Ingredients
4 x 7oz fillet steaks
8 slices of pancetta or streaky bacon
8 oysters, water reserved
butter for frying
For the potatoes:
300ml/½ pint/1¼ cups of olive oil
400g/13oz new potatoes scrubbed and cut into 1in/2.5cm chunks
200g/7oz tomatoes cut into 2cm/¾in chunks
200g/7oz small onions, halved top to bottom
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs sage
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
60g/2oz/½ cup pitted black olives
60g/2oz flat leaf parsley, stems removed
Method
1. Slit the steaks to make a pouch, stuff with a couple of wet oysters and then wrap around two pieces of pancetta or streaky bacon.
2. Heat 50g/1¾oz of butter in a heavy frying pan, over a medium heat and put in the steaks.
3. For medium-rare, cook for roughly 3 minutes on each side, then remove from the pan.
4. Take the pan off the heat, pour in the reserved oyster water and scrape any bits from the bottom to the surface.
5. Finally, pour the resulting liquid over the steaks.
6. To make the potatoes pre heat the oven to 190C/375F/ Gas 5.
7. Warm the olive oil in a heavy casserole dish over a medium heat.
8. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, onions, garlic cloves, thyme and sage and bring to the boil.
9. Season well and simmer for 8-10 minutes, then cover and cook in the oven for half an hour, or until the potatoes are cooked through (do not stir as this will break up the vegetables).
10. Allow to cool slightly, then add the olives and parsley. Finally, serve with the carpet bag steaks.
