“Steak was brought to France by occupying English forces, sometime after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Even the word comes from the other side of the Channel, derived from the Old Norse steikjo, which means ‘to roast’.”

^{-Ann Mah, Mastering the Art of French Eating: From Paris Bistros to Farmhouse Kitchens, Lessons in Food and Love}

As I explained in my post on Yorkshire Blue, a very helpful lady at the Sainsbury’s deli counter, who introduced me to that cheese also suggested a wonderful-sounding recipe.

With the three ingredients, steak, some rather special blue cheese, and whisky what could I lose?

So I gave it a go. It’s an ideal quick meal for one. And it doesn’t disappoint.

Recipe for fillet steak with whisky and blue cheese

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 1 good quality fillet steak
• 3 tbsp whisky – I used The Balvenie, Carribean Cask – in fact this tastes wonderful without the whisky!
• 2 tbsp olive oil for the marinade, plus more for frying
• knob of butter
• Three corns of Indonesian long pepper, crushed in a pestle and mortar – or some Urfa pepper flakes
• couple of slices or Yorkshire Blue – or you could try Stitchelton, or Shropshire Blue
• 1 courgette, cut into coins
• 5 chestnut mushrooms, peeled and sliced
• 3 tbsps breadcrumbs mixed with chopped walnuts or pecans and dried herbs (Sainsbury’s sells this ready-mixed) – or fresh chives
• smoked sea salt

Method

1. Put the steak into a small, low, flattish container. Add the whisky, the oil and the ground peppercorns (or Urfa pepper flakes). Massage the mixed liquid into the steak, cover with cling film and marinate in the fridge two or three hours – or overnight. Alternatively marinate in a small freezer bag and freeze until you’re ready to use.
2. Pour some olive oil, and knob of butter, into a large frying pan and get good and hot. Add the courgettes and mushrooms and make sure they are well coated with oil on all surfaces.
3. Add the steak, reserving the marinade, and cook according to how you like it. Go to this post on cooking steak for more about how to get the best results when you cook a steak.
4. Sprinkle the mixed nuts and breadcrumbs, and some salt, over the vegetables – add a little extra oil if necessary.
5. After you’ve turned the steak, top it with a couple of small slices of the blue cheese.
6. Serve up, keep warm, briefly add what’s left of the marinade to the frying pan, crumble in a bit of extra blue cheese, and then pour the juices over the whole.
7. Pour a glass of good red wine, relax, and savour appreciatively.

Talking of a good wine – at a recent Vineyards Direct tasting two Saucy Dressings correspondents reported that the Gassac Red 2015 £11.95/bottle (Languedoc) was to be recommended; ” it tasted like blackberry and honey”.

^{This post is dedicated to Barbara – with much appreciation.}