Ingredients
Two 8 oz fillet steaks – cut into three
slices each.
Two large sweet potatoes – peeled and cut
into three slices each.
Selection of vegetables - enough for two
- such as carrot, asparagus, spring onions, green beans – all prepared to
approximately the same size, say, the size of your thumb.
A wine glass of red wine
A similar amount of good beef stock –
preferably not made from just the standard salty cube.
A couple of ounces of chilled butter -
diced
Olive oil
Method
Bring a large pan of salted water to the
boil and cook the sweet potatoes until al dente. Remove from the water and
place in a covered dish in a warm oven. Repeat with all the other vegetables,
only cooking those together that take the same time to cook. For instance the
carrots will take five minutes or so but the green beans will take only a
minute or two. Add these to the dish in the oven.
To cook the steaks, heat a frying pan,
add a little olive oil and fry the slices a minute or so each side depending on
how pink you like your meat.
To serve, place one circle of sweet
potato in the middle of each dish, place a slice of fillet steak on top and
repeat twice. Butter the remaining vegetables if wished and arrange them around
the meat. Return the frying pan to the heat, add the red wine and quickly
reduce by two thirds. Add the stock and reduce again by two thirds. Whilst
still boiling, add the butter – shaking the pan or whisking with a fork until
incorporated. This will result in a shiny, slightly thickened red wine
reduction or “jus” as us poncey restaurateurs tend to call it. Taste, adjust
the seasoning if necessary, pour over the beef and serve.
