Ingredients:

(serves 4)

* 600g fillet steak, thinly sliced

* 2 tablespoons flour

* 2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika

* 1 tablespoon olive oil

* 1 tablespoon butter

* 1 large onion, finely sliced

* 2 garlic cloves, crushed

* 250g button mushrooms, sliced

* ¼ cup (60mL) brandy

* 150mL beef stock

* 300mL sour cream

* 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley

Method:

Toss meat in bowl with flour and paprika to coat.

Heat oil in a large frypan over high heat, cook half the steak for 1-2 minutes until brown on all sides.

Remove and set aside, repeat with remaining steak.

Add butter to frypan, reduce heat to medium and cook onion until onion starts to soften and colour.

Add garlic, cook for 30 seconds, then add mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes.

Add brandy and stock, cook for another minute.

Add meat, any juices, sour cream and stir well to combine.

Season with salt and pepper.

Garnish stroganoff with parsley and serve with boiled potatoes or rice.

Note: Beef fillet is expensive; you can substitute with chuck or gravy beef, but will have to simmer the meat for at least 1 hour before adding sour cream.

Ingredients:

(serves 2)

1 lb of flank steak, thinly sliced crosswise

1/4 cup of cornstarch

3 teaspoons of canola oil

1/2 teaspoon of grated ginger (about 1/2 inch piece)

1 tablespoon of chopped garlic (about 2 -3 large cloves)

1/2 cup of water

1/2 cup of soy sauce (I use low sodium)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

3 large green onions, sliced crosswise into thirds

Method:

Prepare the meat:

First, make sure the steak slices are dry (pat them dry) and mix them with the corn starch. Using your hands or a spoon, move them around to make sure all pieces are coated. Place beef slices in a strainer and shake off excess corn starch (see picture bellow).

Make the sauce:

Heat half of the oil in a large wok at medium-high and add the garlic and ginger. Immediately add the soy sauce, water, brown sugar and pepper flakes. Cook the sauce for about 2 minutes and transfer to a bowl. Don’t worry if the sauce doesn’t look thick enough at this point. The corn starch in the beef will thicken it up later.

Cook the meat and assemble dish:

Turn the heat up and add the remaining oil to the wok. Add the beef and cook, stirring until it is all browned (this is a quick thing). Pour the sauce back into the wok and let it cook along with the meat. Now you can choose to cook it down and reduce the sauce or leave it thinner. Add the green onions on the last minute so the green parts will stay green and the white parts crunchy.

Serve it hot with rice.

Ingredients:

(serves 4)

* 4 x 150-200g steak (beef or pork)

* 1 teaspoon olive oil

* Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

* 1 tablespoon butter

* 350g button mushrooms, sliced

* 1 clove garlic, crushed

* ¼ cup white wine

* ½ cup (125mL) chicken stock

* ½ cup (125mL) cream

* 1 tablespoon cornflour

Method:

Place steaks in a plastic bag with oil, salt and pepper. Vent your aggression by bashing the steak to tenderise. Store in fridge until ready to cook; remove 10 minutes before cooking.

Heat a large non-stick frypan or BBQ to high heat. Cook steak for 2-3 minutes each side for medium, or to taste, turning once only. Remove to a plate, cover with aluminium foil and keep warm.

Reduce heat to medium, melt butter in pan juices and add the mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes or until golden and tender. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add wine (if using), stock and cream. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until sauce thickens slightly. I prefer a thicker sauce, so thicken with 1 tablespoon of cornflour dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water.

Serve steak smothered in mushroom sauce with potato wedges and a green vegetable or salad.

Ingredients:

* 1 small onion, diced

* 1 clove garlic

* 1 cup red wine

* 1 cup beef, chicken or vegetable stock

* 400g can five bean mix, drained

* 2 tomatoes, deseeded and chopped

* 2 pieces eye fillet (approx 350g)

* olive oil

* 250g bag baby spinach leaves, washed

Method:

Sweat the onions and garlic in a pan until soft. Add the wine and allow the alcohol to cook off. Add the beans, stock and tomatoes and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

In another pan, cook the eye fillet to your liking.

Remove the bean mixture from the heat, stir through the spinach and allow it to wilt in the heat of the dish.

Serve garnished with lots of chopped parsley.

Recipe by Alison Robert

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

4 (about 150g each) eye fillet steaks

100g butter, softened

½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves

½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 clove garlic, crushed

¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

½ teaspoon sea salt

Method:

For the herb butter, combine butter, herbs, garlic, parmesan and salt in a bowl, mix well to combine.

Spoon the butter mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap, fold wrap over butter and roll into a sausage shape about 2cm diameter.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or put in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Heat a non-stick frypan over high heat and cook steaks for 3-4 minutes each side for medium or until cooked to your liking.

Set aside to rest for a few minutes.

Unwrap butter and slice into rounds about 5mm thick. Serve each steak topped with a slice of butter — it will melt and make a beautiful sauce.

Note: Okay, so it was raining and dark when I made the herb butter and I didn’t go out to the herb garden. This is why you should have dried herbs in the pantry! If you are using fresh herbs, use at least a tablespoon of each.

Leftover herb butter will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks — use in baked potatoes, stir through mash or soups.

Ingredients:

50g butter, softened

30g Boursin cheese flavoured with garlic & herbs

1 tbsp fresh, chopped parsley

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

4 prime fillet beef steaks, each weighing about 200g

1 to tbsp olive oil

250g bundle asparagus, trimmed, blanched & drained

16 cherry tomatoes on the vine

Method:

1. Beat together the butter, Boursin, parsley and seasoning, and roll into a log using clingfilm. Chill until hard enough to cut into four slices.

2. Season the fillet steaks, brush lightly with olive oil and barbecue over Direct High heat for 3 to 5 minutes each side, turning once.

3. Remove the steaks from the barbecue, add a slice of Boursin butter, cover with foil and then leave to rest for 5 minutes. This allows the juices to settle (for a fuller flavour) and the butter to melt over the meat.

4. Toss the asparagus tips and cherry tomatoes in olive oil and place on the barbecue for a couple of minutes on each side. Season to taste and serve with the steaks.

Note: Boursin is French type of cream cheese, so for this recipe any other type of garlic-herb cream cheese can be used.

Ingredients:

(Serves 2)

800 g skirt steak, cut into 4 pieces

1 tbsp. grated ginger

1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil

Salt and cracked pepper

3 big handfuls baby spinach leaves

1/4 pumpkin or 1/2 butternut squash, peeled and sliced thickly

1 big shallot, cut into chunks

1 tbsp. olive oil

Chilli sauce:

1/4 cup sweet chili sauce

1 tsp. grated ginger

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/2 tbsp. olive oil

Method:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. In a Ziploc bag, combine ginger and olive oil. Season steaks with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Add them to the Ziploc bag and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, turning once.

Meanwhile, toss pumpkin in a medium bowl with 1 tbsp. olive oil, shallots and season well with salt and pepper. Place on a baking dish and cook for 25 minutes or until soft and browned.

Next, make chili sauce. Combine chili sauce with ginger, lemon and olive oil. Toss 1/2 of the sauce mixture with the spinach to coat. Leave the remaining half to drizzle over the steaks.

About 8 minutes before pumpkin is done, preheat a grill pan over medium high heat. Cook 2 minutes on each side, or until desired doneness.

Place coated spinach on a plate. Top with the pumpkin. Place 2 steaks on top of the pumpkin and drizzle with remaining sauce. Serve immediately.

Ingredients:

* 20 – 24 new baby potatoes (or cut up 4 large potatoes)

* 1 x small-medium red cabbage

* 3 tsp butter or margarine

* 1 x large onion, chopped

* 3 x Granny Smith apples

* 1/2 cup water

* 2 tsp vinegar

* 2 tbsp brown sugar

* 2 x bay leaves

* 8 x Bratwurst sausages

Method:

1. Wash potatoes and place in a large stove-top pot with cold water. Let stand.

2. Remove outside leaves of cabbage. With a sharp knife, chop cabbage into small pieces. Throw into colander and rinse.

3. In large stovetop pot with lid, melt 2 teaspoons of butter at medium-high.

4. Add onion to pan and sauté.

5. Add chopped cabbage to pan.

6. Peel apples, chop and add to pan.

7. Combine water with vinegar, add brown sugar and bay leaves and stir. Pour liquid over cabbage mixture.

8. Bring mixture to a boil then cover and reduce heat to a low simmer for 25-35 minutes.

9. Bring potatoes to a full boil on high heat. Reduce heat to a low boil. Set timer for 15 minutes or until done.

10. In another large nonstick frying pan melt 1 teaspoon of butter at medium-high.

11. Slowly pan fry bratwurst sausages until browned and cooked through.

Ingredients:

(Serves 8 to 10)

Vinaigrette:

* 1 cup parsley leaves , loosely packed

* 1 cup basil leaves , loosely packed

* 1/2 cup mint leaves , loosely packed

* 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

* 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes , or more to taste

* 1 large clove garlic

* 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

* 2/3 cup olive oil

* 1 teaspoon  salt , plus more to taste

Beef:

* 1 beef tenderloin , trimmed (about 2,5-3 Kg)

* 2 tablespoons olive oil

* 2 teaspoons salt

* 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper

Method:

To make vinaigrette: In a blender or the bowl of a food processor fitted with knife blade, combine herbs, red pepper flakes and garlic. Pulse until well chopped. Add vinegar and pulse to combine. With the motor running, slowly add 2/3 cup olive oil until vinaigrette is almost pureed. Add salt and adjust seasoning to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and set aside.

To make beef: Preheat gas grill to medium-high, or prepare a charcoal grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat. Brush meat with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on grill, cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes, turning every 5 minutes. For rare beef, remove from grill when a meat thermometer reads 115° (120° for medium rare). Let sit 20 minutes; the temperature of the tenderloin will rise about 10 degrees and it will continue to cook. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature, topped with herb vinaigrette.

Note: The vinaigrette can be prepared several hours in advance of the beef.