Grilled bavette with braised courgettes and gremolata
This Mediterranean-inspired main pairs juicy bavette steak with courgette, chilli and a punchy herb gremolata. Cook the meat in a griddle pan or on the barbecue.
Ingredients
For the gremolata
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh marjoram or oregano
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- ½ unwaxed lemon, zest and juice
- 50ml/2fl oz extra virgin olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the grilled bavette
- 800g/1lb 12oz beef bavette, cut into 4 steaks
- 100ml/3½fl oz extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for cooking
- 1 large fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 2 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
- 70ml/2½fl oz balsamic vinegar
- ½ handful of mint, leaves picked and stalks reserved
- 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter
- 4 courgettes, very finely sliced
- ½ lemon, juice only
Method
To make the gremolata, mix all the ingredients together and season well. Leave for an hour to let the flavours intensify.
To make the bavette, start by placing the steaks in a bowl and drizzling over the extra virgin olive oil. Season well and add half of the chilli, half of the garlic, the fennel seeds, balsamic vinegar and the mint stalks. Massage the meat with the marinade, then cover and leave to marinate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Preheat a ridged, cast iron griddle pan over a medium heat – you want this pan to be nice and hot for when you come to cook the meat. Alternatively, prepare your barbecue.
Place a large sauté pan over a medium heat and pour in a drizzle of olive oil with the butter. When the pan is hot, add the remaining garlic and chilli and soften gently before adding the courgette slices. Season well, then cook the courgettes gently but quickly until softened and still green. Add the mint leaves and lemon juice and keep warm until ready to serve.
Drain the beef from the marinade and season, then place on the hot griddle pan or barbecue. Cook for 3–4 minutes on each side or until the surface is caramelised; the meat will be pink inside. Leave to rest in a warm spot for 5 minutes.
To serve, arrange the courgettes on plates. Slice the steaks into thin slices and place on top. Spoon over the gremolata and serve.
Recipe Tips
Use Italian courgette varieties, such as Romano or Grezzina, or a British-grown variety.