Rump Steak with Caper, Anchovy and Rosemary Sauce

, from Issue #52. November, 2015
Photography by Aaron McLean.
Rump Steak with Caper, Anchovy and Rosemary Sauce

Sometimes all a great piece of meat needs is the perfect accompanying sauce – and for me, this is it. You’ll need a decent sized mortar and pestle to make this sauce successfully as a food processor won’t give a good result.

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

4 x 150 gram rump steaks
olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Sauce
4-6 anchovies
1 clove garlic
2 teaspoons very finely chopped rosemary
2 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
freshly ground pepper


Warm Thyme Pide
1½ cups high grade flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
½ cup warm water
1 teaspoon honey
3 tablespoons olive oil

METHOD

Preheat the barbecue to a high heat.

Dressing: Pound the anchovies and garlic using a mortar and pestle, until smooth. Add the rosemary and pound again to make a smooth paste. Large pieces of rosemary are inedible. Add the capers and mix until coarsely chopped then stir in the lemon juice, oil and freshly ground pepper.

Rub the steaks with a little olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.

Cook the steaks for 3-4 minutes each side or until done to your liking. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of your steaks.

Transfer the steaks to a large plate and brush both sides with a little of the sauce. Rest the steaks for 5 minutes before carving. Serve with the remaining sauce and spoon all the resting juices over the top. 

Cook’s tip: We served our rump with salad leaves, sliced radishes and warm pide.

Tip: Cook the beef for 20 minutes, turning frequently, until all sides are well browned. Transfer to a plate, cover loosely and allow to rest for 5 minutes.


Warm Thyme Pide: Preheat the grill on the barbecue to a medium/hot heat.

Put the flour, salt, yeast and thyme in a large bowl.

Combine the water, honey and oil then pour into the flour mixture. Mix to a soft dough then tip onto a lightly floured bench. Knead for a few minutes until soft and smooth.

Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Divide the dough into 8 pieces and pat them out into rounds about 1 cm thick. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise for another 20 minutes.

Cook over the grill bars for about 2 minutes each side until puffed and lightly golden. Serve immediately. Makes 8.