Porcini are among the most flavorful — and highly prized—mushrooms. As good as they are fresh (and I’ve only been lucky enough to have fresh ones a very few times in my life), drying them intensifies the flavor. I buy them in pound containers in Italian groceries in Chicago and St. Louis, but they’re available in small packs at Angela’s (1535 MacArthur Blvd. 787-7922) and at several local groceries. This rub is one of my favorite treatments for steak — absolutely delicious without overwhelming the flavor of the steak itself.

PORCINI RUB FOR STEAKS 1 oz. dried porcini 1 T. minced garlic 1 T. freshly ground pepper 1 T. hot pepper flakes, or more or less to taste 1 tsp. dried thyme 1 T. salt 3 T. dark brown sugar 7 T. extra virgin olive oil Grind the mushrooms to a powder in a spice grinder or food processor.

Combine with the remaining ingredients to form a paste. Rub steaks generously with the paste. Place the steaks in a resealable plastic bag, squish out the air, and let stand at least an hour and up to 24 hours. If the meat will be marinating more than 1-2 hours, refrigerate it. Remove from the refrigerator an hour before cooking to bring to room temperature. Wipe excess rub from the steaks before cooking.

Grill the steaks over charcoal, or sear on both sides in a heavy, oiled ovenproof skillet, then place in a 500° oven until the desired doneness is reached. The time will vary based on the type and thickness of the steaks. Begin checking after 10 minutes for rare meat. Makes enough rub for 4-6 steaks, depending on size. Leftover rub may be frozen.