Pan-fried scotch fillet steak with a quick béarnaise

Serves

Prep Time

Cook Time

Ingredients

4 Scotch fillet steaks

Oven-roasted potato wedges, beans and peas

Quick béarnaise

1 tsp Sea salt flakes

2 Egg yolks

150g Butter, melted and hot

Brush each steak lightly with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Preheat the pan to moderately-hot.
Cook on one side until the first sign of moisture appears. Turn steaks once only. Test the steaks for degree of doneness with tongs. Rare is soft, medium feels springy and well done is very firm.
Remove steaks from heat, loosely cover with foil and rest steaks for 2-4 minutes before serving. Serve each with a spoonful of béarnaise, and the potatoes, beans and peas.
To make Quick béarnaise: Process salt and egg yolks until smooth. Heat the butter until melted and hot. With the processor running begin to add the butter a little at a time; the first lot should be just a drizzle. Gradually add the butter in a thin stream. Season with black pepper.

Best beef cuts for pan-frying: fillet/tenderloin, rib eye/scotch fillet, sirloin/porterhouse/New York, T-bone, rump.
Heat the barbecue or the pan before you add the steak. The steak should sizzle as it makes contact with the heat.
Turn the steak once only. Let the steak cook on one side until moisture appears, then turn it (otherwise it will be tough).
Learn to test your steaks for doneness. Rare is soft, medium feels springy and well done is very firm.
Always rest steaks after cooking. Cover the steaks loosely with foil and rest for 2 to 4 minutes (time will depend on their thickness). It's a good idea to take the steaks from the heat just shy of the degree of doneness goal. The resting time then allows the steak to complete cooking itself and the juices to set.