Recipe adapted from Chasing Smoke, Cooking Fire Around The Levant (Pavilion)
Method
- Once your fire is really hot, place the peppers and chilli on the grill. Char all over until blackened, soft and deeply smoky. Remove to a small bowl to steam a little, so that you can easily peel them.
- While you are waiting for the peppers and chilli to char, mix the herbs with the garlic, spring onions, salt, pepper and lime zest.
- Peel the lime and dice the flesh into little cubes. Peel the peppers and chilli, remove the seeds and cut the flesh into thin strips.
- Add the lime flesh, peppers and chilli to the herb mixture, and pour in the vinegar and oil. Stir well, taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
- Brush the steak lightly with olive oil and season well all over with salt and pepper. Place on a medium grill for 5 minutes, so the outside has time to caramelise beautifully without overcooking.
- Flip the steaks over to cook for 5 minutes on the other side.
- Repeat this process to cook for a total of 10 minutes on each side. Remove to a platter and loosely cover with aluminium foil to rest without cooling too much – about 10 minutes should be perfect. Top with the smoky pepper salad and serve.
- To cook without a BBQ
- You can char the peppers and chilli directly on a gas hob or under the grill.
- Caramelise the beef in a very large ovenproof frying pan for about 5 minutes on each side, then pop in the oven to roast for 12 minutes at 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6.
- Allow to rest before serving, as above. You won’t have the delicious smokiness that cooking over fire gives you, but you can compensate by seasoning with smoked salt rather than regular.