Lime

Green Beans

Butter

Spreadable Goat Cheese

Ingredients

In a small pot, combine **4 cups of water** and **a big pinch of salt**; heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. 

**STOVE: **Pit and small dice the **peach**. Cut out and discard the stem, ribs, and seeds of the **pepper**; finely chop. Thoroughly wash your hands, knife, and cutting board after handling.  
**GRILL: **Preheat your grill to maintain a temperature of 450-500°F. Oil the grill grates. Halve and pit the **peach**. Halve the **pepper** lengthwise; remove and discard the stem, ribs, and seeds. Combine in a bowl; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Turn to coat. Thoroughly wash your hands, knife, and cutting board after handling the pepper.

Quarter the **lime**. If necessary, peel the **garlic**, then roughly chop.

Prepare the ingredients:

Carefully add the **polenta** to the pot of boiling water; whisk to thoroughly combine. Reduce the heat to medium; cook, whisking frequently to prevent lumps from forming, 10 to 12 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the polenta is thickened. Turn off the heat. Add the **butter** and **cheese**; stir until melted and combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover to keep warm.

Cook the polenta:

**GRILL: **Grill the **halved peach and pepper** 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until lightly charred and softened. Transfer to a cutting board. Small dice the peach and finely chop the pepper.

In a bowl, combine the **diced peach**, **the juice of 2 lime wedges**, and **as much of the chopped pepper as you’d like**, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Make the salsa:

**STOVE: **Pat the **steak** dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a medium pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the steak; cook 5 to 7 minutes per side for medium-rare, or until cooked to your desired degree of doneness. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a cutting board; let rest at least  5 minutes.  
**GRILL: **Pat the **steak** dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil on both sides. Grill 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, or until cooked to your desired degree of doneness. Transfer to a cutting board; let rest at least 5 minutes.

Cook the steak:

Add a drizzle of olive oil to the pan of reserved fond (or a medium pan); heat on medium-high until hot. Add the **green beans**; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the **chopped garlic**; cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Turn off the heat and stir in **the juice of the remaining lime wedges**; season with salt and pepper to taste. Find the lines of muscle (or grain) on the **rested steak**; thinly slice crosswise against the grain. Serve the sliced steak and **cooked green beans** over the **cooked polenta**. Top the steak with the **salsa**. Enjoy!