PRE-CHRISTMAS STEAK & VEGGIES

Every year, as we approach what is traditionally the most fattening time of the year, I tend to make a half-hearted attempt to cut back on some carbs. (I think I'd have to be diagnosed with complete liver failure to cut back on sweets. So, no potatoes, noodles, rice, cereals, processed food (not that we have much of that anyway), pizza or pasta until December 25 and then...and then we go back to stuffing our faces with plates of delicious Christmas fare and consuming copious amounts of wine and cocktails until January 2!

Last night we had a simple ribeye steak, prepared my secret way, although I guess it won't be a secret once I hit PUBLISH, and some caramelised garlicky Brussels sprouts and mushies, which actually turn out to be anything but mushy!

INGREDIENTS (for 2)

1 large ribeye steak

2 tbsp spicy English mustard

2 tsp brown sugar or caster sugar

sea salt

freshly milled black pepper

2 or 3 tbsp olive oil

1 punnet Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

1 or 2 large Portobello mushrooms, peeled (not washed) and cut into chunks

3 cloves garlic, minced

sea salt

freshly milled black pepper

generous splash Balsamic vinegar

METHOD

1. Coat your steak generously with the mustard and then sprinkle with the sugar on both sides. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Place your griddle pan on the heat and when it's good and hot, lay your steak onto it. The mustard/sugar combo will caramelise and lend an amazing flavour to the meat, weird as that may sound.

3. Cook for about 4 minutes each side if you like your steak medium. More for well done. Less for rare. Even less for practically walking off the plate and racing back to the paddock.

4. While your steak is cooking, place a heavy frying pan on the heat. Add your olive oil.

5. When the olive oil is almost smoking, add the minced garlic. One minute later, add the sprouts, cut side down.

Don't toss. Just let them sizzle and brown in the hot oil.

6. Add the chopped mushrooms and now you can toss them together until sprouts and mushies are lovely and caramelised in the garlicky oil. It won't take long.

7. Add a few splashes of Balsamic and cook for a minute more.

8. Place your steak on a chopping board and slice. We like ours about 1/2" thick.

9. Serve your melt-in-the-mouth steak and crisp veggies with a glass of full bodied red. (Under the circumstances, maybe "full-bodied" is the wrong description! 😂)