Sirloin Steak with White Bean & Leek Mash

A very simple Nigella recipe this, originally published in Nigella Express apparently but as I don’t have that particular book I must have taken it from her website.

Anyway it is super quick and as such an excellent mid-week supper.

You’ll need quite thinly cut sirloin steaks for this, as they are flash-fried for all 4 minutes in total, so visiting a decent butcher is probably a good idea.

I’ve used butter beans for the mash but any white bean, such as cannellini, will work. I also added some leek to the mash as I thought it would be interesting and also bulk it out a little with a bit more veg content to boot as well as some yoghurt to make it a bit creamier. Both worked well but you can omit it if you like.


Sirloin Steak with White Bean & Leek Mash
serves 2

2 tbsp olive oil (plus 1 tsp)
1 clove garlic, crushed
grated zest and juice of ½ lemon
600g butter beans (about 1 ½ tins), drained and rinsed
4-6 baby leeks, washed and finely sliced
a few sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked
2 tbsp fat free Greek yoghurt
2 thinnish cut sirloin steaks (about 150g each)
sea salt & freshly ground pepper

Put 2 tbsps olive oil in a saucepan, and mix in the garlic, thyme, lemon zest and chopped leeks.

Sweat over a low heat for 20 minutes until the leeks are softened but not coloured.

Add the beans & yoghurt and a good splash of water turn down the heat to very low.

Heat gently: stirring and squishing the beans with a wooden spoon to make a lumpy mash. Season carefully to taste.

Meanwhile season the steaks well on both sides with salt and black pepper. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a large frying pan and cook the steaks on high for a minute and a half - two minutes a side. Remove to warmed plates and rest for 5 minutes.

Squeeze the lemon juice into the hot pan and let it bubble up with the meaty oil.

Divide the creamy bean mash between two plates and place the steak alongside drizzling over the lemony meaty juices.