Alessandro Gavagna’s steak recipe makes the perfect simple centrepiece for a barbecue or al fresco feast, just remember to buy the best quality beef available and allow it to come up to room temperature before cooking. Bruscansi are the young sprouts of the Butcher’s Broom shrub which are a popular risotto ingredient in parts of Italy, although wild asparagus (hailing from the same family) would work equally well if you’re unable to source any.

Barbecued beef steak with wild asparagus

Barbecued beef steak with bruscansi sprouts (Source: greatitalianchefs.com)

 

COOKING TIME: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

FILLET STEAK

  • 200g of beef fillet, cut into 4 medallions
  • fleur de sel, preferably from Slovenia
  • pepper
  • extra virgin olive oil

BRUSCANSI SPROUTS

METHOD

1
Preheat a charcoal barbecue until hot and smoking
2
Place the pieces of beef on the barbecue and cook for 2 minutes on each side until pink, or longer according to personal preference. Once cooked, remove from the heat and leave to rest for 10 minutes
3
Meanwhile, prepare the bruscansi sprouts. Bring a medium pan of water to the boil and add the bruscansi sprouts. Cook for 1 minute or until al dente, then drain and cool immediately in cold water. Drain again and dress with salt, pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar
4
To serve, slice the beef steaks into even pieces and arrange across serving plates. Place the bruscansi sprouts to one side and garnish the steaks with a little olive oil, pepper and a generous sprinkling of fleur de sel
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • pepper
  • fleur de sel, preferably from Slovenia

Source: https://www.greatitalianchefs.com/recipes/barbecue-beef-steak-recipe

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