Wood-roasted Australian Wagyu NY Strip, Smokey Sheep’s Head Mushrooms, and Romesco Sauce

METHOD:

For the Australian Wagyu NY Strip:
Lightly rub the steaks with the oil and season heavily with the Merken spice rub. Place in a zip lock bag with the thyme sprigs and the crushed garlic. Let sit for 8 hours or overnight.

For the Romesco Sauce:
In a food processor, finely grind the almonds. Add the peppers, tomatoes, garlic, vinegar and paprika, purée well, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula Add the bread and process well. Transfer to a mixing bowl and gently fold in the extra virgin olive oil; season to taste with salt and pepper.

To Assemble and Serve:
Break the mushrooms into large grill-able chunks. Drizzle liberally with oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Just before serving, prepare your grill (preferably wood burning). Grill the Australian Wagyu NY Strip until desired doneness and pull off the grill to rest. While resting, grill the mushrooms until lightly charred on all sides. Squeeze the lemon over the mushrooms and remove from the grill. Slice the Australian Wagyu NY Strip steaks and plate on top of the mushrooms. Season with more sea salt and drizzle with oil. Serve with Romesco Sauce.