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Steak with fennel and lentil

This steak, served with a fennel and lentil, is an excellent midweek meal. You can prepare the sautéed fennel in advance, the steak takes no time to cook. Serve it with crusty bread, boiled new potatoes or on its own if you're on a protein-rich diet.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Resting Time 4 hours
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 1234
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large thick beef steak (sirloin or rump)
  • 1 fennel bulb
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ½ cup beef stock approx.
  • 1 handful cherry tomatoes halved
  • 2 tsp fennel seeds coarsely crushed
  • 1 tin lentils puy or brown
  • 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • Salt and pepper
  • Olive oil

Method
 

  1. Thinly slice the onion & garlic.
  2. Cut off the fennel stalks, discard. Cut off the feathery fronds, put these aside. Slice or shred the fennel.
  3. Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan. Add the onion, cook until translucent, then add the garlic, fennel seeds and fennel. Cover and sauté for 5 minutes.
  4. Add the broth and cook for 10 minutes, until tender. Take off the heat and transfer to a dish.
  5. Wipe the pan and heat it up again.
  6. Oil the steak then season with salt. When the pan is hot, fry the steak for 30 seconds, then turn over. Fry again for 30 seconds and turn over. Keep doing this, for 4-10 minutes, depending on how well done you like beef.
  7. Add half of the balsamic vinegar during the last 3 minutes of cooking.
  8. Rest the steak on a plate under cover.
  9. Drain the lentils.
  10. Put the fennel mixture back to the pan, heat it up and add the lentils and the remaining balsamic vinegar. Add some more broth if it's sticky. Cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickened.
  11. Slice the beef 1 cm thick and serve on top of the fennel & lentil stew.
  12. Sprinkle with the fennel greens.