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.

KITCHEN TUNE

Loving this track called Brothers from Brooklyn-based duo Tanlines, the first from their upcoming LP to be titled Mixed Emotions. 


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12 Comments

  1. Props to James Whelan Butchers, Amazing set up. I went in to get some beef shin the other day. They had none prepped up so the counter staff hauls out a whole beef leg and slices off the shin right in front of me. It was a ballet of protein. If you get the chance, get some of their waygu beef, it is beyond belief

    • It really is a super set-up. And the wagyu beef is the one that I was lucky enough to try before, completely awesome. Should have picked some up yesterday – will just have to go back for more!

  2. Yum-diddley-umptious. I like the look of those spuds. Reared as I was on Whelans fare I never come away from Clonmel with out a rabbit or two in my handbag. His hot sauce for chicken wings with parmesan is quite good as well if you are making a return journey.

    • Thanks, Amee! I will definitely be making a return journey to Whelans at Avoca so I will be sure to pick up his hot sauce. Thanks for the tip :)

  3. Those steaks look perfectly cooked, getting hungry just looking at them! Interesting to hear about the food hall, from this and other suff I’ve read online it sounds amazing; will have to make the trip out.

    • Thanks a million, Stef! I usually overcook steak so I must be getting a bit wiser about cooking them. Finally! Definitely make the trip out to the food hall, it’s a lovely space. Wish it was in my neighbourhood!

  4. Oh sweet divine Jesus – this should come with a NSFRT warning (Not Suitable for Rumbling Tummies). I LOVE cheese, but the only pairing I do with steak is blue cheese, the feta would actually be ideal, light and not too heavily-flavoured to distract from good quality meat. A must-try, thanks!

    • Hi Rachael – steak and blue cheese is definitely a winner. And it would work super well with the mushrooms in this recipe too. The feta just added a freshness to the steak dinner and not too over-powering as you said yourself. Hope you enjoy it if you give it a go.

  5. At last, a woman that can cook

    • Thank you for your comment, Nolly. Without a doubt, the most entertaining I’ve ever received in three years of blogging.

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