Ingredients

Method

For the Marsala crema:
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 T butter
• 2 shallots, finely sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ cup Marsala wine
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1½ cups cream
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the potato al forno:
• 6 potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 140 g Parma ham
• 1½ cups cream cups
• 50 g Parmesan, grated
• Woolworths truffle salt, to taste
• green peppercorns, to taste
• 2 Woolworths matured thick-cut T-bone steaks, at room temperature
• 2 T butter
• 1 T canola oil
• salt, to taste

Method

Ingredients

1. To make the Marsala crema, heat the olive oil and butter in a saucepan, then fry the shallots, garlic, thyme and bay leaves for 10 minutes, or until soft.

2. Deglaze the pan with the Marsala, then reduce until syrupy. Add the beef stock and reduce for 5 minutes over a high heat.

3. Add the cream and cook until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Season to taste.

4. To make the potato al forno, layer the potatoes, garlic, thyme and Parma ham in an ovenproof dish, seasoning between each layer and adding the cream as you go. Top with Parmesan and bake at 180°C for 35–45 minutes, or until golden and crispy.

5. Rub the steaks with the butter and heat the canola oil in a pan until smoking hot. Pan-fry the steaks for 2–3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Season and finish off in the oven for 10 minutes. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving with the Marsala crema and potato al forno.

Cook's note: “If you don’t have Marsala, use full-cream sherry. You can also use fillet if you prefer and add a few spoonfuls of drained, crushed green peppercorns to the sauce.”

Find more Italian recipes here.

Photograph: Jan Ras
Food assistant: Bianca Strydom