Sirloin with shallot and mustard coat

[Cheffie]

Sirloin Strindberg

Ingredients:

300g mature sirloin steak
50ml Clarified butter
1 Tbs Hot English mustard
30g finely diced shallots
100ml good beef jus
50ml Red wine
Salt and pepper for seasoning
Flour

Method:

Season the steak on both sides. Presentation side to be smeared with the mustard. Dip into the finely diced shallots, and then into the flour, creating a “crust”.
Heat the clarified butter till hot. Seal the presentation side first, turn and reduce the heat. Cook until required. Remove from the pan and reserve to one side. Add the red wine, brown jus and reduce till required consistency.

When plating, carve the steak and serve it “fanned”, on a bed of creamed potato. Nappe the sauce over and serve immediately.

[Venus]

Cheffie, this looks very simple & delicious. Is it necessary to use clarified butter or will ordinary butter do?

[Cheffie]

Hi Venus

The clarified butter allows you to cook at almost the same temperature as oil - without the milk solids, scum etc catching in the pan and burning/ browning. It gives the flavour of butter to the dish, without the 'foaming' black butter that can sometimes occur.

As the butter needs to be very hot before placing the steak in, it is recommended to use clarified butter.

Clarified butter:
A reminder that clarified butter, when you melt it slowly on a low, even heat will separate into 'scum' at the top; centre (the vast majority) of clear 'clarified' butter; and the milky white solids and impurities at the bottom.
Skim the scum off the top. Allow to cool in the fridge in a clear bowl/ container.
Poke a hole through the butter to the 'solids' and drain off. Remove the set clarified butter from the container and trim off any remaining 'solids'.
Melt it down if using immediately or use as you would for beef dripping.