ESPRESSO STEAK RUB RECIPES

Steps:

• This recipe works great as a stand-alone dish, but also as a component in Jamie’s Steak night from Together – see the full collection of menus here. ON THE DAY Get the meat out of the fridge an hour before you want to start cooking it, then you can do this first stage an hour or two before you roast it. Rub the steak all over with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then sear on every side in a screaming-hot griddle pan, or on a hot barbecue, until pleasingly bar-marked. Strip half the rosemary into a roasting tray, sit the seared steak on top, strip over the rest of the rosemary, dot and rub over the butter, drizzle with another tablespoon of oil, then season generously with sea salt and black pepper. TO SERVE Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Roast the steak on the bottom of the oven for 20 minutes for medium-rare, or 25 minutes for medium, turning halfway and basting with the juices from the tray. Remove from the oven, spoon over the balsamic, then cover with tin foil and leave to rest for 15 minutes, basting occasionally – I like to slip a tea towel under one end of the tray, so the juices naturally gather at the other end and you can easily spoon off any excess fat into a clean jam jar (for the best roasties another day). Thinly slice and serve, drizzling each portion with resting juices. The leftovers will make an epic sarnie.

Steps:

• 1. Place a large casserole pan on a medium heat with 2 tablespoons of oil and the butter. Peel, finely slice and add the onions, then pick, finely chop and add the rosemary and thyme, along with the bay leaves. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the onions are soft and turning golden, stirring occasionally.
  2. Slice the beef into rough 2cm strips, then clean and slice the mushrooms. Add both to the pan along with the tomato purée and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
  3. Stir in the balsamic, stout, flour and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour 20 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and the meat is tender.
  4. Meanwhile, for the pastry, put the flour and a good pinch of salt into a bowl with the suet, cube and add the butter, then use your thumb and forefingers to rub the fat into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
  5. Slowly stir in 125ml of ice-cold water, then use your hands to gently bring it together into a ball, but don’t overwork it. Wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge for later.
  6. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
  7. Ladle the stew into pie dishes – you can make a collection of small pies, or one or two larger ones – then finely grate or crumble over the cheese.
  8. Roll out the pastry on a clean flour-dusted surface, so it’s slightly bigger than your pie dishes. Eggwash the edges of the dishes, then carefully place the pastry on top, trimming off any overhang. Pinch the edges to seal.
  9. Decorate the tops with any offcuts, if you like, then brush with a little more egg. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the pastry is beautifully golden. Delicious served with steamed seasonal greens.