Garlic and ginger beef gourmet sandwich, balsamic mayo, caramelised red onion and tomato relish

Serves 2 INGREDIENTS For the steak marinade: 2 tablespoons light olive oil 3 cloves of garlic peeled and very finely minced using a microplane 2 teaspoons horseradish cream Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 x 100g beef rump steaks For the balsamic mayo: 1 egg 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1 cup of light olive oil 3 tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar 4 cloves of roasted garlic Salt and freshly ground black pepper For the caramelised onions: 2 small red onions peeled and quartered 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar To serve: Sourdough bread sliced Rocket leaves Good quality tomato relish (I use Beerenberg brand) METHOD To make the marinade, add the olive oil, garlic, horseradish cream, salt and freshly ground black pepper into a shallow glass baking dish (or such) and whisk together. Lay 1 piece cling wrap out on a clean flat surface onto which add a steak fillet, cover with another layer of cling wrap, then using a rolling pin or meat mallet carefully pound the meat until about cm thin. Place meat into the preprepared marinade then repeat process with the second steak. Cover dish with cling wrap and chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours. Add egg and mustard into the bowl of a food processor and whizz together for 10 seconds. Pour 1 cup of light olive oil into a squeezy bottle fitted with a small nozzle. Turn processor on high speed and squeeze olive oil into the egg mixture via the feed spout in a slow and steady constant stream (putting the oil into a squeezy bottle makes this job so much easier) this will take 2 3 minutes. By the time you have finished adding the oil the consistency of the mixture should be that of a thick glossy mayo. Continue to run processor adding vinegar through the feed spout then season to taste with salt and

freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to a bowl and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a fry-pan, add red onion quarters, season with a pinch of salt, and fry over medium heat for 2 mins, add 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, turn up the heat a little and stir onions in the balsamic vinegar until caramelized. Remove and allow to cool. To cook the beef, warm a griddle pan over a high heat until almost smoking. Cook beef on one side for 1 to 1 minutes and turn over and repeat on the other side. Remove and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Grill sourdough bread slices until lightly golden. To assemble the sandwich spread a tablespoon of balsamic mayo on the first piece of toasted bread, top with a small handful rocket leaves followed by the rested steak, tomato relish and finally a tablespoon or two of caramelised red onion. ******

Spicy pan-fried haloumi sandwich, with sweet roasted capsicum, eggplant pickle and chargrilled zucchini
Serves 2 INGREDIENTS For the haloumi marinade: 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon chipotle sauce Juice 1 lemon 1 teaspoon hot sauce (Tabasco/Crystal etc.) 200g block haloumi cheese, sliced lengthways into cm strips For the eggplant pickle: 4 slices deli-bought sliced and grilled eggplant Small handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, very finely chopped 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar Extras: 1 red capsicum (bell pepper) 1 yellow or green zucchini 2 slices Turkish bread, lightly toasted Handful baby spinach leaves Salt and freshly ground black pepper Light olive oil spray

Lemon wedges to serve METHOD Pre-heat oven to 180C (350F) fan-forced. To make the marinade, add all ingredients into a shallow baking dish or wide bowl. Whisk then add the sliced haloumi, cover with cling wrap and chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours. De-stem red capsicum and removed white membrane and seeds. Cut into quarters, spray with a little light olive oil and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until the skin is blackened and flesh soft. Remove and peel away skin, discarding as you go. Allow to cool. Warm a griddle pan over high heat until almost smoking. Using a mandolin set on a very fine blade (0.75mm), slice zucchini into thin strips. Arrange on a flat surface, spray with light olive oil and season with crushed sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Fry in batches in the hot griddle pan until chargrilled on each side. Remove and allow to rest on paper towel. To make the eggplant pickle cu pre-cooked eggplant slices into strips then turn and finely dice, add into a bowl along with the diced zucchini, parsley and white wine vinegar. Season to taste with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spray a large non-stick frying pan with a little light olive oil, when hot add the marinated haloumi and fry gently over medium heat for a minute or two on each side. Feel free to add in all the excess liquid marinade into the pan too. Remove cooked cheese and allow to rest . To assemble the sandwich add a small handful of baby rocket leaves to the bottom slice of toasted bread, add 2 slices of roasted red capsicum followed by a tablespoon or two for he zucchini/eggplant pickle. Top with one or two slices of cooked haloumi followed by half the chargrilled zucchini pickle, finally top with the second piece of Turkish bread. Repeat with the second sandwich and serve with extra lemon wedges. ******

Garlic and black pepper beef with toasted quinoa, lentil, bean and baby radish salad, piquant salsa verde dressing
INGREDIENTS For the beef: 1 teaspoon lemon pepper teaspoon mustard powder 1 tablespoon ground black pepper

Good pinch sea salt flakes, crushed 4 garlic cloves, peeled and very finely minced using a microplane 1 cube fresh ginger, peeled and very finely minced using a microplane 400g fillet or sirloin steak For the salad: 1 cup puy/French lentils 1 cup quinoa 1 x 400g tin kidney beans, rinsed and drained Handful baby radish, finely sliced on a mandolin 1 cup smoked almonds, roughly chopped For the salsa verde dressing: 1/3 cup light olive oil cup white wine vinegar Large handful fresh basil leaves Handful flat leaf parsley 2 white anchovy fillets Juice and zest 1 lemon Freshly ground black pepper Extras: Extra Virgin olive oil (EVOO) Baby radish sprouts METHOD To prepare the beef, pre-heat oven to 180C (350F) fan-forced. Add the lemon pepper, mustard powder, ground black pepper and crushed sea salt flakes into a Tupperware container and shake well. Add garlic and ginger pulp into a small bowl or cup and mix well then smear over all sides of beef fillet. Roll fillet in the herb rub then place on a small metal baking tray and roast in the oven for 15-20 or until medium rare. Use a meat thermometer to test for doneness. When cooked, remove and allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing paper thin with a sharp knife. Cook lentils and quinoa in separate pots (add 1 cup grain/pulse to 3 cups water, bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer for 30 mins each. Rinse both well under cold running water then drain thoroughly). Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan, when hot add the quinoa, season with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fry quinoa for 8-10 minutes stirring/tossing often until lightly toasted and light golden brown. Remove from heat and allow to cool before adding to a large mixing bowl along with the drained kidney beans, cooked and cooled lentils, sliced radish and chopped almonds. Add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and coat everything well. To make the salsa verde add all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and whizz together for 3-4 minutes.

To serve, scatter salad mixture onto a large serving platter, onto which distribute the finely sliced beef. If you have any really small baby radish left over add these to the salad followed by a few small handfuls of micro greens (I used baby organic radish sprouts), finally drizzle with salsa verde and serve with crusty sourdough bread.