Fillet Steak with Leeks and Peas — Joseph Henry Limited

Serves 2

There are myriad things to serve with a beautifully-cooked steak. Here, we simply fried leeks and deglazed the pan with some white balsamic vinegar, adding a lovely acidity. The peas we added gives small bursts of sweetness. NOTE: Be sure to only use the white parts of leeks as the green ends are bitter when cooked.

1 large leek (white parts only)
2 TB olive oil
1 TB white balsamic vinegar
40g peas (defrosted if frozen)
salt and white pepper
1 TB unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 fillet steaks
salt
sea salt flakes
freshly ground black pepper

Use a sharp knife to thinly slice the leek.

Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a non-stick pan and lightly fry the leeks over moderate heat until they have softened. Deglaze the pan with the white balsamic vinegar and cook until all the liquid has cooked out. Stir in the peas and gently warm through. Season the greens with salt and white pepper and set aside to keep warm.

Heat the second tablespoon olive oil in a clean pan, along with the butter and smashed garlic cloves.

Season the steaks with salt. Once the pan is very hot, sear the steak to your liking, turning regularly to ensure a brown crust. Hold the pan at an angle and continuously spoon the browned garlic butter over the steaks as they cook. Remove the steaks from the pan and set aside to rest for 5 minutes.

Serve the steaks over the greens. Scatter over sea salt flakes and a generous grind of black pepper.