Mustard With Mutton

This is a dish my family has been making for a long time, so long that I’ve actually forgotten where the original recipe came from. Basically it has all the components of a steak dinner but on one plate which not only makes it easy to prepare but easy to serve as well, especially if you’re feeding a large number of people.  For dinners we serve this dish individually plated but a large platter of this would also be great for a buffet table.  The salad component is made up of baby spinach leaves, rocket and watercress which are then topped with sliced avocado.  The warm components are then added in the form of crispy roasted cubed potatoes and fried sliced fillet steak.  A generous drizzle of a warm and creamy mustard dressing finishes it off and pulls it all together.  One of those rare main meal salads that’s satisfying in both winter and summer.

Ingredients – Serves 4

Mixed salad leaves consisting of baby spinach, rocket and watercress – enough to generously cover 4 plates
2 avocados, peeled and sliced
olive oil
4 thin cut fillet steaks – size and weight can be adjusted to fit the appetite of the people you’re feeding
4 large potatoes (I use desiree), washed and cut into small cubes
Garlic powder
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

For the Creamy Mustard Dressing
3 teaspoons seeded mustard
3 teaspoons creamed horseradish
⅓ cup olive oil
½ cup cream
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C. Bring the fillet steak to room temperature and season well with garlic powder, salt and pepper. To make the dressing place all the ingredients in a small pan and mix well to combine.  Bring it up to a simmer over medium heat and cook for a few minutes.  Set aside in the pan for reheating later.  Place the potatoes on a baking tray and drizzle with enough olive oil to coat the potatoes well and season with salt.  Place in the oven and roast for 50 – 60 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.  While the potatoes are cooking distribute the salad leaves evenly on the dinner plates and top each with half a sliced avocado. When the potatoes are 10 minutes away from being ready start cooking the steak.

  

Heat a non stick fry pan over medium-high heat and drizzle some olive oil over the fillet steaks.  When the pan is hot add the steaks and cook for a minute or two on each side until done to your liking.  As the steaks are thin cut they won’t take long to cook.  Rest the steaks on a carving board for 5 minutes then cut into finger width slices against the grain of the meat.  When the potatoes are ready place some on top of the avocados on each plate and top with the fillet steak slices.  Bring the dressing back to a simmer and pour a generous amount on top of each salad. Serve straight away.