The preparation involved 1/8 cup golden brown sugar heated in a small sauce pan over high heat to the point of liquification and gentle bubbling, add 1/8 cup sherry vinegar and stir to combine. Reduce by 1/3 and incorporate 1/8 cup pure soy sauce; again reduce by 1/3. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes. Incorporate 1 tablespoon unalkalized cocoa powder (60%+ pure cacao). The steak was separately grilled after a liberal rubbing of kosher salt and a thin coating of grapeseed oil, cooking to medium doneness.
The flavor combination was strong, greatly enhancing the meatiness, working especially well with the distinctive but small nibbles of fat. If you're afraid of a little fat don't try this, but the beef fat and the gastrique was a marvelous paring with astringency / bitterness imparted by the cacao accenting the salty sweet acidity of the other components. I'd recommend serving this as an appetizer, possibly on skewers like beef satay. As an entree this is almost too bold, but the first several bites were delicious.
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