Sometimes a bargain can’t pass me by.  The other day I was in a local supermarket and they had a couple of sirloin steaks reduced to a silly price.  Now I’ve worked in a butchers before and these were fantastic steaks (proper marbling of fat for that full flavour, and a good thickness too) and really nothing wrong with them at all.  I just had to have them.

Thing is a plain steak can be a bit dull, even a bit of sauce (pepper for preference, or a Madeira) didn’t seem that appealing to me.  I actually wanted something with an asian influenced flavouring, so I made one up.

Asian Marinated Steak

• 2 Thick cut sirloin steaks
• 4 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sherry
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 3 cloves garlic crushed
• 1-2inch root ginger, peeled and grated
• 1.5 tbsp garlic infused olive oil
• 2 tbsp soft brown sugar

Directions

1. Okay before we start lets talk the marinade.  This is almost a perfect teriyaki sauce.  Change the garlic infused oil for sesame oil, and really the sherry should be Japanese rice wine.  Mind you I never have seem to have rice wine when I want it, but I always have some Harvey’s Bristol Cream which I’ve used as a substitute for years, and everyone seems to love the flavour it gives.  Also, to be honest, I use a lot of ginger…probably about a good 2 inch chunk (at least).  No apologies, I love the taste and actually it worked really really well.
2. So, in a jug add all the ingredients except the steak and mix well.
3. Either put the steaks in a dish and pour over the marinade, or get a seal-able plastic bag and add the steaks and the marinade.  Leave in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours.  I left mine overnight which I have to say meant the flavour really sunk in (but it did discolour the beef).
4. On a griddle pan, or a grill or frying pan.  Cook the steaks until medium-rare – anything else is just criminal to be honest.
5. Take off the pan, rest for a few moments, slice and eat with whatever you like.  A stir fry of sugar snap peas and red pepper might be nice.  Mine is shown with some new baby potatoes and a simple salad of tomatoes and cucumber…..and very nice it was too I have to say.

Okay this isn’t complicated cooking, and honestly doesn’t really look too impressive.  But the flavours are simply amazing – the beef after 24 hours marinating was so soft and tender it just melted –  and it was such a simple idea.  What’s more it created so many other ideas for me.  I didn’t have any fresh chilli in the house, but that or dried flakes would have spiced up the marinade.  How about a few spoonfuls of plum or chilli jam?  Fresh coriander? Lemongrass?

Like all the best ideas this one idea has spawned so many more.  Suddenly I have half a dozen combinations and now a simple steak suddenly has so many possibilities.

Oh and the other steak didn’t go to waste.  I finely sliced it and added to a mixed salad to make a fantastic lunch. (okay I had a bit more left over and in a crusty bread roll with onion marmalade it made an even better late night snack)