Barbecued Fillet of Beef
A real centrepiece, this barbecued fillet of beef recipe is perfect for entertaining and makes an elegant and light summery dish.
(SERVES 6-8)
FOR THE BEEF
100ml red wine
100ml olive oil, plus a little extra for brushing
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt and pepper
800g fillet of beef, trimmed of membrane or fat
2 sprigs of thyme
12 radishes, finely sliced
100g Pecorino cheese, shavings
micro herbs or chive flowers, to serve
FOR THE DRESSING
2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
salt and pepper
To make the marinade, whisk together the red wine, olive oil, thyme, lemon zest and garlic. Season the beef all over with a little salt and pepper and place in a deep dish or container with the thyme sprigs. Pour the marinade over the beef, turning it a couple of times to coat thoroughly. Set to one side for at least 1 hour, turning the beef every so often.
To make the dressing, simply combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well to combine.
Make sure your barbecue, or chargrill pan is hot enough to char the beef. If using a barbecue, the coals should have turned grey and the flames died down. A chargrill pan will be smoking slightly.
Remove the beef from the marinade and pat some kitchen paper to drain of any excess liquid. Brush all over with a little olive oil.
Place the beef onto the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes, until well charred and caramelised, then turn over and cook for a further 5 minutes on the other side. Now turn the fillet again so that the two sides which haven’t touched the grill yet, cook for a further two minutes on each. This will mean that the fillet is nicely coloured all the way round and rare in the middle. Remove the beef from the grill and set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
When ready to serve, use a very sharp knife to slice the beef as thinly as possible. Lay the slices onto a large platter and drizzle with the balsamic dressing. Finish by scattering with the sliced radishes and Pecorino shavings and if you like, some micro herbs or edible flowers.
Ask your butcher to prepare the fillet for you in one piece, removing any fat or membrane.
