Ingredients
For the beef
400g/14¼oz fillet of beef
10g/½oz peppercorns
10g/½oz juniper berries
10g/½oz coriander seeds
2 cloves
olive oil, for frying
½ lemon, juice only
salt and freshly ground pepper
For the salad
240g/8½oz Roquefort cheese
50g/1¾oz mixed salad leaves
4 tsp tarragon vinaigrette (whisk together 3 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp tarragon vinegar; keep what you don't use in a jar in the fridge)
Method
1. Trim the beef fillet of all sinew and fat. Crush the peppercorns, juniper berries, coriander seeds and cloves together in a mortar and pestle until fine, or grind in a spice grinder. Press the spice mixture into the beef fillet.
2. Heat a frying pan and add a little olive oil. When the oil is smoking hot, lower the fillet into the pan and cook over a high heat until brown all over, being careful not to burn the spices. Drain on kitchen paper and let it cool completely.
3. Wrap the beef tightly in cling film, pulling it around and around the fillet. Place in the refrigerator or freezer to firm up a little.
4. Cut the beef into thin slices then put the slices between sheets of cling film and tap gently with a meat mallet or rolling pin until very thin.
5. Lay the slices flat on serving plates. Sprinkle with some of the lemon juice and season with freshly ground pepper and salt.
6. For the salad, cut the cheese into small cubes and mix it with the salad leaves. Sprinkle with a little of the lemon juice and drizzle over the tarragon vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper and toss lightly.
7. Divide the salad among four plates, placing the leaves in the centre, and serve.
