Give Me Five: Balsamic beef

Cooking steak for a group can be a bit of a nightmare. Those dreaded words “well done” describe a steak that has been cooked until turned to stone, while at the other side of the spectrum there are those who want the meat to flinch once pierced with a fork.

I’m in the middle. I like the meat to be cooked just enough that the rawness has been removed and it’s warmed through. There’s nothing worse than getting a seared steak that’s fridge cold on the inside. I keep steak for special occasions, and Friday counts as special. It’s time to celebrate and create a delicious dinner with minimum effort.

For this recipe I’ve chosen to use sirloin steak. I’ve suggested marinating it for 20 minutes here, but overnight would be better if you want to gain maximum tenderising effect and flavour from the acidic but sweet balsamic vinegar. You can also use rump steak, which is a much cheaper cut, and cooked this way it will result in succulent meat.

If you’re hesitant about cooking it under the grill, don’t worry: it will be delicious. Just make sure the grill is preheated to its maximum temperature. It’s so much easier than frying four or five steaks and ensuring each is cooked correctly.

Fifth-generation butcher Pat Whelan has a fantastic book with Katy McGuinness called The Irish Beef Book. It's the definitive guide to Irish beef, covering every aspect of buying, preparing and cooking. It's a book that I've often gone to when deciding what cut or method of cooking I'll use. But do try to get to know your local butcher, or at least buy your meat there and know where it comes from. You can ask them a million questions and they'll love you for it. On one occasion when I made this with rump steak, my own butcher immediately asked what I was doing with this cut; he hoped it was for a stew or similar and was relieved once I mentioned a marinade.

I really love purees and mashes. I usually serve pureed garlic-laced butter beans with beef, but the balsamic element of this dish is amazing with the cauliflower. Grana padano or a similar Irish hard cheese such as Gabriel (this can be sourced from Sheridan’s Cheesemongers) can be used in place of Parmesan. I sometimes use a strong white cheddar too. It’s super quick, but delicious cauliflower cheese with ribbons of Sunday roast beef on top is a real winner with children and adults alike.

BALSAMIC BEEF: SERVES 4

The five ingredients

• 600g piece of sirloin or rump steak
• 2 shallots, very finely chopped
• 3 tbs balsamic vinegar, plus a little extra
• 1 large head of cauliflower
• 125g Parmesan, grated

From the cupboard

• Olive oil
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Method

Place the beef in a wide, shallow dish. Rub it all over with the shallots and balsamic vinegar. Season with a little salt, then cover and leave to marinate for 20 mins.

Divide the cauliflower into florets and steam until tender. This should take 10-12 minutes. Tip the florets into a bowl along with the grated Parmesan, and blitz till creamy with a stick blender. Keep warm.

Place the steak, basted with its marinade and shallots, under a preheated grill for three to four minutes, depending on thickness. Remove and cover for five minutes. Slice thinly across the grain. Serve piled on top of the cauliflower mash. Sprinkle with a little extra balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Season to taste with sea salt and plenty of black pepper.

Every Thursday we'll tweet and post the five ingredients on irishtimes.com so you can have them ready on Friday. Email givemefive@irishtimes.com with your suggestions for recipes. Lilly is on Twitter @lillyhiggins