Make Colin Fassnidge’s favourite steak sandwich or bake Clarissa Fieldel’s banana doughnuts

Colin’s Steak Sandwich with Pickled Mushrooms & Caramelised Onions

Prep Time: 20 minutes plus pickling time

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Makes: 4

Pickled Mushrooms

• 300ml water
• 200ml white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ tbsp caster sugar
• Sea salt and cracked black pepper
• 150g shimeji mushrooms, ripped
• 150g oyster mushrooms, ripped
• 375g Portabello mushrooms, finely sliced

Mustard Sauce

• 200g whole egg mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon ketchup
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tsp white wine vinegar

Caramelised Onions

2 tbsp olive oil

4 large brown onions, finely sliced

1 – 2 tbsp sherry or red wine vinegar

1kg piece hanger or bavette steak, sliced in half lengthways

8 thick slices sour dough

3 large oxheart tomatoes, thickly sliced

Method

1 To make pickled mushrooms, in a small saucepan bring water, vinegar, seeds, leaves and sugar to the boil. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil. Pour over mushrooms in a bowl. Allow to cool.

2 To make mustard sauce, combine ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

3 Heat an oiled barbecue plate or chargrill pan on a high heat. Cook seasoned steak for four to five minutes, turning once, until pink. Cover and rest for 10 minutes, before slicing across the grain.

4 To make caramelised onions, heat oil on a barbecue plate or frying pan over medium heat. Add onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to colour. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring continuously for about 10 minutes, until caramelised. Stir in the vinegar. Season to taste.

5 Toast bread lightly on barbecue plate or using a frying pan.

6 To assemble sandwich, spread bottom slices of bread with sauce. Top with tomatoes, steak, onions, extra sauce, mushrooms and lid.

Tips: Steak should be brought to room temperature before cooking.

Mushrooms and onions can be prepared well in advance.

Leftover steak can be tossed though a salad or set aside for another meal.

Clarissa Fieldel’s Banana Doughnuts

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 400–500g very ripe mashed bananas (about 5-6 medium)
• 75g plain flour
• 75g rice flour
• ½ tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ to 1 tbsp brown sugar
• Vegetable oil, for deep frying
• Cinnamon sugar, for rolling
• Vanilla bean ice cream, to serve (optional)

Method

1 Mash the bananas well in a large bowl.

2 Sift over flours and baking powder. Add salt and sugar. Mix well to form a smooth batter.

3 Heat oil in a wok or saucepan over a medium heat. Drop a dessert spoon of batter into hot oil. Move gently with a clean spoon, batter should fall slowly and form a rough ball shape. Cook for two to three minutes, or until dark brown. This is your test doughnut.

4 Press doughnut with back of a spoon to test for oil and taste to check desired consistency. Add more flour to batter if doughnut is oily. Repeat until the balls fall slowly and are not oily when tested.

5 Drop dessert spoons of batter into hot oil in batches. Do not overcrowd the wok as doughnuts will stick together. Cook until golden brown on one side. Turn-over. Cook doughnuts for a total of two to three minutes, stirring gently after initial minute, this will help to maintain shape and prevent sticking. Doughnuts should be medium to dark brown and slightly crispy on the outside.

6 Place cinnamon sugar in a baking dish. Add warm doughnuts and toss to coat. Serve immediately with ice cream (optional).

Tip: Ripe bananas will have black spots on the skin.

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