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T-Bone Steak with Anchovy and Rosemary Butter

T-bone steaks add a sense of occasion to any meal. I remember eating at one of New York’s oldest steakhouses, Peter Luger, and one of my chefs joined me in sharing a 1kg T-bone... phenomenal. It didn’t need a sauce. The waiter basically slathered the steak just with its own melted fat at the table. When you braai a T-bone, it must be the best you can find, and you simply let the steak be the star. I occasionally use a small amount of barbecue sauce, but mostly I go for a flavoured butter as it just works.

Serves: 2-4

500g T-bone steak

1 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and ground black pepper

Watercress or rocket

Anchovy and Rosemary Butter

100g unsalted butter, coarsely chopped

5 anchovy fillets, finely chopped

2 golden shallots or 1 small red onion,   
  finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp red wine vinegar

Preparing the Butter

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.

Add the anchovy fillets, chopped shallot/onion, garlic and rosemary, and sauté until the shallots are soft (2–3 minutes).

Remove from the heat and stir in the mustard and vinegar. Taste and season. Set aside and keep warm until needed.

Cooking the Steak

Prepare hot coals.

Brush the steak with olive oil and season to taste.

Grill until medium-rare, 5–6 minutes on each side (55°C on a meat thermometer).

Place the steak on a warmed plate, cover with foil and let it rest for 5–10 minutes.

Serving

Serve the steak with the anchovy and rosemary butter, garnished with watercress or rocket sprigs.

 Braaibroodjies

I’m not a purist when it comes to braaibroodjies. Whatever is around and works together goes onto them, and they are a fantastic vehicle for experimenting with new flavour combinations. Yes, I’ll light the fire just for these as well!

Chorizo, Mature Cheddar and Gruyère

Serves: 1

Thick sliced bread (white or brown)

Butter

1/3  cup grated mature cheddar

1/3 cup grated Gruyère cheese

Red onion slices

1 tomato, sliced

Dried oregano, to taste

9–12 thin slices chorizo

Olive oil

Assembling the Sandwich

Spread butter on the inside of the bread slices.

Layer with half the grated cheeses, half the onion and tomato slices, oregano and an even layer of chorizo, Repeat with another layer of cheese, onion and tomato. Sandwich closed.

Grilling the Braaibroodjie

Prepare medium-hot coals.

Place the sandwich into a clamp-style braai grid. Braai until the bread is crispy and the cheese is melted.

Drizzle with oil and serve.

Fish Tacos with Salsa and Guacamole

When we’re by the sea and I get hold of a fresh fish, this is what we do as a family. It’s easy, tasty and a bit interactive, a relaxed family holiday meal. Everyone gets involved.

Serves: 4

500g hake, cut into 8–12 equal pieces

Salt and ground black pepper

1 tsp smoked paprika

Olive oil

8–12 cocktail-size tortillas

Lime wedges

Salsa

6 baby rosa tomatoes, quartered

1 small cucumber, peeled and diced

1 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander

1 green chilli, deseeded and chopped

Juice and zest of 1 lime

1 Tbsp Thai fish sauce

½ Tbsp honey

1 small clove garlic, grated

Guacamole

1 avocado, peeled and mashed

Juice of 1 lime

1 Tbsp thick mayonnaise

Preparing the Salsa

Combine the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Season to taste.

Preparing the Guacamole

In another bowl, mash the avocado, then add the lime juice and mayonnaise. Mix until smooth and well combined. Season to taste.

Cooking the Fish

Prepare medium coals.

Season the hake pieces with salt, pepper and smoked paprika.

Drizzle with olive oil and grill until cooked through.

Toasting the Tortillas

Dry-toast the tortillas over the coals until soft and warm.

Drizzle with a little olive oil once they’re toasted.

Assembling the Tacos

Spread the guacamole on the toasted tortillas and top with salsa.

Place the grilled fish pieces on top of the salsa.

Serving

Serve the tacos with lime wedges on the side.

Mexican Chicken

A simple way of adding a ton of flavour to chicken pieces, with a Mexican-inspired marinade that doesn’t need a bunch of complicated ingredients. As chicken has quite a bit of fat, it works well with the citrus marinade here and is spiced with cumin, black pepper, oregano and garlic. The achiote adds a deep red colouring and earthy depth to the chicken; if you can’t find it, substitute with a spicy garlicky paste.

Serves: 4

1 large chicken, cut into 8 pieces

Lime wedges, for serving

Sliced green chilli (optional)

Handful fresh coriander (optional)

Citrusy Marinade

½ cup olive oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp oregano

3–4 Tbsp achiote paste*

½ cup fresh orange juice

½ cup fresh lime juice

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Preparing the Marinade

Whisk the ingredients together in a large bowl.

Pour half the marinade into a large zip-seal bag, add the chicken pieces, close the bag and massage to coat the chicken.

Leave the chicken to marinate in the fridge for at least 45 minutes, preferably 4 hours (or overnight).

Use the other half of the marinade for basting.

Cooking the Chicken

Prepare medium-hot coals.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade. Place the chicken on the grill over gently glowing coals for indirect cooking, cover with the braai lid (or a deep roasting pan) and cook for 20–30 minutes. Baste with the reserved marinade every few minutes as it cooks. (There is no need to turn the chicken over during cooking.)

Rest the chicken for 10–15 minutes before serving.

Serving

Serve the chicken with lime wedges, and garnished with sliced chilli and coriander if you like.

* Achiote adds a distinctive, authentic flavour. Alternatively mix together ¼ cup tomato paste, 2 cloves crushed garlic and 1 tsp each smoked paprika, ground coriander and ground cumin.