Listen up fruit fans – Argentinean blueberries are available to buy in the UK from September until late December and we’ve got just the recipe to bring out their delicious flavour.
What’s so special about Argentinian blueberries we hear you ask? Good question. It turns out not all fruit is created equal, and Argentina make some of the best blueberries out there. They have a distinctly silky smooth sweetness that beats any other variety we’ve tried. Add to that the fact blueberries are packed full of antioxidants (so important at this time of year when everyone and their dog manages to catch a cold) and the fact they’re high in dietary fibre, low in fat and a fab source of vitamin C and you’ve really got a super fruit on your hands.
We were tasked to create an Argentinian recipe which incorporates these little purple beauties – and what could be more Argentinian than a perfectly cooked steak.
Ok, so we know that a savoury recipe may not be the first thing which springs to mind when looking to cook with fruit, but trust us, the sweetness from these berries is just perfect with the salty fatty juices from the steak, coming together to create a distinctive dressing for the salad leaves it sits on.
It takes just minutes from start to finish, looks impressive and uses just one pan – can you really ask for more than that? Glass of Argentinian red wine for the chef, optional but encouraged.
Sirloin Steak with Argentinian Blueberries
Ingredients
125g Argentinian blueberries
Good quality piece of steak – we like Sirloin
Bunch of fresh thyme
Extra virgin olive oil
Small red onion, finely sliced.
1 garlic clove finely sliced
1 glass of red wine (ideally Argentinian)
Butter
Sea salt
Black pepper
Watercress or rocket to serve
Method
Take your steak and start by patting it dry with some kitchen paper. Rub it in olive oil, salt and pepper, really massaging it all over. Get your pan nice and hot and sear the meat on all sides, getting a nice bit of colour on it. Whilst you’re doing this, take the thyme and brush the meat on both sides so the fragrant leaves impart their flavour. Depending on the size of your steak, this should only take a couple of minutes each side. Once cooked (but still nice and pink in the middle!), remove from the pan and leave to rest.
Using the same pan, with all of those lovely meat juices, add another glug of olive oil. Add the finely sliced red onion and garlic. You want these to go translucent so turn the heat down and cook slowly to avoid them taking on too much colour. Once softened, add the glass of wine and wait for it to reduce slightly. Add a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Next come your Argentinian blueberries, again cooking slowly so they retain their shape. Slowly stir the butter in, making sure everything is coated. Add any juice from the steak back to the pan.
Slice your steak and arrange on top of the salad leaves. We like serving this sharing style on a wooden board, or you can plate up individual portions. Spoon over the lovely blueberry sauce, making sure it seeps into the salad below. Serve as is for a light meal or add sweet potato fries.
http://www.argentineanblueberries.com/
This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Argentinian Blueberries. All photos are my own.
