Mark’s Ribeye Steak and Pepper Sauce

Place the oil on a tray and into an oven preheated to 200°C.

Bring the rooster potatoes to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes until the outside has begun to soften. Strain and allow to steam under a cloth for 2 minutes. Now add the polenta and some salt to the saucepan and shake the potatoes together until they become fluffy around the edges.

Add the potatoes to the tray in the oven and cook for 45-50 minutes, turning regularly, until they turn crispy and golden brown. Set aside.

Heat a frying pan until it is smoking hot and then add some vegetable oil. Season the steaks liberally with sea salt and brown on all sides in the pan. Keep turning the steaks on the pan, managing the heat. Use a cake tester or metal skewer to check the internal temperature of the steak. Medium rare should be slightly warm to touch. Remove the steaks and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes.

While the steak is resting, deglaze the pan with the cognac, be careful if using a gas hob as the cognac will ignite for a short time. Next add some cracked black pepper and the vinegar and allow this to reduce. Then add the cream and reduce again by half before adding in the butter and crème fraîche and stirring, reduce to a thick sauce and then add the steak back into the pan. Coat in the sauce off the heat and then plate up.

Cook the broccoli in boiling salted water for 2 minutes. In a separate frying pan add flaked almonds and wait until they are golden brown, add butter until it turns golden brown. Drain the broccoli add to the pan and drizzle with a little vinegar. Adjust the seasoning and serve with the steak and crispy roast potatoes.