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120 GOURMET TRAVELLER

Rib-eye steak with chilli sauce

SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 1 HR (PLUS COOLING, RESTING)

“The only way to have rib-eye is as a piece of at least a kilo – the

thick cut lets you go to town on the outside with charry, caramelised

flavour while the inside stays rare and juicy,” says Whiteman. “It’s

the perfect piece of meat to impress and tasty AF.”Pictured p119.

1 kg untrimmed grass-fed rib

eye steak, about 5cm thick

(see note), brought to room

temperature about 1 hour

before cooking

1 tsp olive oil

Hot mustard, horseradish

cream, lemon cheeks and

a wedge of parmesan,

to serve

CHILLI SAUCE

10 long red chillies, stalks

removed, roughly chopped

8 garlic cloves

125 ml (½ cup) vegetable oil

Pinch of caster sugar

1 For chilli sauce, process

chillies and garlic in a food

processor to coarsely chop.

Heat oil in a small saucepan

over medium-high heat until

shimmering (1-2 minutes). Add

chilli mixture, bring to the boil,

then reduce heat to low and

simmer gently until the flesh

is very soft and the seeds are

tender (20-25 minutes). Season

with sugar and salt, increase

heat to medium and simmer

until sauce deepens in colour

and caramelises (5-8 minutes),

then remove from heat and

cool. Sauce keeps refrigerated

in an airtight container and

topped with oil for 3 weeks.

2 Heat a barbecue or char-grill

pan over high heat and preheat

oven to 110°C. Rub steak with

oil, season generously and

grill, turning occasionally,

until a charred crust forms

(8-10 minutes). Transfer to a

rack placed over a baking tray

and roast until 50°C-55°C at the

thickest point when checked

with a meat thermometer

(15-20 minutes). If you don’t

have a thermometer, insert a

metal skewer into the thickest

part for 30 seconds, then test

the heat on your lip – if it’s

hot, the steak is ready. Rest in

a warm place for 10-15 minutes.

3 Just before serving, quickly

flash steak on barbecue or grill

to heat (30 seconds each side).

Slice and serve with chilli sauce,

mustard, horseradish cream,

lemon and parmesan to finely

grate over steak.

NoteA 1kg piece of rib-eye will

need to be ordered ahead from

a butcher.

Wine suggestionA Chianti

Classico such as Podere

Le Boncie “Le Trame”

Chianti Classico.