Jamie Oliver’s Steak and Sticky Aubergine Salad

Serves 2

Prep & Cook: 18 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 aubergine (250g)
• 2 nests of instant vermicelli rice noodles (90g total)
• 1 x 200g sirloin steak
• 8cm piece of ginger
• 160g asparagus
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 lime
• 1 tbsp gochujang paste
• ½ a cucumber (160g)
• ½ a bunch of coriander (15g)

Method

1. Boil the kettle. Quarter the aubergine lengthways and microwave at 800W for 6 minutes, or until soft. In a bowl, cover the noodles with boiling kettle water and leave to rehydrate for a few minutes, then drain and arrange on a nice serving platter.
2. Put a large non-stick frying pan on a medium-high heat. Cut any fat off the steak, finely chop the fat, then place it in the pan to render. Peel, finely chop and add the ginger, fry for 2 minutes, tossing regularly, then remove the crispy bits to a bowl, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. Cut off the sinew, season the steak, sear for 90 seconds on each side so it’s still blushing in the centre, then remove to rest.
3. Put the soft aubergine in the pan, trim the woody ends off the asparagus, then add the spears to the pan and let it all char and catch for a couple of minutes. Meanwhile, peel the garlic, finely grate it into the bowl of crispy bits with the lime zest, squeeze in half the juice, then stir in the gochujang and 5 tablespoons of boiling kettle water.
4. Toss the sauce mixture into the pan and let it sizzle away, then arrange the gochujang veg on the platter, drizzling over any remaining sauce. Finely slice the cucumber, finely chop most of the coriander, reserving a few leaves, then toss both with the remaining lime juice and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Slice the steak and add to the platter, top with the dressed cucumber, and finish with the last few coriander leaves.

Nutritional information