Entertain at home: Grilled sirloin steak with roasted aubergine puree and gremolata

Serves 4

You’ll need: 2 large aubergines; extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling and frying); salt & pepper; 1 small bunch of Italian parsley, finely chopped; 1 clove garlic, finely grated; the rind of one small lemon, finely grated; about 250g sirloin steak per person; your choice of pan-fried greens, optionally, for serving (tender stem broccoli is a good choice).

How to:

Preheat the oven to 230 °C. Use a fork to poke holes here and there across the aubergines. Place the aubergines on a wire rack on top of a baking tray lined with foil, then roast for 1 hour. Remove and leave to cool slightly, then peel carefully and discard the blackened skins. Transfer the tender flesh to a blender or small processor, add a splash of olive oil and season with salt & pepper, then process to a smooth puree. Set aside.

For the gremolata: mix the chopped parsley, garlic and lemon rind in a small bowl and season with salt & pepper. Set aside. 

For the steak: brush the steaks on all sides with olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Heat a griddle pan to smoking hot, then grill on both sides for about 7 minutes in total until medium-rare (or adjust to your liking). Remove the steaks and let it rest for 3 minutes. 

To serve, plate some warmed aubergine puree, top with rested grilled steak and pan-fried greens, sprinkle with the gremolata and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and serve at once.

About the wine: 21 Gables Cabernet Sauvignon

An abundance of cassis and violets with concentrated aromas of cedar and pencil lead. A full-bodied wine with a concentrated structure and opulent finish.

Spier Signature wines can be tasted and purchased at the farm in Stellenbosch and are widely available at retail outlets and supermarkets and online at shop.spier.co.za.

* Recipe & image by Spier.