Fillet Steak

With Date Caramelised Onions and Red Wine Sauce



I have come close to employing physical violence when trying to get Spinneys' butchers to cut me a decent set of fillet steaks 'in the round' without gristle, lumpy bits and so on. You're after a 'restaurant' steak, a little round tower of warm, tender fillet - not some misshapen wodge of scraps that belongs in the mincer. And don't let 'em get away with the trick of wrapping said wodge in cling film. It might look like Keira Knightley on the shelf, but when you take that plastic wrap off, you'll be looking at Matt Lucas.

If you're a) super-rich or b) financially screwed so badly you're beyond caring, then the Organic Supermarket has steak that defies superlatives and butchers that give a hoot. The combination is compelling.

Ingredients

• 4 fillet steaks cut ‘in the round’
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 4 bunches fresh local spinach
• 1 red chilli, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 4 spring onions, sliced
• 1 tsp salt

Red Wine Sauce

Date Caramelised Onions


Wash and de-stem the spinach and then leave it in a colander or large bowl to drain thoroughly.

Pan fry each fillet steak to seal them in 2 tbsp of oil and place them on an oiled baking tray.

When you’re almost ready to serve, put them in the oven (and have the red wine sauce and caramelised onions warming) at GM9/240C/475F for 5 minutes blue, 10 minutes medium rare, 15 minutes medium and 20 minutes cremated. While the steak is cooking, heat the rest of the oil in a large covered pan and add the chilli, garlic and onions, then the spinach, fry this, turning so that it wilts and then cover it on a low heat. You’re looking to time this so that you’re covering the spinach as the steaks finish, so about five minutes before the steak is due is about right.

When the steaks are cooked, turn the heat off and let them sit for five minutes while you get everything ready to plate up.

Use a cooking ring to place the spinach on each warmed plate (let it drain off when you remove each batch from the pan and then use a paper towel to soak up any liquid on the plate. Place the steak on top of the spinach, the caramelised onion on the steak and then the sauce around. Remove the ring, add the potato or other vegetables to the plate and you’re in business.