Minute Steak with Roasted Fennel and Arugula and Caper Dressing

by Cindi Sutter, Founder of The Spirited Table® - Amelia Freer - epicurious.com - January 2016 - photo by Susan Bell

A lot of people assume that being healthy means that red meat is off the menu. But I'm delighted to say that it's very much on mine. That said, I am a stickler for ensuring that the meat we eat is of the highest quality and that it is always paired with an abundance of vegetables. Plants are always my main focus, but a little bit of good-quality meat here and there has worked best for me. I have tried being vegan and vegetarian but my health suffered during those phases. We are, after all, omnivores and so, unless you have a specific dislike of, issue with or reaction to meat, I think it's a food group that has an important role in our diet. If you like carpaccio, this recipe also works incredibly well with the beef served raw and very finely sliced.

Yield 4 servings
Ingredients
        
For the fennel:
1 firm bulb of fennel
Olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
A squeeze of lemon juice
 

For the dressing:
4 salted anchovies
1 Tbsp capers
1 sun-dried tomato (in olive oil)
1 small clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
4 green or Kalamata olives, pitted
1 bag (approx. 2 1/2 ounces) of arugula
1 ripe beefsteak tomato
Juice and zest of 1/2 a lemon
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

For the seared beef:
Olive oil
1/2 pound minute steak
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the fennel into thin wedges and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, season, and squeeze the lemon juice over it. Roast in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until softened and lightly charred, turning once during cooking.
2. Meanwhile, make the dressing by putting all the ingredients (except the olive oil) into a blender and pulsing them a few times. Slowly add the olive oil while you are pulsing, but don't overdo it, as you want to keep some texture. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
3. For the beef, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan until almost smoking. Season the fillet with salt and pepper until almost smoking. Season with fillet with salt and pepper and carefully add to the hot pan. Cook for 2 minutes on each side for rare; 3-4 medium; 4-5 for well done, then transfer to a plate or board, loosely cover with foil and allow to rest for a few minutes.
4. Arrange the fennel wedges on a serving platter. Slice the beef thinly and place in and around the fennel. Drizzle the arugula dressing over the top.