• Cowboy Steaks - Ribeye steaks with Ancho, Pasilla & Chipotle topping
    Spicy, aromatic steaks with a Tex Mex topping made ancho, pasilla and chipotle peppers, then sprinkled with Monteray Jack cheeses.

    Serves 4

    Ingredients

    Topping
    1 ancho chilii
    1 pasilla chilli
    5-10 chipotle chile
    1 medium onion
    1 tablespoon brandy
    150ml beef stock
    3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
    1/2 teaspoon dark brown sugar
    handful coriander leaves chopped
    seasoning to taste

    Steaks
    4 boneless rib eye steaks
    juice of 1 lime
    60 grammes Monteray Jack cheese (alternatively use half each of mozzarella and cheddar)

    Directions

    Sauce
    Remove the stalks and seeds from the dried chillies and toast in a dry, heavy-based frying pan or in a medium heat oven for for 4-5 minutes until aromatic. Do not allow them to burn or they will become bitter. Place them in a bowl and cover with hot water for 20 minutes. Drain them and place, pop into a blender and blend to a smooth paste. Leave the paste in the blender.

    Add the onions and half the olive oil to the frying pan used for toasting the chillies and fry over a medium heat until soft and starting to brown. Add and continue to fry for another couple of minutes. Add the onion and garlic mix to the blender along with the coriander, brandy and 100ml water and blend to a smooth paste, adding more water if necessary. Move the onions and garlic to the blender, along with the cilantro, brandy, and 1/4 cup water.

    Heat the remainder of the olive oil in the frying pan and heat to a medium to hot temperature, then add the paste, being very careful as the olive will spit at this point. Keeping stirring to incorporate the oil and cook for 3-4 minutes until the paste thickens. Reduce the heat and add the beef stock gradually, continuing to stir. Add the sugar and seasoning and simmer until the sauce has reduced to a medium thick consistency.

    Steaks
    Rub the steaks on both sides with generous amounts of lime, olive oil and seasoning. Heat a heavy-based frying pan to a high heat and then fry two steaks at a time for 3 minutes on each side (for medium rare), then turn off the heat and leave for a further 2 minutes to stand.

    Place the steaks onto a grill pan, sprinkle with cheese and grill for 1 minute to melt the cheese. Meanwhile, turn the frying pan down to a medium heat and add the chilli sauce, stirring well to incorporate the steak juices.

    Serve the steaks with the chilli sauce poured over with chips or potato wedges and salad.