Balsamic & Pomegranate Beef Tagliata with a Maltese-Style Fattoush
From Ainsley’s Taste of Malta, ITV
Being at the crossroads of the Mediterranean the Maltese archipelago has absorbed many cuisines over the years and different culinary influences can often be found in a singular dish. Like their Italian neighbours, tagliata is one of Malta’s favourite ways to prepare steak. The meat is quickly cooked to sear the outside, sliced across the grain and served with salad and shaved Parmesan. Maltese style, I’ve jazzed things up with a fusion of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavours – broad beans, peas and olives are tossed together with fresh herbs, toasted bread and pomegranate for a delightful combination of flavours and textures in a twist on a Fattoush salad.
Method
In a large bowl mix together the olive oil, 2 tbsp of pomegranate molasses, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp of the honey, the mustard and seasoning. Add the steaks and turn to coat. Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes or chill to marinate for longer.
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/160Cfan.
Place the bread pieces on a baking tray, drizzle lightly with olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with a little sumac and season with sea salt. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until slightly crisp and lightly golden. The idea is to dry out the bread without burning it. Remove and set aside to cool.
Place the rocket leaves, onion, broad beans, peas, olives, radish and herbs in a large bowl and toss to combine.
To make the dressing put 3 tbsp of the extra-virgin olive oil, the lemon juice, garlic, pul biber and sumac into a small bowl and season with salt. Whisk well until combined.
Put a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Remove (and reserve) any excess marinade from the steaks and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or depending on how you like your steak cooked. Remove the steaks from the pan and cover loosely with foil and rest for 4-5 minutes. In the same pan stir in any remaining marinade, the remaining balsamic and pomegranate molasses, honey and the beef stock (or water). Stir to deglaze the pan and bring to the boil. Let it bubble over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes to reduce to a sauce for drizzling. Remove from the heat. (if cooking the steaks on a barbecue or griddle: put the reserved marinade, remaining balsamic, molasses, honey and stock in a pan, bring to the boil and simmer until reduced).
Meanwhile, add half the pomegranates seeds and bread croutons to the salad, drizzle over the dressing and toss to coat. Season with flaky sea salt (if needed) and add a little more oil if necessary.
Cut the rested steak into 1-2cm slices across the grain and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
To serve, arrange the salad on to serving plates and place the steak slices to the side. Drizzle the steak with a little sauce from the pan. Scatter over the remaining pomegranate seeds and, if using, shave over some Gbejna/Parmesan.
Ingredients
- For the Beef Tagliata
- 750g of thick-cut sirloin or fillet steaks
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 tsp runny honey
- 1 tsp English mustard
- 100ml beef stock
- (flaky) sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- hard ġbejna or Parmesan cheese, shaved, to serve (optional)
- For the Salad
- 1 flatbread or 1 large pitta, cut or torn into bite size pieces
- olive oil
- good pinch of sumac
- large handful of rocket leaves
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- 200g fresh baby broad beans, blanched, refreshed, any leathery skins removed
- 50g frozen petis pois, blanched for 1-2 minutes, refreshed and drained
- 10 olives (a mix of black and green is nice), pitted and halved
- 5 radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 medium (40g) bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
- 1 small (25g) bunch mint, leaves picked and roughly chopped
- seeds of 1 pomegranate
- For the Dressing
- 3-4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- juice of ½ lemon
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- pinch of pul biber/Aleppo pepper (or dried chilli flakes)
- pinch of sumac