Spring salad with fillet steak & béarnaise sauce

I absolutely love French Tarragon. Forget the Russian stuff that you find everywhere! There is no comparison with the French variety. Unfortunately it is hard to get and very slow growing. I have been nurturing two plants for over a year now and last night couldn’t resist picking most of them to make a gorgeous béarnaise sauce for a wonderful alternative to a salad dressing.

In the salad I had some wonderful rocket from the Green Grocer on Grey St, Hamilton along with some yummy new potatoes. The potaoes I just scrubbed and par boiled. Allowed to cool and the fried them in a little oil with some Tuscan seasoning sprinkled on them. This is a great way to use up last nights potatoes.

Along with the rocket and fried potatoes add some grilled asparagus, red capsicum and red onion. For the capsicum I simply popped it on an oven dish and placed in the oven for about 20 minutes til it was black and blistered. When it was cool I peeled the skin off and voila!. I also popped a red onion, chopped into decent size wedges beside the capsicum and drizzled with a little avocado oil.

Now for the steak. Two gorgeous pieces of Scotch Fillet from Lifestyle meats in Dinsdale, Hamilton. I heated my pan, seasoned the steak generously and then seared it each side for 3 minutes. Then leave it to rest for five minutes while you make the sauce.

For the béarnaise I put in the whizz a generous handful of my gorgeous French Tarragon, 2 free range egg yolks, a pinch of salt and dash of lemon juice. Melt 150-200g of butter and when piping hot slowly drizzle into the whizz with the motor running.

So to plate assemble your salad, slice your steak and place on top and then drizzle over the béarnaise. I garnished mine with some beautiful broccoli sprouts I picked up from the Market on the weekend. With a glass or Merlot I was in heaven!

Vicki Ravlich-Horan