Umami Beef with Salsa Verde

Beef fillet is a wonderfully tender cut, and the umami-packed combination of porcini and coffee in the rub gives it a huge flavour boost. No one will ever guess how you did it!

Hands-on time 20min, plus coming to room temperature and resting. Cooking time about 20min. Serves 6

750g beef fillet, in one piece, from the thin end

10g dried porcini mushrooms

1tbsp coffee beans

1tsp light brown soft sugar

¼tsp dried chilli flakes

½tbsp olive oil

FOR THE SALSA VERDE

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2tsp finely chopped anchovies (from a jar) or anchovy paste

1tbsp Dijon mustard

3tbsp red wine vinegar

150ml extra virgin olive oil

Pinch of sugar

3tbsp nonpareille capers

2 handfuls flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 handful basil leaves, finely chopped

1 handful mint leaves, finely chopped

1 Remove beef from fridge 30min before cooking to allow it to come up to room temperature. Pat dry with kitchen paper and trim off any sinew. If one end is much thinner than the other, fold that bit over itself and secure with a toothpick to make the fillet as even in thickness as possible.

2 Whizz porcini and coffee beans in the small bowl of a food processor, or pound using a pestle and mortar, to a fine powder. Stir in sugar, chilli flakes and a generous pinch of salt. Rub all over the beef.

3 Brush beef with oil and barbecue over medium-high heat for 20min, turning every couple of min, or until medium-rare (a thermometer inserted into centre of beef should read 55-60°C). Cook for longer if you prefer your beef more well done. Transfer to a board, loosely cover with foil and leave to rest for 10-15min while you make the salsa verde.

4 For the salsa verde, whisk together all the ingredients except the herbs to combine. Add the herbs and some seasoning and stir gently. Carve beef into thin slices and serve with the salsa spooned over the top.

PER SERVING 390cals, 28g protein, 30g fat (8g saturates), 3g carbs (1g total sugars), 1g fibre