This is a main course to be reckoned with, that’s both hearty and delicious!

Rib Eye Steak with Roast Shallots, Bacon, Mushrooms and Thyme

Serves: 2

2 x 800g Rib Eye Steaks, seasoned

150g peeled small shallots

120g chunky chopped button mushrooms

2 glasses of robust red wine

2 teaspoons of sugar

2 slices of smoked streaky bacon cut in strips

4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme

Salt/Pepper

2 knobs of butter

Method:

Add knob of butter to a small frying pan and heat to medium. Add shallots, bacon, garlic and mushroom. Gently toss to color careful not to burn the butter. Add sugar to help caramelizing. Place in pre-heated oven at 2000c for 10 minutes. When finished remove and set aside.

Pour the red wine into a small saucepan and reduce by two thirds - this will burn off the alcohol and leave only the rich red wine flavor. When this has reduced remove from heat and set aside.

Heat a large frying pan to a hot heat and add a knob of butter. When butter foams place steaks in the pan for 1 minute on either side, then transfer to a medium oven (1800c) for 5 minutes – this should provide you with a medium cooked steak (you may alternate the oven timing more or less depending on which side of medium you like – I like mine blue in which case it doesn’t make the oven).

Remove pan from the oven and set aside - the beef will benefit from a rest period of maybe 5 minutes and will also provide a little beef jus in the pan once the steak is removed.

Return the steak pan to high heat, add red wine reduction to the beef just, then add shallot, bacon, mushroom and fresh thyme and reduce for a further minute.

Salt and Pepper and serve.