500g mesclun salad leaves
2 leeks, sliced
3 courgettes, sliced
2 red onions, sliced
2 large red capsicums, halved
2 large yellow capsicums, halved
500g beef fillet
1 punnet cherry tomatoes
6 Portabello mushrooms
fresh thyme
1 litre balsamic vinegar
Sear the beef fillet in a hot pan then bake in oven until medium to medium rare.
Rest and cool (it's best to do this the night before).
Cook leeks, onions and courgettes in a little oil.
Roast or chargrill capsicums until the skin colours.
Slice and put aside.
Bake mushrooms and cherry tomatoes with a little oil, salt and pepper and thyme.
Slice mushrooms when cooked.
To arrange the salad on a platter, spread mesclun leaves then the sliced vegetables (but saving the cherry tomatoes), then arrange the sliced beef fillet and tomatoes on top.
To make balsamic reduction, heat balsamic vinegar in a pot and boil until it is reduced to about 200ml.
Cool and drizzle over salad.
This recipe comes from The Good Oil, in George St, Dunedin. It was requested by Annette Riley. If you have enjoyed a dish in an Otago cafe or restaurant and would like the recipe, write to Ask a Chef, Features, Otago Daily Times, PO Box 181, Dunedin, or email odt.features@odt.co.nz, including your name, address and a daytime telephone number, and we will request it.
