COTE DE BOEUF

Côte de boeuf is basically a giant cow chop, cut from the rib of beef. Ours came from John Hutton in Earl Soham in Suffolk. Ask your butcher to French-trim the meat as s/he would a rack of lamb. Try it served with French fries and a green salad.

The panch phoran mix originates from the Indian sub-continent and is always used as whole spices. This will make more than you will need for this recipe, but it keeps well, sealed in a jar.

Côte de Boeuf (serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

1 côte de boeuf, about 1 kg

6-8 large cloves of garlic, unpeeled

Extra-virgin rapeseed oil (we like Hillfarm’s)

A knob of butter

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the panch phoran:

½ tbsp fenugreek seeds

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp nigella (black onion) seeds

1 tbsp fennel seeds

1 tbsp brown mustard seeds

Method:

Ensure the meat is at room temperature before you start cooking. Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.

Pre-heat an oven-proof pan on a high heat. Score the fat on the side of the meat. Rub it all over with oil, season well with salt and pepper and scatter some panch phoran on each side.

When the pan is smoking, add a splash of oil and a knob of butter. Sear the meat on each side for four minutes until brown and crusty, adding the garlic cloves to the pan. Baste the meat and turn the garlic as you go so it doesn’t burn.

Place in the oven for about 15 minutes or until cooked to your liking, then remove and rest somewhere warm for 15 minutes more. Remove to a board and slice, drizzling with the pan juices and a little more oil. Offer the garlic cloves to be squeezed from their skins.