Ingredients
(Serves four)
4 fillet steaks (250g each)
Salt
Pepper
Fresh thyme, chopped
Butter
Oil
For the pan haggerty
4 large potatoes, peeled
2 carrots, peeled
1/2 celeriac, peeled
1 parsnip, peeled
200g mature Cheddar, grated
1 bunch fresh thyme
For the onion rings
2 red onions, peeled and sliced
250g self-raising flour
1tsp salt
1tsp white wine vinegar
200ml beer
100ml water
Pinch of fresh thyme
For the thyme juices
300ml veal jus
100ml beer
Picked thyme
For garnish
2 carrots, chopped into 2cm cubes, boiled
1/2 swede, chopped into 2cm cubes, boiled
12 baby onions, peeled and boiled
Method
Season the steaks with salt, pepper and a little chopped thyme. You can use any breed, but the Dexter we use comes from about 10 miles down the road and is packed with flavour - but it is about half the size of a regular fillet.
Seal in a little hot oil and butter until nicely coloured. Place in a hot oven and cook for four minutes. Remove from the oven and rest in a warm place.
It is best to make the pan haggerty (which originates from Northumberland) a day in advance. Place all the grated vegetables in a bowl and mix with freshly chopped thyme and plenty of salt and pepper. Put the mix into a buttered baking dish about 10cm deep, press own and put the grated cheese on top. Bake in a medium oven for about an hour. Place a weight on top and refrigerate. When needed, cut out with plain pastry cutter (about 10cm), place on tray and heat through in the oven.
To make the beer batter, whisk all the ingredients together and season to taste. Coat the onion rings in seasoned flour and then dip in the batter. Deep-fry until golden brown.
To make the sauce, reduce the beer by two-thirds and add the veal jus. Simmer until it reaches the right consistency. Add thyme, cooked onions and root vegetables to warm through.
Assemble the dish by placing the pan haggerty on the plate with the fillet carved around. Stack the onion on top of the "pan hag". Put the garnish and sauce around, and serve with a pint of your favourite ale.
James Mackenzie, head chef, the Star Inn, Harome, North Yorkshire