Beef Steak

(All Recipes have Gluten-Free Options)

Rib-Eye Steak Diane with Rosemary Potatoes (Serves 2)

Steak Diane is a recipe that shouts ‘special occasion’. This particular recipe for this well-known dish is from the cookbook, ‘Tom Kerridge Cooks Britain’, the addition of the roasted rosemary potatoes makes it extra special. It’s definitely worthy of a date night!.. (The recipe serves two but can easily be doubled)

2 rib-eye steaks (220g each)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 sprigs of thyme

30g butter

Sea salt and black pepper

For the Rosemary Potatoes:

400g new potatoes, quartered

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped

For the Sauce:

30g butter

2 banana shallots, finely diced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

120g baby chestnut mushrooms, thickly sliced

40ml brandy

200ml beef stock

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

150ml double cream

1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon or parsley

  1. Take the steaks out of the fridge 30 minutes before you intend to start cooking to bring them to room temperature. Drizzle the steaks with olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside.
  2. Place the new potatoes on an oven tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss well and roast in a preheated oven, 180’c fan, for 20 minutes. Take out the tray, sprinkle the potatoes with the rosemary and toss well. Roast for another 20 minutes or until the potatoes are golden and crispy.
  3. Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over a high heat. When it is smoking hot, place the steaks in the pan and cook for about 1½-2 minutes on each side for rare or a little longer depending on thickness. I also like to turn the steaks on their ‘fat’ edge, for 30 seconds, to crisp it up. Remove the pan from the heat and add the thyme, then the butter. Baste the steaks with the butter as it melts. After a couple of minutes, transfer the steaks to a plate, pour over the butter and leave to rest in a warm place.
  4. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Place the frying pan back over a medium heat and add the butter. When it has melted and foaming add the shallots and sauté for 2 minutes. Toss in the garlic and mushrooms and sauté for 3-4minutes . Now add the brandy, flambé if you like, and let it bubble away.
  5. Pour in the stock and simmer until reduced by half. Add the Worcestershire sauce and cream and continue to simmer until the sauce is thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir through the chopped tarragon or parsley. Add the resting juices from the steaks and stir well.
  6. Transfer the steaks to warmed plates, spoon on the sauce and serve the crispy rosemary potatoes alongside.

Seared Beef with Pomegranate & Balsamic Dressing (Serves 4)

This recipe is incredibly simple to prepare; the juicy slivers of steak are drizzled with a sumptuous, sharp yet sweet sauce whilst the sprinkling of brightly coloured pomegranate seeds create a spectacular looking dish! The recipe is from Sabrina Ghayhour’s wonderful cookbook ‘Persiana’ (I’ve halved the dressing as I felt that the original recipe made too much sauce but feel free to double it up).

4 sirloin steaks

2 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

1 bag of rocket

100g pomegranate seeds

For the Pomegranate & Balsamic Dressing:

100ml pomegranate molasses

40ml syrupy balsamic vinegar

½ tablespoon olive oil

1 heaped teaspoon Dijon mustard

  1. Mix the sauce ingredients together in a jug, then set aside.
  2. Lightly brush the steaks with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and a little black pepper.
  3. Heat a frying pan until very hot. Place the steaks in the pan and cook for about 1½ minutes on 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.
  4. Remove the steaks to a plate to rest for 5 minutes. Then thinly slice the steak into slivers and arrange them on a platter. Take a generous handful of rocket leaves and place in the centre of the platter, then drizzle the sauce all over the beef (reserving some for the table). Finally, sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately.

Spicy Beef with Coriander Relish, Mangetout & Steamed Rice (Serves 4)

This is a wonderfully fresh recipe from chef Bill Granger, the tangy coriander relish lifts the steak to higher realms. Served with mangetout and rice it makes a light yet fulfilling supper.

For the Steaks:

4 x 200g sirloin steaks

80ml rice wine or dry sherry

60ml oyster sauce (gluten-free if required)

60ml light soy sauce (gluten-free if required)

2 tablespoons caster sugar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

For the Coriander Relish:

50g coriander, chopped

60ml vegetable oil

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 large red chilli, seeded and finely chopped

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon caster sugar

Freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

200g mangetout

Steamed rice

  1. Place the rice wine, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil in a large bowl, stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the steaks, gently turning in the marinade, cover with clingfilm and place in the fridge to marinate for 2 hours or more, bringing back to room temperature before cooking.
  2. Meanwhile prepare the coriander relish by simply placing the ingredients in a small bowl and stirring to combine.
  3. To prepare the mangetout blanch in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, then plunge into cold water and drain. Steam the rice according to the packet instructions.
  4. When you are ready to cook the steaks, heat a frying pan until very hot. Place the steaks in the pan and cook for about 1½ minutes on 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 5 minutes. Slice each steak into 1 cm slices, top with a little relish and serve with the mangetout, steamed rice and more coriander relish on the side.

Bloody Mary Steak & Avocado (Serves 4)

In this recipe from Hugh Fearnely-Whittingstall’s cookbook ‘Light & Easy’, the flavours of a ‘Bloody Mary’ cocktail are used to inspire a delicious sauce for steaks. The tangy flavour of the piquant, tomatoey dressing complements the meaty steaks wonderfully. I have used sirloin steaks here but rump steaks would work just as well. This recipe is particularly good with Homemade Oven Chips (recipe here!)

 *If you are gluten free note that Worcestershire sauce may contain traces of gluten from barley.

2 large, ripe avocados

300g cherry tomatoes, quartered

Large bunch of flat leaf parsley, leaves chopped

4 sirloin steaks at room temperature

A little olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

For the Bloody Mary Dressing:

100ml tomato juice

4 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon celery salt

10-15 drops Tabasco sauce to taste

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (see note above)

A good squeeze of lemon juice to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

  1. Firstly make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl until thoroughly combined – tasting to adjust the seasonings, the lemon juice will temper the heat.
  2. Halve and stone the avocadoes and cut into 3cm chunks. Place them in a bowl with the tomatoes and parsley, add about two tablespoons of the dressing and mix lightly.
  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 on 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 3-5 minutes.
  6. Arrange the avocado salad on plates. Slice the steak thickly over or alongside the salad and trickle over any of its juices from resting. Serve with the remaining dressing spooned over.

Fillet Steak with Tarragon (Serves 4)

I do love meat, so can never say no to a piece of steak, I also adore tarragon, so the combination of the two in this recipe is, in my opinion, heaven!…This recipe is delicious served with steamed asparagus and homemade oven chips (recipe here).

25g butter

4 large open flat mushrooms

Olive oil

3 shallots, diced

120ml white wine

60ml double cream

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

1 clove garlic, crushed

A bunch of tarragon, leaves chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

4 fillet steaks (about 150g each)

  1. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the mushrooms on both sides until golden. Keep warm until needed.
  2. Heat a little olive oil in a small saucepan over a medium heat and fry the shallots until soft and golden. Add the wine and simmer for 3 minutes, then reduce the heat and add the cream, mustard, garlic, tarragon and seasoning – do not allow to boil. Remove to one side and keep warm whilst you cook the steaks.
  3. Lightly brush the steaks with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and a little black pepper. Heat a frying pan until very hot. Place the steaks in the pan and cook for about 1½ minutes on each side for rare or a little longer depending on your taste.
  4. Serve the steaks on the cooked mushrooms topped with the sauce. They are delicious served with steamed asparagus and some homemade oven chips (recipe here).

Steak with Peppercorn Sauce (Serves 4)

This is a super simple way to take a steak dinner to an even higher level! The sauce is quickly cooked in the pan after frying the steaks. You could serve this simply with Homemade Oven Chips or for pure indulgence, serve French style, with Aligot potatoes (recipes here), I also like a green salad with a little torn parsley on the side, dressed with a classic vinaigrette (recipe here).

4 sirloin steaks (or a steak cut of your choice)

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

For the Sauce:

170ml brandy

370ml beef stock

250ml double cream

4-6 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, coarsely crushed

  1. Lightly brush the steaks with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and a little black pepper.
  2. Heat a frying pan until very hot. Place the steaks in the pan and cook for about 1½ minutes on 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.
  3. Remove the steaks to a plate to rest whilst you make the sauce.
  4. Add the brandy to the pan and let it simmer rapidly, scraping the bottom of the pan, when most of it has reduced (and lost its harsh alcohol smell), add the stock and simmer to reduce by half.
  5. Lower the heat. Add the cream, peppercorns and any juices from the resting steaks, stir, then simmer for about 2 minutes until it thickens (do not let it boil). Season with salt.
  6. Transfer the steaks to plates and spoon over the sauce.

Beef Stroganoff (Serves 4-6)

This recipe for Beef Stroganoff is very quick, it just requires the beef to be flash fried, therefore it is important to use good fillet steak. With the addition of soured cream, dill and lemon juice this simple recipe is extremely special! I like to serve it with white long grain rice and a green salad.

4 medium onions, 400g

6 tablespoons groundnut oil

700g fillet steak, cut into thin strips, about 1cm thick

80g butter

500g button or small mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons paprika

300ml soured cream

1 lemon

Large bunch of dill, finely chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

  1. Peel, half and thinly slice the onions.
  2. Heat 3 tablespoons of the groundnut oil in a frying pan. Pat the meat dry, season generously with salt and pepper. Add half the meat to the pan and stir-fry briskly for 30 seconds to brown and remove to one side. Repeat with the remaining oil and meat.
  3. Add half the butter to the pan and stir in the onions. Cook slowly until golden, sticky and softened. Tip on to a plate.
  4. Add the remaining butter to the pan and stir-fry the mushrooms with the paprika for about 4 minutes until dark and soft.
  5. Return the onions to the pan and add the soured cream. Warm through.
  6. Add the meat, return to simmer, season with salt and pepper and a good squeeze of lemon juice.
  7. Finely stir through the chopped dill.
  8. Serve with rice and a green salad.

Thai Steak Salad with Ginger (Serves 4)

This salad has a lot of ingredients but is very simple to make and ready in 10 minutes! It is a recipe I found in the cookbook ‘Tom Aikens Cooking’, a book which I bought many years ago when he had his Michelin starred restaurant, ‘Tom Aikens’. Nick and I were lucky to eat there a few times and I must admit that the food was outstanding. The cookbook, as you can imagine from a chef of this calibre, has quite a few complicated recipes, however amongst them, it is possible to find a couple which are easy to cook on a midweek evening, such as this steak salad. The flavours of this salad are great; fresh and light, with a sweet ginger taste rather than a hot fiery one! If you are gluten free use gluten free soy sauce and oyster sauce.

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

Olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

1 red onion, thinly sliced

150g mixed salad leaves

For the Sauce:

2 tablespoons of chopped bottled stem ginger and syrup

6g piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped

2  fresh red chilles, finely chopped (or less according to your taste)

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 small bunch fresh mint, leaves picked

1 small bunch fresh Thai basil or regular basil, leaves picked

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

2½ tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds

1 teaspoon caster sugar

50ml sesame oil

  1. For the sauce, grind together the gingers, the chilli, the garlic and half of the mint and basil leaves. Mix in the remaining sauce ingredients including the remaining whole herb leaves.
  2. Brush the steaks with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat a griddle pan (or frying pan) until very hot and cook each steak for 1½-2 minutes on each side.
  3. Remove the steaks from the pan and whilst they are resting put the red onion in the pan to cook for a few minutes until caramelised.
  4. Slice the steaks into thin slices, trimming any excess fat.
  5. Finally toss the meat, onions, salad leaves and sauce together in a large bowl and serve straightaway.

Tagliata Steak with a Herb Dressing (Serves 4)

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 from my ‘staple side dishes’ 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 on 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.

Spiced Steaks with a Whisky Sauce (Serves 4)

Whisky and spices may sound a strange combination with steak, but believe me they really work and add an extra special dimension to a simple steak. I urge you to try this recipe!…The quality of the whisky does make a difference, so use the best you have, the smokier the better. I would serve the steaks with homemade oven chips and a salad with a honey-mustard vinaigrette, you can find these recipes on my side dishes and salad dressings pages. Start by making the chips and the salad/vinaigrette; cook the steaks about 5 – 10 minutes before the chips have finished cooking .

2 teaspoons Schwartz Jamaican Jerk seasoning (or mix one teaspoon each of allspice and chilli powder, plus a generous pinch of sugar)

2 teaspoons coarse sea salt

2 tablespoons mixed peppercorns

4 beef fillet or sirloin steaks

4 tablespoons olive oil

10 tablespoons whisky

15g butter

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

150 ml beef stock

2 level tablespoons redcurrant jelly

6 tablespoons double cream

  1. Crush together the salt and peppercorns with a pestle and mortar (or the end of a rolling pin), mix with the jerk seasoning (or spice and sugar mixture).
  2. Use 1 tablespoon of the oil to lightly coat the steaks and press each side into the spice mix. Leave for 20-30 minutes.
  3. Heat a frying pan with the remaining olive oil and add the steaks (normally I don’t add oil to the pan when I’m frying steaks, I just oil them, but this recipe needs extra oil in the pan otherwise the spices will burn). I like my steak on the rare side, so I cook them for 1½ minutes on each side depending on the thickness. Cook for longer, depending on your taste.
  4. Remove the steaks to rest on a plate whilst you make the sauce. Add the knob of butter to the pan, along with the chopped garlic and the whisky.
  5. When the whisky has warmed through, very carefully light the sauce using a long kitchen match. When the flames have died down add the stock, redcurrant jelly and double cream.
  6. Lightly whisk, so that the redcurrant jelly melts into the sauce. Continue to heat through gently, until it is reduced and slightly thickened.
  7. Serve the sauce straightaway with the steaks and their juices, the oven chips and a salad with honey-mustard dressing.