Steak Madagascar Recipe – Vanilla Coconut Peppercorn Sauce with Rolled Flank Steak

Steak Madagascar Recipe

This Steak Madagascar recipe brings together bold, aromatic flavours from Madagascar with a refined European cooking technique, creating a dish that’s perfect for special occasions or elevated home dining. Featured on CombiNATION Plates and hosted by Craig Wong, this recipe combines tender rolled flank steak with a luxurious coconut vanilla green peppercorn sauce for a truly unforgettable experience.

The Inspiration

Steak Madagascar is inspired by the island nation’s rich culinary identity, where vanilla and peppercorns are prized ingredients. This dish reflects a fusion of African, French, and global influences, blending the deep savoury notes of beef with the sweetness of vanilla and the gentle heat of green peppercorns. On CombiNATION Plates, Craig Wong showcases his signature style—bringing together unexpected ingredients and techniques to create dishes that feel both sophisticated and approachable. This recipe elevates a classic steak dinner into a globally inspired masterpiece that celebrates both innovation and tradition.

Ingredients

Rolled Flank Steak Roast

• 2 pounds (1 kg) flank steak
• Activa, aka Transglutaminase, aka meat glue
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) salt
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) crushed dried green peppercorns
• 3 vanilla pods, seeds only
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil

Coconut Vanilla Green Peppercorn Sauce

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ inch (1.25 cm) piece of ginger, minced
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) green peppercorn brine
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) green peppercorns, divided
• 2 vanilla pods, seeds, reserve pods
• 1 ½ cup (350 ml) coconut milk
• ½ cup (120 ml) thick veal demi-glace
• Salt
• Sodium alginate
• Calcium lactate
• Water

Greens

• 1 bunch of mustard greens (turnip tops, etc.)
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method

For the Rolled Flank Steak Roast

• Trim the flank steak, remove all fat and silverskin.
• Place the trimmed meat top side down on a clean work surface. Sprinkle dried green peppercorns over the meat. Dust the meat glue over meat as if seasoning with salt.
• Roll tightly to form an even cylinder.
• Roll tightly with many layers of plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Preheat oven to 500 F (260 C).
• Remove wrap. Mix vanilla with oil and brush over beef. Season with salt.
• Roast for 8 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 300 F (150 C), and cook for 12 minutes, or until a probe thermometer registers an until internal temperature of 130 F (54 C).
• Remove from oven and rest, loosely covered, for 15 minutes before slicing.

For the sauce

• Heat olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger, season with salt, cover, and sweat for 5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.
• Add tomatoes and cook for 6-7 minutes until starting to reduce.
• Add peppercorn brine and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the brined peppercorns and bring to temperature, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Whisk in vanilla seeds, coconut milk, and demi-glace. Continue whisking until everything is incorporated, then add the scraped vanilla pods.
• Keep over medium heat and gently simmer for 20 minutes until a sauce is formed. Season with salt.
• Remove the sauce from the heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer.
• Transfer to a blender, add remaining brined peppercorns and blend well. Strain again through a fine mesh strainer.
• Weigh the strained sauce. Use a ratio of ¼ ounce (6 g) of calcium lactate to 7 ounces (200 g) of sauce to measure the calcium lactate.
• Combine the calcium lactate measure and the sauce in a blender and blend 1-2 minutes, until well combined. Let sit for 30 minutes to hydrate.
• Pour the hydrated sauce into 1 ½ x 1 ½ inch (4 x 4 cm) rounds (or a rhum baba muffin mold) set over a lined tray. Transfer to the freezer for 1 hour until completely frozen.
• In a blender, combine 1 quart (1 L) of water with ¼ ounce (5 g) of sodium alginate. Bend until very well combined. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Fill 2 more bowls with water for rinsing. Set up a row with the alginate bath and frozen sauce pucks at one end followed by the two rinsing baths.
• Fill a final bowl with warm water to re-heat the sauce for plating.
• To make the spherified sauce; start by placing the frozen pucks of sauce into the sodium alginate bath for exactly 12 minutes. This will form the skin.
• Use a clean slotted spoon to transfer the spheres to the first water bath to rinse.
• After gently rinsing in the first bath, carefully transfer them to 2^nd water bath for a second rinse to make sure the alginate is completely washed away.
• After the second rinse, use a clean slotted spoon to carefully transfer the sauce spheres into the warm water to reheat before serving.

For the greens

• Preheat a grill to high heat.
• Clean and trims greens to 5-6-inch (12.5-15 cm) lengths and transfer to a bowl or pan.
• Drizzle the greens with oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to make sure the greens are well coated.
• Grill the dressed greens quickly, for 1-2 minutes, until bright green and slightly charred.

To Plate

• Slice the rested roast into 1-inch (2.5 cm) slices.
• Transfer a slice onto a plate. Season with flaky sea salt.
• Gently place a spherified ball of warm sauce over the steak with slotted spoon.
• Place greens in a straight line behind the steak, leaving some space in between the 2.
• Serve immediately, cutting into the sphere to sauce the beef.

Notes:

Meat glue: Activa RM is usually sprinkled over the pieces of meat to be bonded. Sprinkle enough RM on both surfaces to form a complete dusting; even out the coating with a brush. Alternatively, dip the pieces directly into the RM. RM can also be mixed with 4 parts by weight of water to form a slurry to paint on the meat. Don’t mix more slurry than will be used within 20 minutes, and discard the slurry after 30 minutes—the bonding power degrades over time because the caseinate in the RM will bonds to itself.

Serving Suggestions

This Steak Madagascar recipe is ideal for elegant dinner parties, holiday gatherings, or when you want to impress guests with a restaurant-quality main course. Serve it alongside roasted root vegetables, creamy mashed potatoes, or a light couscous salad to complement the richness of the beef and sauce. A full-bodied red wine such as a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Syrah pairs beautifully with the peppery and slightly sweet notes of the dish, while a crisp white like Chardonnay can enhance the coconut and vanilla elements. For entertaining, plate each portion individually for a refined presentation that highlights the dramatic spherified sauce.

Final Thoughts

This Steak Madagascar recipe is a celebration of bold global flavours, combining the richness of perfectly cooked beef with the exotic sweetness of vanilla and the subtle heat of green peppercorns. Inspired by the creativity of CombiNATION Plates and Craig Wong’s culinary vision, it transforms familiar ingredients into something truly extraordinary. Whether you’re exploring new techniques or elevating your home cooking, this dish delivers a memorable dining experience every time.