Sizzling summer recipes!

From our trusted favourite foodie aka ‘the grumpy cook club’ www.grumpycookclub.com, we have this special dish, perfect for al fresco dining in your Simple Life garden. As is common with dishes from Southeast Asia, the combination of sweet and sour, and salty and spicy is all there. The textures of soft beef and fruit with crunchy vegetables, peanuts and beansprouts really make this a joy to eat.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4-6)

For the salad

• 2 ripe mangoes
• Bunch of mint
• Bunch of coriander
• 1 small red onion
• 1 red pepper
• 1 large carrot
• 100g bean sprouts
• 3 spring onions
• 1-2 red chillies (depending how spicy you like it), deseeded
• 100g roasted salted peanuts (rinse the salt off before using)
• 4 flat iron steaks (about 200g each)​​

METHOD

1. Very finely slice (julienne) the carrot, red pepper, spring onions, red onion and red chillies into thin strips.
2. Chop the mint and coriander and peel and cut the mango into strips.
3. Place all the above into a large bowl, mix, cover and set aside until you make the dressing and sear the beef.
4. Mix all the dressing ingredients together and stir around until the sugar has dissolved.
5. Heat a griddle or frying pan until very hot.
6. Rub your Flat Iron steak, or steak of your choice, with a little vegetable oil on both sides, season well with salt, and sear in the hot pan for about 4 minutes each side, depending on the thickness, until medium/rare to medium.
7. While the steak is resting, pour some of the dressing over the salad and combine. You will probably be left with dressing, but it can be kept in the fridge, covered for a day or so.
8. Thinly slice the steak against the grain (see foodie chat),  and either mix the slices into the salad and serve, or pile onto individual plates and layer slices of steak over the top. ​

Bon appetite!