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Rusty Penno, Executive Chef, Boffins
 Culinary career: Rusty has been on his culinary journey for almost 18 years; and with Boffins Club in Saskatoon for the last 10 years.
Professional training: Culinary Arts Foundation training program and with many excellent chefs including Vince La Pointe and David Powell.
Inspired by Mustard: “Mustard is used daily at Boffins. I like the way mustard balances out a dish. In a vinaigrette, the sweetness of the fruit is balanced with the acidity of the vinegar … and the sharpness of mustard finishes it off. Mustard in other dishes adds a different sharpness than a chili flavour – it is more subtle. I also like the visual appeal of the grainy mustards in meat rubs."
Recipe: Saskatoon, Chili, and Mustard-Rubbed Flank
Steak
Coffee may seem like an odd ingredient in a steak rub, but historically chuckwagon cooks would often add a splash of strong black coffee into the barbecue sauce. It adds a bitter layer, which along with sweet, salt, spicy and sour notes covers the five flavour components that make for a well-balanced dish.
Ingredients
- 2 - cups (500 mL) oven-dried saskatoon berries*
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) - medium ground dark roast coffee
beans
- 3 - large dried Anaheim peppers***
- 2 - dried chipotle chilies***
- 10 - dried arbol chilies***
- 3 tbsp - lightly crushed mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) - white granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) - seasoning salt
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) - cumin powder, or 2 tablespoons
(60 mL) toasted cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) - onion powder
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) - garlic powder
- 2 1/4 pounds (1 kg) - flank steak
Instructions
In a spice grinder, or by using a mortar and pestle, crush the dry ingredients into a uniform powder. Pat steak dry with a paper towel and rub with the spice mixture to coat both sides of the flank steak evenly. Refrigerate uncovered for 4 hours. Grill on a hot grill or broil in a hot oven (550° F / 290°C) 4 to 6 minutes per side until medium rare. (A lot of the rub will stick to the grill or pan which is normal.) Remove from the heat and let the flank rest for at least 10 minutes. To serve, slice flank thinly and at a 45-degree angle, against the meat's grain.
Serve with grilled vegetables and mashed potatoes or on top of a green salad with a basic vinaigrette dressing and garnish with a few fresh saskatoon berries, raspberries or blueberries.
Serves 6 to 8 people.
* For oven-dried Saskatoon berries, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or use a silicone baking sheet. Place cleaned saskatoons on the sheet and dehydrate them in a 120°F (60°C) oven for 12 to 24 hours. Check them at 12 hours for doneness. They will look black and have a "burnt" appearance; tasting them will reveal an intense berry flavour.
** Instead of these whole dried peppers, 1/4 cup (60 ml) of a chili powder blend may be substituted.
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