Into the frying pan

Here's a weekday beef dinner, served with a red-wine sauce, that can be transformed into something special for guests.

It’s the time of year for my favourite cast-iron pan to take centre-stage on the stove. For the next few months, this scarred, worn and much-loved pan will see some heavy action: crispy rashers of bacon, lacy-edged fried eggs, caramelised steaks and golden-crusted pieces of fish (the pan holds the secret to the golden crust that forms on the base of my gratin potatoes). Sauces will be quickly reduced in it, too. I no longer have to add butter or oil to the pan – it seems not to need it. I just put the pan on the stove, get it excruciatingly hot, then add whatever I intend to cook.

The other night it was a couple of maroon-fleshed fillet steaks. Beautifully marbled, they were cooked to a point just under rare, then I removed them from the pan. While they rested, I made a quick red-wine sauce in the same ­

pan. It was serious yet easy stuff, the ­kind of thing you rarely see on Master­Chef. The steaks were magnificent served with butter-softened leeks, helped along with some peppery watercress.

The steaks followed a salad made with my current ingredient du jour, Clevedon Valley Buffalo Ricotta. I feel almost messianic in my enthusiasm for this delicate, milky and fresh young cheese. I have spread it on toast and submerged it in a bowl of velvety-smooth pumpkin soup, and eaten it with a salad of nothing more than tomatoes, torn basil leaves and a splash of Martinborough’s Lot 8 olive oil. It was also the basis on which a cabbage salad was created.

There is much satisfaction in snapping the leaves from around the core of a big cabbage, particularly a savoy. Shredded into thin ribbons, they make a great slaw. I then dip the discarded core into a dish of flaky sea salt to snack on as I cook. It’s a secret pleasure I seldom share with others.

I firmly believe the key to a great cabbage salad is to serve it ice-cold. Only then are the perfect flavours and textures achieved. It is terrific as an entrée on its own or as an accompaniment for grilled fish or beef.

Cabbage, Mint and Ricotta Salad with Walnuts

1 small savoy cabbage

3 tbsp olive oil

Shred the cabbage finely, then rinse thoroughly in cold water, drain and shake dry in a tea towel. Chop the mint leaves and toss with the cabbage, then add the nuts.

To make the dressing, put the ricotta in a bowl with the salt and ginger, then whisk in the oil. Mix the dressing through the salad. Serve very cold, straight from the fridge.

Serves 4 as an entrée.

This dish has a simple elegance that makes it suitable for a weekday dinner or as something special for guests. There are two ways of making the sauce. One is to pour a glass of red wine and a cup of beef stock into the cooking pan, stir to loosen the crusty pan scrapings, then let it reduce for 15 minutes. The other is to follow this simple recipe.

Roast Beef Fillet, Buttered Leeks and Watercress with Red-Wine Sauce

2 x 180g fillet steaks

1 bunch of watercress

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place a frying pan or ridged grill pan over a high heat and lightly oil the steaks. Place in the pan and colour on all sides. Season with salt and black pepper, place in the oven, and cook for 8 minutes for medium rare or longer for something more well done. Remove from the oven and leave them to rest on a suitable plate.

To make the sauce, put the wine into a small saucepan and cook until it has reduced by half.

In another saucepan, heat the oil. Finely chop the onion, then add to the oil and sauté with the peppercorns, thyme and bay leaf until golden brown. Add the vinegar and the reduced red wine. Stir in the stock, bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until reduced. Strain the sauce through a sieve, season with salt and set to one side.

To cook the leeks, warm the butter in a deep saucepan. Split the leeks from top to bottom, wash thoroughly under cold running water, then shake them dry. Cut into 3cm lengths and add to the butter. Cook slowly over a low heat until softened but without too much colour. Add the zest and juice of the lemon and the stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

While the leeks cook, pick the watercress leaves from the stems and rinse in cold water. Stir them into the leeks and check the seasoning. Serve the leeks, place a steak on top and spoon over the sauce, along with any juices from the plate the steaks rested on.

Serves 2.

I have to thank Patricia Wells for this recipe; still fabulous after nearly 20 years, it remains one of my all-time favourite desserts. You could easily replace the flour with ground almonds or something gluten-free.

Pressed Chocolate Cake

500g dark chocolate

2 tbsp flour

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Prepare a 27cm springform pan with non-stick spray. Break the chocolate into small pieces and place them in a bowl. Put the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and slowly melt the chocolate. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft, billowing peaks. In another bowl whisk the yolks and sugar until pale and creamy. Mix in the flour. Fold the yolk mixture into the chocolate and stir in a third of the egg whites. Gently fold in the remaining whites in small batches, working slowly. Pour the batter into the springform pan and place in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then cover the pan with a lid or plate. Bake for a further 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool. Never refrigerate this cake. It should always be served at room temperature, accompanied by whipped cream (never yoghurt) and berries.

Serves 6.