1 large white onion, peeled and sliced crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick (2 cm) disks
Kosher salt and coarsely cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2cup (120 ml) calamansi juice, frozen or squeezed fresh (from around 12 calamansi), or 1/2 cup (120 ml) lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)
3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh orange juice (from 1/2 orange)
1/4cup (60 ml) soy sauce
Steamed rice, for serving
Instructions
Trim and discard any excess fat from the steaks if you wish. (I like a lot of fat, especially on a rib eye.) Cut each steak horizontally into 2 thinner steaks, 1/2-inch (12 mm) thick, then cut each of those into 5 or 6 pieces. No need for the pieces to be the same size—they can be roughly chopped rectangles and triangles. What matters is that they’re all even in thickness. Set aside in the refrigerator to keep the meat cold; this will keep it from overcooking.
Pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bay leaves, pressing to flatten them, and fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute — flipping them halfway through — until they’re toasted at the edges and fragrant. Transfer the bay leaves to a plate.
Raise the heat to medium-high, add the garlic cloves to the skillet, and sear for 1 to 2 minutes, flipping frequently until gilded on both sides. Transfer to the plate with the bay leaves.
Add the onion to the skillet, keeping the rounds intact so the rings don’t separate. Season with salt and let cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes, until the undersides of the onions begin to steam and bronze. Flip the onion rounds, add 2 tablespoons water, cover the skillet with a lid, and continue to steam for 2 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking for about 2 minutes, until the onions are tender but still have a bit of crunch and the liquid has almost evaporated. Transfer the onions to a plate.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high until ripping hot. Take the beef out of the refrigerator and season all over with salt and pepper. Working quickly with kitchen tweezers or tongs, sear the beef — in 2 to 3 batches to avoid crowding — until caramelized and golden brown but not fully cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side for medium or medium-rare. When done, each piece should look like a mini-steak. Transfer to a platter and repeat with the remaining pieces. Arrange the steaks on the platter so that no pieces overlap.
Add the butter to the skillet and cook over medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes, swirling the pan, until browned. Add the calamansi or lemon juice, orange juice, and soy sauce and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently with a small rubber spatula, scraping up with French chefs call fond — the brown seared bits stuck to the bottom of the pan — until the sauce is glossy and slightly looser than maple syrup.
Drizzle and drape the pan sauce over the steaks. Top with the onions and garlic and tuck the bay leaves around and under the steaks as decoration (not to be eaten). Serve immediately with rice.