Recipes / Salads / Mediterranean Ingredients Servings
Quantities for 2 servings
400 g baby potatoes, halved 2 tbsp olive oil, divided 2 sirloin steaks, about 180 g each, brought to room temperature 1 tsp flaky sea salt, plus extra for the potatoes ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper 100 g rocket leaves ½ cucumber, halved lengthways and thinly sliced 150 g cherry tomatoes, halved ½ small red onion, very finely sliced 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 small garlic clove, finely grated 60 g feta, crumbled (optional)
Treat this list as a starting point rather than a shopping order. Swap what you haven't got, leave out what you dislike, add what you love — this is exactly the kind of dish that rewards poking around in the fridge.
Method 1 Heat the oven to 220°C. Toss the potatoes with 1 tbsp of the oil and a pinch of salt, spread them cut-side down on a baking tray and roast for 22–25 minutes, turning once, until browned and tender; the cut sides should sound firm when tapped. 2 While the potatoes cook, whisk the remaining oil with the vinegar, mustard and garlic. Letting the dressing sit now takes the raw edge off the garlic and gives it time to become properly sharp and savoury. 3 Pat the steaks completely dry and season both sides with the salt and pepper. Dry meat browns rather than steams, so do not skip the kitchen paper. 4 Heat a heavy frying pan over high heat until very hot. Sear the steaks for 2–3 minutes on each side for medium-rare, adding another minute per side for medium, until deeply browned and they feel springy when pressed. 5 Transfer the steaks to a board and rest for 5–7 minutes. This gives the juices time to settle; slice too soon and they will run out onto the board instead of staying in the meat. 6 Toss the rocket, cucumber, tomatoes and red onion with two-thirds of the dressing. Coat the leaves lightly rather than drowning them, then divide the salad between two plates and scatter over the warm potatoes. 7 Slice the steak across the grain and lay it over the salad. Spoon over the remaining dressing, finish with the feta if using, and serve while the potatoes are still warm. Tap a step to cross it off. Your place is saved on this device.
Cook’s notes Sirloin is a good weeknight cut, but rump or bavette work well too. Bavette has a pronounced grain, so slice it particularly thinly across the fibres.
The steak can rest while the potatoes finish, but do not dress the rocket until just before serving or it will lose its bite. For a dairy-free version, simply leave out the feta.
Leftovers keep for one day in the fridge, with the steak and salad stored separately if possible. Eat the steak cold or bring it to room temperature; reheating it will push it past medium-rare.
More from Salads Salads Tuna in oil, drained but not wrung out, and everything else cut small enough to disappear into it. The crunch matters as much as the fish does.
15 min • Serves 4 • Easy
Salads Everything chopped to the same size and laid out in stripes rather than tossed. The arrangement is the recipe — you dress and mix it at the table.
40 min • Serves 4 • Easy
Salads Three ingredients and nowhere to hide. Everything depends on the tomatoes being ripe and the mozzarella being fresh, at room temperature.
10 min • Serves 4 • Easy
Salads
Salads
Salads
Ratings & comments
No ratings yet — be the first to say how it went.
0 comments
Nothing here yet. Cooked it? Let everyone know how it turned out.