Serves 2
Ingredients
- 2 thick aged sirloin steaks, about 250g each
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the wild garlic butter
- 100g unsalted butter, softened
- A small handful of wild garlic leaves, finely chopped
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
To make the wild garlic butter, place the softened butter in a small bowl and add the chopped wild garlic, a touch of salt and plenty of cracked black pepper. Mix well until evenly combined, then divide the butter in half and set aside.
Heat a large, heavy-based frying pan over high heat until good and hot, but not smoking. Turn the steaks through the olive oil then season them with plenty of salt and a little cracked black pepper. I like to gently place the steaks down in the pan on their fatty edge and, holding them like this with a pair of tongs, allow the fat to sizzle for a minute or two until it begins to render a little. It’s not the most practical process but it’s worth it.
Once you’ve done this, lay the steaks down flat in the pan. They will spit and sizzle, but don’t worry. Cook the steaks, pressing them down every so often with the back of a spatula, for about 2 to 2½ minutes. Carefully turn them over and cook for a further 2 minutes.
These cooking times will give you a medium rare steak depending on thickness. If you prefer, check the internal temperature with a digital thermometer and remove the steaks when they reach your preferred doneness.
Rare 48ºC
Medium rare 52ºC
Medium 58ºC
Medium well 62ºC
Well done 68ºC
Now add half the wild garlic butter to the pan. As soon as the butter begins to foam, tilt the pan slightly and use a spoon to baste the steaks with the melted butter as they finish cooking.
Transfer the steaks to warm plates and let them rest in a warm spot for 4 - 5 minutes. Spoon the remaining wild garlic butter over the hot steaks so it slowly melts as you bring them to the table.
