Steak Out

There's nothing to add about this dish, apart from maybe the Swiss-style accompaniment that stands out from the usual. Still, I'm sure you'll all deal with that perfectly...

Shopping list

• 1 steak per diner. I got my organic beauty in Herefordshire at The Bells Inn (that also has a lovely little deli and farm produce shop). Sorry if you didn't. But really you shoulda...

• 2 small potatoes

• ⅕ a celeriac, peeled

• ⅕ of a butternut squash, peeled

• An egg

• A teaspn of baking soda

• I heaped tabspn of plain flour

• A little butter

• A little olive oil

• Balsamic vinegar to taste

for the sauce

• ⅓ cup (85 ml) brandy or cognac

• ¾ cup (185 ml) beef stock

• ½ cup (125 ml) cream

• 2 to 3 tspn coarsely crushed whole black and/or green peppercorns

• 2 tbspn dried wild garlic flowers

for the salad

• A variety of green leaves

• Little fresh tomatoes, halved

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Balsamic vinegar

• Fresh wild garlic flowers (optional)

Cooking method

The sauce

1. Add the brandy/cognac to a saucepan and simmer rapidly, scraping the bottom of the pan until it has reduced i.e. you can't smell the booze any longer

2. Add the stock. Bring to the boil and simmer rapidly for 2 to 3 mins; until it reduces by half

3. Turn the heat down. Add the cream and the peppercorns. Stir, then simmer for 1 to 2 minutes or until it thickens (do not let it boil rapidly)

4. Add salt and pepper to taste; the dried wild garlic flowers if you have them

5. Simmer gently until plating or pouring into a sauce dish

for the salad

1. Arrange the fresh green leaves and little halved fresh tomatoes into a salad bowl or into individual salad plates

2. Dress with a little extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar and add the wild garlic flowers if you have them

for the rösti

1. Grate the peeled raw celeriac, potatoes, and butternut squash into a mixing bowl

2. Sift in the flour and baking powder

3. Crack the egg and stir into the mixture

4. Shape roughly into "cakes"

5. In a frying pan, melt a little butter. When the butter is bubbling, add a couple of the rösti "cakes". Allow them to cook on either side for 5 to 6 mins, turning as needed

6. When the cakes are almost cooked, add the steak to another frying pan or grill pan, turning sensibly. Depending on the pan, the steak may or may not need turning more regularly. Add the wild garlic flowers and allow it to cook, turning as needed

7. Plate the steak and rösti, serving together with the hot wild garlic and peppercorn sauce, spooning it over the steak or in a small sauce dish. Serve together with the salad

Pairings

You can find Karel's definitive wine pairing for this dish here.