Beef Tender Tips with Fennel and Gingered Butternut Squash
By: Pamela Steed Hill
Published: Monday, December 5, 2011 - 5:49am

Ingredients




For the Gingered Butternut Squash
1 large butternut squash, sliced in half lengthwise, seeds removed
unsalted butter for rubbing squash, plus 1 tbsp
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp finely chopped, fresh, peeled ginger
1/4 cup milk
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
For the Beef and Fennel
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp finely chopped, fresh, peeled ginger
1 tbsp ground chile paste (such as Sambal Oelek, available at Asian markets and in the international section of supermarkets)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling and brushing
3/4 lb. beef tender tips (from the loin)
1 large fennel bulb, cored and sliced into 1-inch pieces
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 2 Rub the cut sides of the squash with butter and place cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake until very tender, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. 3 Remove the squash from the oven and let cool slightly. 4 While the squash cools, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and add the olive oil. Add the ginger and sauté 1 minute, until softened. 5 Scrape the pulp of the squash into the skillet and add 1 tablespoon of butter and the milk. Season with salt and pepper. Use a potato masher or fork to combine the ingredients, mashing the squash to a creamy consistency. 6 Combine the garlic, ginger, chile paste, soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium bowl. Add the beef tips and toss to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour. (Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes before cooking.) 7 Place the fennel slices in a medium bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Set aside. 8 Heat a cast-iron griddle over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Brush with olive oil and add the beef tips (discard the marinade) on one end and the fennel slices on the other. 9 Grill, turning two or three times, until the beef is medium rare and the fennel is crisp-tender, 5-6 minutes. 10 To serve, toss or stir the beef and fennel together and divide among 4 plates. Divide the squash puree alongside.

About

Flavorful, warm, and inviting: This dish features tender grilled beef in an Asian-style marinade to complement the creamy, gingered butternut squash puree. Crisp-tender grilled fennel adds a sweet hint of anise.
This method uses a cast-iron griddle on the stovetop to grill the beef and fennel, but a flattop or grill pan will work just fine.