Peppered beef and beetroot with caper dressing

From the earthy beetroot and spicy leaves to the peppery, tender beef and the piquant dressing, this salad is full of punchy flavours.

SERVES 4-6

PREPARATION TIME 15 minutes COOKING TIME about 25 minutes

1kg fillet of beef

3tbsp mixed peppercorns, roughly crushed

1tbsp rapeseed oil

300g young beetroot, peeled and trimmed

2 handfuls watercress, rocket or beetroot leaves FOR THE DRESSING 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1tbsp lemon juice ½tsp Dijon mustard

1tbsp capers, drained, rinsed and chopped

1tbsp gherkins, finely chopped

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 Remove the beef from the fridge

1hr before cooking. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Scatter the peppercorns on to a chopping board, along with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and roll the beef in them, pressing down so they stick to the meat.

2 Put a frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the oil, then brown the beef on all sides. Transfer to a small roasting tin and cook for 15-20min, for rare. To check it’s cooked, insert a skewer into the centre of the meat for 10sec – it should feel piping hot to the touch. Remove to a warm dish, loosely covered with foil, and leave to rest.

3 Thinly slice the beetroot, using a mandolin if you have one.

4 Put all the dressing ingredients in a screw-top jar. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and shake to emulsify.

5 Slice the beef and arrange down one side of a serving plate. Set out the beetroot and salad leaves alongside. Spoon over a little of the dressing and serve the rest separately in a bowl. Take to the table and let everyone dig in.