Seared Sirloin with Café de Paris Butter & Watercress

• 2sirloin steaks, 250 g each (500 g total)
• 80 gbutter, softened
• 5 gchives, finely snipped
• 1 tspDijon mustard
• ½ tspsmoked paprika
• ½ tspdried thyme
• ½lemon, zested and juiced
• 80 gwatercress
• 1 tbspolive oil
• salt and black pepper

Method

1. 1Make the Café de Paris butter first so it has time to firm up. Tip the smoked paprika and dried thyme into a dry pan over a low heat for 30 seconds until fragrant.
2. 2Beat the softened butter with the chives, Dijon, toasted paprika and thyme, lemon zest and a generous pinch of salt until smooth and evenly flecked with green. Taste it; compound butter under-seasoned is compound butter wasted; adjust the salt now. Spoon onto a sheet of cling film, roll into a log about 3cm thick, twist the ends and chill for at least 30 minutes until solid.
3. 3Towards the end of the butter chilling time, pat the steaks dry with kitchen paper and season with salt and pepper.
4. 4Heat a heavy frying pan over a high heat. Add the olive oil, then lay in the steaks with space between them. Use a pan large enough for both steaks or cook in batches.
5. 5Sear for about 2–3 minutes per side for medium-rare, or longer to your liking. Brown the fat edge briefly too. Timing depends on thickness and pan heat. Rest on a warm plate for 5 minutes.
6. 6While the steak rests, tumble the watercress with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt; just enough to wake it up against the rich butter. Taste a leaf.
7. 7Plate each steak and immediately crown with half of the Café de Paris butter, sliced into coins, so it starts melting on contact into the resting juices.
8. 8Serve the lemon-dressed watercress alongside each steak.

Per serving

kcal

759

protein

64.3g

fibre

1.3g

carbs

3.5g

fat

54.6g