Directions

Slice the jalapeño and place in a bowl. Add the red onion, sprinkle with kosher salt and toss together, then set aside.

In a small sauce pot, combine the vinegar and water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, pour pickling liquid over the bowl of chilis and onion. Set aside to cool for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the fish into 1/4-inch slices and arrange on a plate. Season each slice of fish with a few grains of fleur de sel, to taste.

Slice the kumquats thinly, picking out and disgarding any seeds, and place a few on each slice of fish. Add 1 or 2 pickled chilis to each piece of fish, along with abit of pickled minced onion.

Thinly slice, or chiffonade, the mint by stacking the leaves and sprinkle the mint over the entire dish. Squeeze a wedge of lemon on the fish. Drizzle a fine stream of good olive oil and serve immediately.

Directions

Make the jam: Combine sugar, cayenne, and teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly colored, about 12 minutes. Add 1/3 of the figs, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon sugar mixture, and cook, stirring often, until sugar caramelizes, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly, then pulse onion-fig mixture and walnuts in a food processor, adding a drizzle of water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. (Jam can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

Marinate the steak: Whisk together a pinch of black pepper, vinegar, oil, and red pepper flakes in a large shallow dish. Add the steak and turn to coat. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours, turning every 2 hours.

Grill the steak: Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat until quite hot. Remove the steak from the marinade, letting most of it drip off. Season with salt and pepper. Grill, uncovered until lightly charred and crusty, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn steak over, moving to a cooler part of the grill, or reduce the heat to medium if using a grill pan. Cook until medium-rare, 3 to 4 minutes more. Do not go much past medium-rare as flank steak gets tough when overcooked. Remove the steak to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into 1/2-inch thick slices against the grain of the meat.

Roast the figs: Preheat oven to 400. Place remaining figs, cut sides up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture. Roast until tender and caramelized on cut sides, about 10 minutes. Spread 3 tablespoons onion-fig mixture on each slice of bread. Top each with arugula, cheese, steak slices and several warm fig halves, and cut into 3 or 4 pieces. Serve immediately.

Directions

Preheat your outdoor grill. Add the bacon slices to a cold cast iron skillet. Turn the heat to medium and cook them until crispy. About 5-7 minutes. Transfer to paper towel lined plate. Set aside. Divide the ground beef into 4 equal parts. Roll each part into a ball and then gently press into patties shaped to match the sourdough bread slices. Sprinkle each patty with salt and pepper. Cook burgers over medium heat. About 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. At the last minute, place cheese slices on top and continue cooking until cheese melts slightly. Move the burgers to a plate to rest. Lightly grill the sourdough slices on both sides. Just enough to get toasty grill marks. To assemble the burgers, place 4 pieces of toasted sourdough slices in front of you. Divide the oak leaf lettuce pieces evenly in a even layer on each slice. Top this with a dollop of guacamole, one or two heirloom tomato slices, the burger, three or four rings of red onion and two bacon slices. Top with the remaining sourdough bread. Cut the burgers in half and serve warm.