BARBECUED RARE FILLET OF BEEF WITH BALSAMIC DRESSING, RADISH AND PECORINO

A real centrepiece, this fillet of beef recipe is perfect for entertaining on the barbecue and makes an elegant and light alternative to traditional sausages and burgers. The peppery pink radishes, nutty Pecorino and piquant balsamic dressing really complement the smokiness of the charred beef. Ask your butcher to prepare the fillet for you in one piece, removing any fat or membrane.

SERVES 6-8

FOR THE BEEF

100ml red wine

100ml olive oil, plus a little extra for brushing

1 lemon, zest only

1 clove garlic, crushed

Salt and pepper

800g fillet of beef, trimmed of membrane or fat

2 sprigs of thyme 12 radishes, finely sliced 100g Pecorino cheese, shavings

Micro herbs or chive flowers, to serve

FOR THE DRESSING 2tbsp Balsamic vinegar 6tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1tsp wholegrain mustard Salt and pepper

1 To make the marinade, whisk together the red wine, olive oil, lemon zest and garlic. Season the beef all over with a little salt and pepper and place in a deep dish or container with the thyme sprigs. Pour the marinade over the beef, turning it a couple of times to coat thoroughly. Set to one side for at least 1 hour, turning the beef every so often.

2 To make the dressing, simply combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

3 Make sure your barbecue or chargrill pan is hot enough to char the beef. If using a barbecue, the coals should have turned grey and the flames died down. A chargrill pan should be smoking slightly.

4 Remove the beef from the marinade and pat with some kitchen paper to remove the excess liquid. Brush all over with a little olive oil.

5 Place the beef onto the grill and cook for 4-5 mins, until well charred and caramelised, then turn over and cook for a further 5 mins on the other side. Now turn the fillet again so that the two sides which haven’t touched the grill yet cook for a further two mins on each. This will mean that the fillet is nicely coloured all the way round and rare in the middle. Remove the beef from the grill and set aside to rest for 10 mins.

6 When ready to serve, use a very sharp knife to slice the beef as thinly as possible. Lay the slices onto a large platter and drizzle with the balsamic dressing. Finish by sprinkling with the sliced radishes and Pecorino shavings and, if you like, some micro herbs or edible flowers.