INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
(These recipes are set up per person - increase quantities for each extra person.)
Steak:
1 steak, porterhouse or rump, 2cm thick if possible
1tbsp fresh rosemary needles
1 tbsp fresh oregano leaves
2 tsp fine salt
1 tbsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
about 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Salad:
100g assorted salad leaves
1 tsp rosemary needles
1 tsp oregano leaves
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp grape molasses (or 1 tbsp red grape juice)
1/2 tsp fine salt
1 tbsp water (less if using grape juice)
1/4 to 1/2 a medium red onion
Potatoes:
1 large potato - Nadine or other general purpose
3 small pickling onions (more or less, depends how much you like onions)
Remember that the quantities above are per person.
METHOD:
Prepare steak by trimming off large fat areas around the edges, leave steak intact. Finely dice the trimmings and place in frying pan. Knife chop the herbs medium fine, Put a third of the oil per steak into the pan with the trimmings. Mix herbs with salt and olive oil in a pestle and mortar, crush together lightly. Perforate steak all over with a fork, rub in the herb/oil mixture, and set in a bowl to marinate.
When you've finished all the steaks and they are marinating, chop the herbs for the salad, adding salt, until they are a fine paste. You could use the pestle and mortar but a knife will eventually give superior results. Mix the herbs, salt, oil, grape and water in a jar, shake well, and set aside.
By now the steak should have marinated somewhat - this is a strong marinade - so heat the frypan and over medium heat, reduce the beef trimmings into fat. Once the trimmings are crisp, use a skimmer or strainer to lift them out and dispose of. Increase the heat to almost smoking, and sear each steak for around two to three minutes per side, then arrange in a baking dish or tray. Place tray in preheated oven (180 degC) and allow to roast for about 20 minutes.
At this time, turn the steaks over and brush the top with a light coating of Dijon mustard. Only one side needs this light coating.
Peel potatoes and pickling onions, use a melon baller to scoop as many balls as possible out of each potato. Heat the frypan to just below smoking again, and fry the onions and potato balls for about five to ten minutes each batch, until the outside of the potatoes is lightly browned and crispy, drain and set aside in a warm place.
Shred or slice the salad leaves to strips about 0.5cm wide, thinly slice the red onion into rings and
place shredded salad leaves and onion rings in a bowl, toss together, shake the dressing again and pour over the salad, toss one more time to thoroughly coat all the leaves with dressing. There should be a pool of dressing, to drizzle over each serving of salad once plated.
Steak will have cooked to perfection while you are doing the potatoes - plate up the steak with mustard side up and a pile of potato balls and fried pickling onions to the side. Garnish the steak with a fine drizzled stream of Dijon mustard. Add salad with a generous drizzle of the dressing over it.
SERVING:
Serve plated meals immediately, with some crusty bread (such as slices of a baguette) with olive oil to brush over or dip in as a side.
NOTES:
There's no easy way out of this - it WILL take up your entire daily allowance of fats. Also, there's no easy way to get out of using the mustard - without it, the flavours are nice, with it, they positively sing... Using the same herbs for the salad ties the flavours together, and the grape molasses or juice add a touch of sweetness that the mustard will pick up.
