Food & Drink

Just Peachy!

Emma and John Gilchrist

Summer isn’t all about planchas and BBQs, sometimes we just want to cook and enjoy something that doesn’t take long but which tastes fantastic. With this in mind, Emma gives us her method for a delicious steak, and a pudding that is perfect for this time of year.

The Perfect Fillet Steak with Fondant Potatoes

200g Beef, cut from the thick end of the fillet. Room temperature 1 Large garlic clove, bashed 2 Sprigs of thyme 1 Sprig of rosemary 125g Butter Oil Salt Freshly ground black pepper

For the Steak

Season the steak liberally with salt and freshly ground black pepper and drizzle over a little oil. Work the seasoning into the steak using your fingertips. Meanwhile, place a frying pan over a high heat and add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When smoking hot, add the beef, cut-side down and move around the pan for the first few seconds of cooking so it doesn’t stick. After this point, leave the beef to caramelise without moving it for two to three mins, until it has a wonderful dark golden crust. Turn the steak over and repeat. Sear the steak along the edges to obtain a nice colour, then sit it on its base. Add the garlic, thyme and rosemary to the pan, followed by generous knobs of butter. Allow to melt and bubble, all the while basting the butter over the steak for two to three mins on each side for a perfect medium-rare finish. Remove from the pan and allow to rest for 10 mins in a warm place before serving.

Chef Tip:

Whisk in 100ml red wine and 100ml beef stock to the butter to make a red wine sauce.

For the Fondant Potatoes

6 Medium potatoes 1 tbs Olive oil 200g Unsalted butter, cubed 4 Large garlic cloves, bashed 2 Sprigs rosemary 2 Sprigs thyme 200ml Chicken or vegetable stock Slice the ends off the potatoes so they lie flat on either side. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium-low heat. When hot, add the potatoes cut-side down. Fry for five to seven mins, or until deep golden brown, then flip and fry on the other side. Add the butter to the pan to melt. Scatter the garlic and herbs around the potatoes and season well. Carefully pour the stock around the potatoes. Cover and simmer gently for 25 to 30 mins, or until the potatoes are tender, then serve.

Peach Frangipane Tart

For the Tart Dough

125g All-purpose flour 45g Granulated sugar Pinch salt 100g Chilled unsalted butter, in small pieces 1 Egg yolk beaten with 2 tsp water Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Work in the butter thoroughly. Stir in egg yolk mixture and knead briefly until dough is smooth, then form into a flat disk. Roll dough to a large circle and lay it in a 25cm tart pan with a removable bottom. Press in well. Refrigerate or freeze for one hour. Heat oven to 180°C and blind bake the tart shell for about 15 mins until lightly browned.

For the Filling

100g Flaked almonds, more for sprinkling 1 tbs All-purpose flour 100g Granulated sugar 100g Unsalted butter, at room temperature 2 Eggs 3 or 4 Peaches, halved and stoned Place the almonds, flour and sugar in a food processor and grind to a rough powder. Add butter and pulse until well incorporated. Add eggs and process for about two mins until smooth and creamy. (Alternatively, use ground almonds and make the batter with a mixer instead.) Pour the almond batter into the pre-baked pastry case and smooth with a spatula. Press peaches, cut side down, into the batter. Sprinkle with a handful of sliced almonds. Lower oven temperature to 160oC and bake for 30 to 40 mins until golden. Cool on a rack, remove outer rim of tart pan and serve.

Great Fronsac reds with steak

West of Libourne, Fronsac is a wonderful appellation that produces fruity, bold red wine with an old school dryness which makes them perfect with steak.

A good place to start is the beautiful barrel aged 100% Merlot Passion de Magondeau 2012. A soft blackberry and tobacco nose with a silky, velvety feeling on the palate and a good hit of acidity with soft tannins. www.chateaumagondeau.com, 24€.

A little more gutsy is Chateau de la Dauphine. Merlot with a light splash of Cabernet Franc. Deep scarlet with a ripe nose of plums and truffles, silky tannin and a small pinch of liquorice to finish. www.chateau-dauphine.com, 20€

If you are after a wine that really packs a punch then look no further than the 50/50 Merlot and Malbec Barrabaque Divin Rouge. Leap out of the glass red fruit, vanilla and toasty new oak, very ripe cherries and spice on the palate with a big weighty dryness to finish www.chateaubarrabaque.com, 30€

Emma and John Gilchrist have been running their gîte and cookery school, Les Caulins, in Lot-et-Garonne since March 2016. Emma has worked with great chefs in some of the best restaurants around the world and John, a former UK Sommelier of the Year and winner of the Mondavi award for the best wine list in the world, is an enthusiast for the smaller wine producers. www.lescaulins.com