Pan-fried fillet with crispy onion rings and aioli

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Place the fillet in a dish with the olive oil and rub to coat. Add a crack of freshly ground black pepper, then set aside to marinate.

To make the aïoli, place the egg, lemon juice, mustard and garlic in a blender and season to taste. Blend to combine. With the motor still running, slowly add the oil in a thin, steady stream, until the mixture is thick and creamy.

Drain the spinach and squeeze out any excess liquid. Add to the blender with a little lemon juice and blend to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Place a pan over a high heat. When it begins to smoke, add the marinated fillet and sear until beautifully browned on all sides. Remove from the heat.

Finish in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cooked to your liking. Remove from the oven and set aside to rest.

To make the onion rings, cut the onions into thick rings then combine the remaining ingredients and use to coat the onions generously. Drop each ring into the hot oil for a minute or two, until golden and crisp.

Remove using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Serve on a platter with the baby spinach and garlic aïoli and the seared fillet.

TASTE’s take:

I couldn’t resist making onion rings for this dish and these are quite heavenly.