Vodka Steak and Rice

This one is versatile, the [original Nigella recipe] (https://www.nigella.com/recipes/sake-steak-and-rice) uses Sake, which I cannot have. However, using Vodka is totally acceptable in my book. If I’m feeling I could stomach it, I will use sherry.

There is no reason not to use Wasabi paste for the English mustard, either. And chicken or duck breasts work in place of the steak, too.

Ingredients

  • FOR THE STEAK

  • 300 g fillet steaks (2 x 150g / 5oz steaks)

  • 200 g basmati rice

  • 2 cardamom pods

  • chopped fresh coriander

  • FOR THE MARINADE

  • 1 teaspoon english mustard

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce (gluten-free)

  • 1 tablespoon garlic infused olive oil (or chilli oil)

  • FOR THE SAUCE

  • 5 UK single shots of Vodka, just over 60 ml

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce (gluten-free)

  • 0.5 teaspoon thai fish sauce (nam pla)

  • 1 teaspoon english mustard

Directions

  • In a freezer bag, combine the marinade ingredients, and add the steaks. Leave to marinate for a few hours or leave in the fridge for up to two days. I nearly always have a bag of marinating meat on the go in my fridge.

  • Let the steaks come to room temperature before you start cooking, and you can put the rice on at the same time.

  • Follow packet instructions for the rice, or rice-cooker handbook or just put the rice in a pan, bruise the cardamom pods and chuck them in too. Or add them in at the end before plating up, if using boil in the bag rice, as if a favourite of mine.

  • Heat a ridged griddle and then give the steaks, out of their marinade, 2 minutes a side or so, and remove the steaks, double-wrapping them in foil parcels. Let them rest for 10 minutes on a wooden board or a pile of newspapers.

  • Bring the Vodka to a boil in a tiny little saucepan, like one you might melt butter in, to let the alcohol taste evaporate.

  • Take the pan off the heat and add the other sauce ingredients.

  • Unwrap the steaks, removing them to a wooden board for carving as you do so, and pour the red juices gathered in the foil parcels into the pan of sauce.

  • Arrange some freshly boiled rice on two plates or one large one.

  • Slice the fillet steaks into thin diagonal slices.

  • Lay the carved steak on top of the rice and spoon over the sauce, letting it gloss the meat and drip here and there over the rice. Scatter the coriander on top to finish.