Minute Steak with Broccolini & Chilli Oil

Minute Steak with Broccolini & Chilli Oil

Flavoured oils aren’t something that I use very often. But they do make a wonderful instant sauce when served on top of some hot, freshly cooked meat and greens. If chilli isn’t your thing you could try some horseradish oil or mix finely chopped anchovies into the oil. For some reason the anchovies make the meat taste meatier, rather than fishy. Be brave and try it some time.

Enough for: 2
Takes: 10 minutes
1-2 bunches broccolini or small heads broccoli
2 steaks about 1cm (1/3in) thick
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
2 tablespoons lemon juice

1. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to the boil. Cook broccolini for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain.

2. Meanwhile, using the base of a saucepan, bash steaks out until they are half the thickness. Rub with olive oil and season.

3. Preheat a frying pan or skillet very hot. Sear steaks for a minute on each side, or until cooked to your liking. Rest on 2 warm dinner plates.

4. Mix chilli with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, preferable a nice peppery one.

5. Serve steaks topped with broccolini, chilli oil and a squeeze of lemon.

Variations

vegetarian – replace the steak with thin slices of halloumi cheese. Season and oil the cheese and pan fry on a medium high heat for about 2 minutes each side, or until golden brown. Or try a fried egg. Serve topped with broccolini & chilli oil.

vegan – for something a little different, pan fry slices of smoked tofu ro tempeh until crisp on both side and warm all the way through.

carb lovers / more substantial – serve with easy home fries or buttermilk mashed potato.

more substantial (low carb) – serve with mayo and walnuts.

more veg – serve with a green salad.

Problem Solving Guide

steak too tough – the secret to success with minute steak is getting it bashed out thin enough. If you’re finding your steak too tough, try a little more aggression in the bashing phase next time.

steak too dry – sounds like it’s overcooked. Next time, only cook for as long as it takes to brown each side, because the steak is so thin it will cook though in the time it takes to brown. To make dry steak a little easier to eat, drizzle with a little lemon juice and some more olive oil. A generous spoonful of mustard can also hide a lot of steak imperfections.

broccolini too crunchy – simmer for a little longer next time, and make sure you taste a piece before you drain it to make sure it’s tender. Don’t be afraid of overcooking a little. Broccoli and broccolini are both pretty forgiving.

can’t find broccolini? – it’s also called baby broccoli in Australia, but if you can’t find it, most green veg would substitute well. Fresh asparagus, green beans, and broccoli would be equally delicious.

Waste Avoidance Guide

broccolini – will keep wrapped in a plastic bag in the fridge for about 2 weeks or sometimes a little longer. Can be frozen (if you have time chop before freezing so it will defrost quickly in the pan).

steaks – freeze them.

chilli flakes – keep in the pantry.

lemon – whole lemon will keep wrapped in a plastic bag in the fridge for months.

Leftover Potential

I prefer this warm, but you could tear the steak into little chunks and chop the broccolini and toss together for a leftover salad to be eaten cold.