Spicey Peppered Steak

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon Peppercorns (freshly crushed)
3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
500g Steak (cut into thin strips)
1 Red Pepper (cored, de seeded and cut into thin strips)
2 Red chillies (de seeded and finely chopped, leave seeded for extra heat)
1in Ginger (cut into matchstick size strips)
2 Cloves Garlic (crushed)
2 Tablespoons Cornflour
4 Tablespoons Water
3 tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 Teaspoons Dark Soft Brown Sugar

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Wok
1 Garlic Press
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Spatula
1 Bowl

The Good Bit

1. Mix the cornflour and water into a smooth paste then add the soy sauce and sugar and set aside. With the oil in the wok add the beef and crushed peppercorns and stir fry rapidly for 4 minutes a until the meat is evenly browned.
2. Tip the meat along with its juices into the spare bowl, then turn down the heat and stir fry the rest of the ingredients together taking care not to brown them, just get them soft (use a low heat if you are not comfortable doing this without browning the vegetables)
3. Add the beef and its juices back to the wok and mix well then give the sauce a final stir before adding that into the pan, turn the heat back up and cook until the beef is hot and the meal is warm all the way through, serve immediately.
   

Serves 4

Pot Roast Beef

Ingredients
1.25kg Beef (topside or silverside)
2 Large Onions (quartered)
2 Carrots (cut into 1cm long chunks)
1 Bouquet Garni (or 2 Sprigs each Thyme, parsley and Marjoram)
4 Black Pepper Corns
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
150ml Red Wine
450ml Water
2 Teaspoons Cornflour
4 Tablespoons Oil
25g Butter

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Frying Pan
1 Casserole Dish With Lid
Silver Foil
1 Slotted Spoon
1 Cup

The Good Bit

1. Pre heat the oven to 150c 300f gas 2. Heat the oil and butter in the frying pan and cook the beef until browned evenly all over. remove and place in the casserole dish, surround with the vegetables, add the herbs, salt and peppercorns and top up with the wine and water.
2. Cover with foil then the lid and place in the oven for 3 hours.
3. Pull the beef out when done and leave to rest on a serving plate, surround it with the vegetables, discard the bouquet garni (or sprigs) and transfer the juices to the frying pan and bring to the boil.
4. In the cup add the cornflour and approximately 1 1/2 teaspoons of water, mix until you have a smooth paste then add a little of the gravy, stir well then pour this mixture into the frying pan too stirring continuously, if the sauce is too thick just add a little water. pour the sauce over the beef and vegetables and serve
   

Serves 4

Beef Vindaloo

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon Cumin
4 Dried Red Chillies
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper Corns
The Seeds From 5 Green Cardamom Pods
1 Teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds
1 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds (or mustard if you cant get hold of the seeds)
1 Inch Piece of Ginger (grated)
2 Teaspoons Coriander
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric
1 Garlic Clove
A Pinch of Sugar and Salt
4 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
900g Beef (cubed)
1 Large onion (as finely chopped as you can manage)
A Splash of Oil or Two
375g Rice (again anything but pudding)

Equipment
Pestle and Mortar (or instead of seeds use powder)
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Frying Pan
1 Mixing bowl

The Good Bit

1. Grind up the cumin seeds, peppercorns, fenugreek, cardamom and mustard seeds (leave out the mustard if you are not using seeds) and chillies until you have a fine powder, or just mix them all together if you are using dried powders and mustard from a jar and keep in the mixing bowl.
2. Heat your oil in the frying pan and cook the onion until it is golden brown, then mix this in the mixing bowl with your powder the white wine vinegar a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar.
3. Now fry of the beef in a little oil until it begins to brown on all sides, then remove from the pan and leave to settle whilst you add another splash of oil to the pan and cook the garlic and ginger for 2mins then add the coriander and turmeric and cook for another 2 minutes.
4. Add your onion and spice mix to the frying pan now and cook for a further 5 minutes, really get those flavours mixing before adding the meat along with a good glass of water (not a pint but imagine a glass of something cold when you've just come in from a hot day outside and that is the size you want.
5. Cover and cook for 1-1 1/2 until the meat is really tender (at this stage if you need more liquid just add a little more water, if the sauce is too liquid then turn up the heat and uncover for 5 minutes. Serve with rice

Serves 6

Beef Rolls

Ingredients
4 Sirloin Steaks
2 Tablespoons English Mustard
4 Cloves Garlic (crushed)
Handful Fresh Basil (roughly chopped)
1 Tablespoon Cracked Black Pepper
50g Butter (left at room temperature)
1 Large Onion (finely chopped)
4 Tablespoons Brandy
300ml Double Cream
2 Pinches Caster Sugar
A Splash of Oil
Vegetables to Serve (potatoes, cabbage, what ever you like)

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Garlic Press
1 Rolling Pin (or something heavy)
1 Plastic Bag
cocktail sticks (or string)
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Frying Pan

The Good Bit

1. Place each of the steaks into the bag, one at a time and squash until the steak is about 6mm thick. Mix the mustard, garlic, half the basil, pepper and butter together then spread onto each of the steaks, roll the steaks up and secure with either the cocktail sticks or string.
2. With a little oil in the frying pan cook the steaks until well browned all over, 6-8 minutes should do it. Remove and set aside (covered if you can) drop the onion into the pan and cook until soft then add in the brandy and bring to the boil, then stir in the cream, season with salt and pepper and add the caster sugar to taste then finally stir in the rest of the basil.
3. Serve the rolled up steak (minus string or sticks) with the vegetables of your choice and drizzle over the sauce.
   

Serves 4

Peppered Steak

Ingredients
4 Beef Steaks (a serving each)
4 Tablespoons Pepper corns
200g Mushrooms (button, chestnut, sliced)
4 Tablespoons Brandy
300ml Red Wine (something good but not your best from the wine cellar that you've been saving for the last 5 years)
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
2 Tablespoons Redcurrant Jelly (Cranberry will also do)
450g Potatoes (grated with the largest grating holes)
A Splash of Oil
Flour
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Chives or Fresh Thyme to Garnish

Equipment
2 Frying Pans (1 large 1 small)
2 Spatulas
1 Sharp Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Grater
Rolling Pin (or something heavy)
1 Food Bag
Pastry Brush

The Good Bit

1. In the food bag crack the pepper corns with the rolling pin or your heavy item, then sprinkle this onto your steaks when all the pepper is used, push the cracked corns into the meat with your fingers. Now Brush each steak with a little oil and fry in a hot pan for 3-4 minutes on both sides until its well browned on both sides.
2. Split the grated potato into four even amounts and add a tablespoon of flour to each, your going to have to fry each portion off separately. With a little oil in the other frying pan you need to pat the grated the potato down and fry on both sides until golden (3-4 mins) then repeat for the other 3 portions.
3. If your steaks are looking done whilst you are doing this, take them out of the pan and place on a plate and cover to keep warm (they'll be nice and juicy like this) Add the mushrooms to the steak frying pan and fry for a minute until beginning to brown.
4. The add the brandy and ignite (be careful) once the flames have gone add the red wine, redcurrant jelly and thyme and boil until the redcurrant has dissolved, season to taste.
5. Place a golden potato pancake on each plate, top with a steak then spoon around the mushrooms and red wine sauce, garnish with fresh thyme or chives (ladies if you serve this to any man, he'll be yours! and men if you serve it to a lady, she'll think your a genius in the kitchen!)

Serves 4 (half the ingredients for a cosy but luxury meal for 2)