Tagliata Steak with a Herb Dressing (Serves 4)

Just recently my sister came to stay and I wanted something quick yet ‘special’ to serve her… I couldn’t go wrong with this recipe! So, I thought it deserved to be this months ‘Blast From the Past’ recipe – I originally shared it back in the summer of 2020…

The Italian word ‘tagliata’ means sliced and this is exactly what ‘Tagliata’ is – sliced steak. Often in Italy they use the T-bone cut for this recipe, so that you get both the fillet and sirloin. However I find that it is easier and quicker to cook sirloin steaks at home, and to slice these before serving. The dressing is one which I have taken from Nina Parker’s ‘Nina’s St Tropez’ cookbook, it is quite light so does not overpower the steak. I would serve this dish with baby roast potatoes or the oven chips (recipes here) and a salad of your choice dressed with a tarragon vinaigrette.

3-4 sirloin steaks (depending on how hungry you are)

Olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

Herb Dressing

1 anchovy fillet, chopped

60ml olive oil

Large bunch of tarragon, chopped

Handful parsley, chopped

Juice of ½ lemon

½ teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

20g unsalted butter

1 clove garlic, chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Remove steaks from fridge to bring to room temperature
2. Meanwhile make the sauce – put the chopped anchovy in a bowl with all but 1 tablespoon of the oil, add the herbs, lemon juice, sugar and vinegar. Then, in a small saucepan heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil with the butter, when hot add the garlic, cook for a moment before adding the mixture to the bowl with the herbs. Give everything a good stir and season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm whilst you deal with the steaks.
3. Lightly brush the steaks with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and a little black pepper.
4. Heat a frying pan until very hot. Place the steaks in the pan and cook for about 1½ minutes of each side for rare or a little longer depending on your taste. I also like to turn the steaks on their ‘fat’ edge, for 30 seconds to crisp it up.
5. Remove the steaks to a plate to rest for about 10 minutes in a warm place.
6. Pour the juices which will have seeped from the resting steaks into the bowl with the dressing. Slice each steak.
7. Serve the slices on a large plate with a little of the dressing sprinkled over and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to the table so that everyone can help themselves, with the remaining dressing in a bowl.

I’ve read that May is one of the world’s favourite months. It doesn’t surprise me as it seems to be a month when things feel more alive than ever – with lots of ‘new growth’ around us and the warmer weather, it often feels like anything is possible (yes, perhaps you could even find time to cook that cake that’s been on your list for ages!…). As if in anticipation of these new beginnings I’ve been adding some new cookbooks to my collection – yes I know, any excuse! This month’s recipes have been tried and tested from three of my newest cookbooks. All three cookbooks were published only last autumn and are by cookery writers who were completely new to me. I’m pleased to say that, although this month I’m only sharing one recipe from each book, I have tried more than a few of their recipes and they’ve all been a success so I’m sure I’ll be sharing more from their pages; they are books which have definitely enhanced my cookbook collection!

Menu One is ‘Tarragon Roast Chicken’ by Julius Roberts. At first, when I heard about Julius Roberts I thought he was just an ‘Instagram’ success story due to his ‘young’ good looks. However, I was just being a cynical ‘old’ woman as it turns out that he knows a thing or two about cooking having worked in the kitchens of a favourite restaurant of mine, Noble Rot (see my reviews here). Having discovered this, naturally, I bought his book! The book is a joy, his enthusiasm for food jumps off the pages whilst the recipes which I’ve tried so far are keepers. Menu Two, ‘Sichuan Chicken with Peanuts and Spring Onion’, is from Claire Thomson’s cookbook, ‘One Pan Chicken’. Among all the chicken recipes this one caught my eye as it’s the authentic recipe which Thomson’s Sichuanese stepmother gave her. I figured it would be a good one and was right! Finally, Menu Two is ‘Penne alla Vodka’, from the late Russell Norman’s cookbook Brutto. The cookbook is named after his restaurant which is in Shoreditch, it’s been on my list of restaurants to review for some time now but in the meantime, I thought I’d invest in the book. Again it’s a beautiful book, however, I feel sadness when I flick through it as Norman unexpectedly died shortly after it was published. How lucky we are that he left this wonderful book as part of his legacy.

Hopefully, these May recipes will inspire you to cook something new this month!… Don’t forget to pop by next week for my ‘Tuesday Treat’!

Menu One

Tarragon Roast Chicken (Serves 4)

Tarragon is one of my favourite herbs, I love the way it’s subtle aniseed flavours lift a dish. Chicken with tarragon is a classic match, hence I’ve already shared a few recipes on Menu Mistress (here!) which celebrate this combination. Each recipe is different and has its own values. This ‘Tarragon Roast’ is a new favourite of mine which I found in the cookbook ‘The Farm Table’ by Julius Roberts. In this recipe the chicken is spatchcocked and cooked with a tarragon, cream and wine sauce. It’s a simple dish but one that is full of flavour. For an extra shot of tarragon serve with a crispy green salad with ‘tarragon dressing’ (recipe here!).

If you get your chicken from your butcher, ask him to spatchcock it for you, alternatively it is very easy to do yourself…

How to Spatchcock a Chicken:

On the backside of the chicken, using a pair of strong kitchen scissors, cut along either side of the back bone to remove it, then flip the chicken over and press down very firmly on its breast bones, it will give a satisfying crack as it flattens! Some people like to insert skewers to help keep the chicken flat during cooking but in my experience they make no difference, so I prefer not to use them as they make it more difficult to carve the bird.

Click here to watch the video on me spatchcocking a chicken on my Instagram Page!

1 chicken, spatchcocked

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 whole head of garlic, cloves unpeeled

250ml double cream

20g bunch of fresh tarragon, leaves removed and roughly chopped

1 heaped tablespoon Dijon mustard

A glass of dry white wine

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Lay the chicken in a large, high-sided roasting tray. Season generously with salt and pepper on both sides, and drizzle the skin with olive oil, working it into the nooks and crannies. Place the unpeeled cloves of garlic under the chicken, then roast in a preheated oven, 220’c fan for 20-30 minutes until the skin begins to turn golden brown.
2. Meanwhile, mix the cream, tarragon and mustard in a bowl and season well with salt and pepper.
3. After 20-30 minutes, turn the oven down to 140’c fan, take the chicken out of the oven and pour a generous glass of white wine into the tray (not over the chicken!). Then pour the cream mixture all over the chicken and place back in the oven for 30-40 minutes until it’s cooked through.
4. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes, loosely covered with foil. Carve straight from the tin, serving with lots of the cream sauce.

Menu Two

Sichuan Chicken with Peanuts and Spring Onion (Serves 4)

This recipe is from Claire Thomson’s cookbook, ‘One Pan Chicken’. Amongst all the recipes for chicken this one caught my eye as it’s the authentic recipe which Thomson’s Sichuanese stepmother gave her. I figured it would be a good one and was right!..

700g boneless, skinless chicken thigh, diced

2 teaspoons ground Sichuan pepper

2 tablespoons cornflour

2 tablespoons light soy sauce (gluten free if required)

2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry

2 tablespoons caster sugar

2 tablespoons black rice vinegar

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

4 star anise

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

4 tablespoons sunflower or vegetable oil

8-12 small dried chillies, stem and seeds discarded, then roughly chopped

1 tablespoon of grated fresh ginger

4 garlic cloves, finely sliced

1 bunch of spring onions, trimmed and cut into similar lengths as the diced chicken

80g roasted peanuts, roughly crushed

Sea salt

1. Season the chicken with a big pinch of salt and the Sichuan pepper, then dust with half the cornflour, to coat. Next, add 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and all the Shaoxing wine (or sherry) and mix well.
2. In a bowl, mix together the sugar, vinegar and sesame oil, along with 2 tablespoons of water, the star anise, sesame seeds and the remaining soy sauce and cornflour. Put to oneside.
3. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over a high heat. Add the dried chillies and stir-fry for a few minutes, then add the chicken and cook for a few more minutes. Add the ginger, garlic and spring onions and cook for 5-7 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked through.
4. Mix through the vinegar mixture, stir-frying over a high heat for a couple of minutes to fully coat and cook the chicken.
5. Remove from the heat and scatter with the crushed peanuts to serve.

Menu Three

Penne Alla Vodka (Serves 4)

I must admit that until I tried this recipe I was a bit sceptical about the idea of vodka in an Italian tomato sauce. I had always assumed it was an American addition, so not authentic. However, when recently I saw the recipe in the Italian cookbook, Brutto by Russell Norman, I was convinced of its authenticity; Norman was an Italophile and the proprietor of the popular London Italian restaurants, Polpo and latterly, Brutto. Although the addition of the vodka may seem gimmicky, it does in fact add a different dimension to a simple tomato sauce – it helps to balance out the flavours of the tomatoes and cream enabling this creamy sauce to be rich yet light. It’s a winning recipe!

2 x 400g tins of plum tomatoes, drained

1 large onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

½ teaspoon chilli flakes

1 teaspoon dried oregano

200ml vodka

320- 400g penne pasta (gluten free if required)

4 tablespoons double cream

2 teaspoons caster sugar

100g Parmesan, grated

Olive oil

Sea salt

1. Place a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a ovenproof saucepan and over a medium heat sauté the onion with a pinch of salt for 10-12 minutes until glossy and translucent, being careful not to let it brown.
2. Add the garlic, chilli flakes and oregano and combine, stirring for a few minutes more. Pour in the vodka, increase the heat a little to bring to a very gently bubble and cook until the liquid is reduced by a third.
3. Now add the drained tomatoes to the saucepan with a good pinch of salt and continue to boil for a few minutes.
4. Transfer the saucepan, uncovered, to a preheated oven, 140’c fan, and bake for 30-40 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and coloured a little on the top.
5. Remove the sauce from the oven, add the double cream, sugar and half the Parmesan. Use a stick blender to create a smooth sauce.
6.  Meanwhile cook the penne until al dente, according to the packet instructions and drain. Immediately add to the sauce stirring until fully combined.
7. Serve with the remaining Parmesan on the side.

Amaroni (Serves 1)

I’ve recently returned from a trip to Italy. Whilst there I found it difficult not to embrace their classic cocktails, namely the Negroni. Actually, if truth be told I often find the bitterness of their liqueurs a little too sharp, however as they say ‘when in Rome…’ and obviously I did! However, on my return I discovered this take on the Negroni, the Amaroni, it’s a tad sweeter, very moreish and my new favourite…

30ml London Dry Gin

25ml Amaro liqueur

20ml sweet red vermouth (rosso)

Ice to serve

Orange zest twist

1. Pour all the ingredients into a chilled ice-filled glass and briefly stir and garnish with a twist of orange zest.

Roast Lamb & Cider served with Flageolet Beans (serves 6) 

I realised just the other day that despite being spring and the season for lamb, I haven’t shared a recipe for it recently! So I thought that I should remind you of this wonderful recipe which I shared back in 2020… Cider with lamb may sound like a strange combination, but believe me it works beautifully. This recipe is taken from ‘Pure, Simple, Cooking’ by Diana Henry (yes, her again!); she recommends that this dish is served with flageolet or cannellini beans (recipe below) – and of course she is absolutely right!

1 Leg of lamb (approx. 1.8kg -2kg), trimmed of excess fat

2 large cloves garlic, cut into slivers

2-3 sprigs thyme

50g unsalted butter, softened

250ml dry cider

A good slug of calvados or brandy

570ml chicken or lamb stock

175ml crème frâiche or double cream

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Make small incisions all over the leg and stuff with a slivers of garlic and a little thyme. Rub the butter all over, stuffing some down the incisions as you do so, season generously.
2. Place in a preheated oven, 220’c fan, roast for 15 minutes then turn down the heat to 180’c, and continue to roast for another 45 -50mins.
3. Remove the lamb to rest in a warm place covered with foil for about 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile pour the cooking juices into a jug and skim off the fat and discard.
5. Set the roasting tin over a medium heat, add the cider and calvados, boil to reduce by two-thirds. Then add the stock and the reserved cooking juices, reduce this  by two-thirds, then add the crème frâiche (or cream). Boil until slightly syrupy.
6. Serve the lamb, sliced, with the sauce in a warm gravy boat and the flageolet beans on the side (below).

Flageolet Beans with Lemon and Parsley

So simple, yet so delicious!…

400g tin flageolet beans (or cannellini beans), drained

A generous slice of butter

Half lemon

Handful chopped parsley

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Place the drained beans in a saucepan, gently heat with the butter.
2. Add the parsley, season with a squeeze of lemon juice and the salt and pepper.
3. Serve