Steak Dinner for Two

James Whelan’s Butchers striploin steak, as purchased in Avoca Monkstown

Aren’t dinners that are fuss-free to prepare yet taste positively luxurious the best?

A Sunday or two ago, I whipped up this extremely quick dinner made up of few bits and pieces that were lurking in the fridge. I’m not sure where the inspiration for the feta potatoes came from (somewhere divine and delicious anyway) but they worked so unexpectedly well with the rest of the steak dinner.

I was so very pleased. I mean, I practically didn’t even have to do anything to make this dinner! Really, I can’t even express how delighted I am when I make a simple supper that boasts luscious flavour combinations. And, truly, it almost always happens like this meal – an accident!

I popped out to Avoca’s new pad in Monkstown during the week and picked up two striploin steaks from meatman-extraordinaire Pat Whelan’s stunning butcher shop (James Whelan Butchers) within Avoca’s food hall. The whole food hall has been opened since November, and not only does it have the amazing butchers (which has a glass wall so you can see the butchery going on *looks amazed*) but they also have an Irish free-range chicken rotisserie, a cheese room (yes, an ENTIRE room full of cheese) and loads of the usual Avoca scrumminess, just everywhere. It’s certainly worth the trip out to Monkstown and it’s only a 2 minute walk from the Dart Station. So keep it in mind.

I’ve been lucky enough to have Pat Whelan’s beef before and am delighted to have his produce closer to home, as opposed to Clonmel where his family has run a butchers for the last 40 years. I used the striploin steaks (of which I got two for €10 – well worth it) in my recreation of my flukey supper and it turned out just as delicious as the original.

What you need for a Steak Dinner for 2

For the spuds

8 to 10 baby potatoes

Olive Oil

Chilli flakes

Salt

A heaped tablespoon of feta cheese

Fresh mint

For the mushroom sauce

8 to 10 lovely mushrooms

1 clove of garlic

Olive Oil

Salt

1 heaped tablespoon of crème fraîche

1 sprig of thyme

For the steaks

Olive Oil

2 steaks, the best quality you can get your hands on

Salt

Pepper

Start by pre-heating your oven to 200C/fan 180C/Gas Mark 6. Wash the new potatoes and put them in a roasting dish. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of chilli flakes, as much or as little as you like.

Add a pinch of salt and roast the potatoes for 30 to 35 minutes, until lovely and golden brown.

Meanwhile, go sit on the sofa and chill out for 20 minutes. Read a book. Think about life. Watch Desperate Scousewives. Take a load off. Relax.

Once your potatoes have had about 20 to 25 minutes, you can start getting the rest of the dinner together.

Wash and slice your mushrooms, getting rid of the stem if you like. Finely chop the garlic clove. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan over a medium to high heat. Fry the mushrooms and garlic with a pinch of salt for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mushrooms are nicely cooked. Add the heaped tablespoon of crème fraîche and the leaves from the sprig of thyme. Stir well, letting it come to a simmer before putting the heat right down and setting aside until your steaks are ready.

Heat a griddle pan or large frying over a high heat with a drizzle of oil. Season your steaks with salt and pepper and fry on the hot pan for 3 to 6 minutes on each side, depending on how you like your steak.

Let it rest on a board for a few minutes before cutting it into slices.

Serve the steaks in two bowl with the mushroom sauce poured over the top. Divide the potatoes between the two bowls and sprinkle a handful of feta over each. Finish off with a sprinkling of freshly chopped mint and wash it down with a lovely glass of red wine.