Ingredients:
For The Gastrique -
· ½ C. sugar
· ¼ C. water
· 4 T. balsamic vinegar
· 1 C. orange juice
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· ½ # strip steak seasoned with salt and pepper, and grilled to desired doneness
· ¼ # gorgonzola crumbles
· 4-5 fresh figs, sliced or diced
· Campari tomatoes, diced
· Water cress, in very short pieces
· 1 french baguette, cut into 1” pieces (round)
· Finishing Salt
· Olive oil to brush
Instructions:
1. Combine the water and sugar together in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Do not stir. Bring to a boil and cook down until the water cooks out and the sugar comes to a hard caramelization (305-310 degrees, deep amber color). At this point add the vinegar 1 T. at a time, stirring after each addition to ensure the sugar do not clump. When all the vinegar is incorporated, reduce the heat to medium and reduce down by about half. Then add the orange juice and reduce again until syrupy and thickened. 10-15 minutes. Take off heat and let cool naturally in room temperature. The finished mixture should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
2. Cut the baguette into 1” pieces and place on a baking sheet. Brush all of the pieces with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, then top evenly with the gorgonzola. Bake in a 425 degrees oven until the crostini are crispy and toasted. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
3. Cut the steak very thin into crostini sized pieces, set aside. Dice the tomatoes, and slice or dice the figs.
4. To assemble: top each crostini with a piece of fig, then steak, then tomato, then drizzle with the gastrique. Garnish the top with the watercress pieces. Drizzle again with a little more gastrique or olive oil and sprinkle with finishing salt.