Peppered Beef & Caramelised Onion Crostini
1 baguette, thinly sliced
2 tbs olive oil
2 x beef sirloin (porterhouse) steaks (about 220g each)
1 tbs coarsely ground black pepper
finely grated pecorino cheese, to serve
sea salt
Caramelised onion
50g unsalted butter
3 red onions, halved & thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp chopped thyme leaves
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
For onions, heat butter in a large frypan over medium heat. Once foaming, add onions, garlic, thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes until the onion is soft and caramelised. Add vinegar and cook for a further 5 minutes, until dark. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Preheat Grill or Browning function to 200°C.
Meanwhile, arrange baguette slices in a single layer on a large baking tray and brush lightly with olive oil. Bake for 2-3 minutes a side, until golden and crunchy. Set aside.
Heat a grill or frypan over medium-high heat. Brush steaks with olive oil and season with salt. Sprinkle both sides of steaks generously with pepper, pressing down to stick.
Cook steaks for 3 minutes a side for medium, or until cooked to your liking. Transfer to a plate, cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Trim fat off and discard, then thinly slice steaks.
To serve, spread toasted crostini with some caramelised onion and top with 2 slices of peppered beef. Finely grate over some pecorino cheese and finish with a sprinkle of extra pepper.
Recipe, Food Styling and Photography by Karen McFarlane, foodlove.com.au
