Boneless Top Sirloin Steak - Reaching the Hilltop

On old Route 1, north of Boston in a town called Saugus, once existed a famous establishment called Hilltop Steakhouse.  I had relatives a few towns north of Saugus, so many a drive took place past it.  It was famous, from my perspective, because it had a 70 foot cactus out front.  Here is a link to an article with photos about Hilltop's closing.  Ironically enough, I never made it to Hilltop, but I was intrigued for two main reasons.  First, being young, I was enthralled with the 70 foot cactus.  Second, there was ALWAYS a line out of the building to get in.  Perhaps it was because of the high quality of the food.  Perhaps it was because the prices were below market.  But perhaps it was because others were as impressed as I was with the 70 foot cactus,

I'm disappointed I never made it to the Hilltop.  Rumor has it that the catcus is up for auction.  Count me in on wanting to see where the lucky winner places that behemoth.

So, why am I talking about the Hilltop Steakhouse?  First, because of the cactus.  But secondly, because (and I may be wrong here) my suspicion is that it was the kind of place where you can get some less expensive cuts of steak, but have it prepared so well that it doesn't matter.  The 70 foot cactus didn't scream Prime Rib Eye Steaks or Beef Tenderloin, it screamed Top Sirloin in my book.  And that's what I'm screaming about now.  Let's discuss.

Thanks yet again to Michael Symon's Carnivore, I put together a recipe for Top Sirloin with Chanterelle Mushrooms.  Amount of Top Sirloin I bought at Paulina?  26 oz.  Amount of Chanterelle Mushrooms I bought at Whole Foods?  14 oz.  Not to quibble on prices, but the mushrooms cost more than the meat!  I found that aspect interesting, as it speaks to a number of aspects of the recipe.

Seasoned the Steak overnight with a mixture of sugar and Kosher salt.  Took it out an hour before cooking.  And seared it for 4 minutes per side in a roasting pan with olive oil.  Out came the Sirloin, in went the mushrooms, shallot, garlic, and eventually mustard, soy sauce and red wine.  Each time I added an ingredient and cooked/stirred for a minute, my response was "ooh, this is going to be good" based just on the smell.  And with each new ingredient added, the response was simply repeated again and again.

After finishing the mushroom sauce, I carved the steak and poured the sauce over it.  Served all this over mashed potatoes, and it was comfort food deliciousness.  Loved it!  I may not have made it to the Hilltop Steakhouse, but this recipe made me feel like I did.

18 down, 41 to go!