Eye fillet of beef

This is an incredibly simple recipe for one of my favourite cuts of meat.  The eye fillet (or I think it is called tenderloin in the northern hemisphere) is from the back of the animal, under the rib cage.  It is a muscle that doesn’t get a lot of work, making it incredibly tender.  Served alongside fresh new season potatoes doused in butter and fresh mint, this is an easy but impressive feast.

Ingredients

Serves 6

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• 1kg eye fillet of beef, trimmed of any fat and sinew
• 1 bulb garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Method

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• 1. Make a paste with the garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. Massage into the beef, roll tightly in clingfilm and set aside for an hour to marinate.
• 2. Preheat oven to 210˚C on Bake.
• 3. Heat a heavy-based oven-proof metal frying pan over a high heat. Sear the beef, turning every minute until it is well browned.
• 4. Transfer pan to oven and bake for 20 minutes (for medium-rare).
• 5. Remove from oven, cover and rest somewhere warm for 15 minutes.
• 6. Slice into 2-3 cm thick pieces and serve alongside new season potatoes and a crisp green salad.