Christmas Day

Meal Plan Occasions 1: Special Occasions

Occasion 6 · Christmas Day

Today at a glance. A Christmas Day meal for one person (and a cat or two to watch): no turkey, just a really good T-bone steak with proper chips and a peppercorn sauce, and a sticky toffee pudding that makes a second one for Boxing Day. The pudding can be made on Christmas Eve, so on the day you only need to cook the steak. Quantities are for one, in metric with UK names, with notes on scaling up.

Main meal

Main meal · Serves 1 · Beef

T-Bone Steak with Garlic Thyme Butter, Proper Chips and Peppercorn Sauce

Prep: 15 minutes, plus 45 minutes' resting at room temperatureCooking: about 40 minutesAbout 30 minutes of hands-on workServes 1

Ingredients (1 portion)

  • 1 T-bone steak, about 450 to 550 g and 3 to 4 cm thick
  • 300 g floury potatoes (such as Maris Piper), for the chips
  • 2 tbsp sunflower or olive oil, for the chips
  • 1 tbsp sunflower or olive oil, for the steak
  • 25 g butter, for basting
  • 2 cloves garlic, left in their skins and lightly crushed
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried thyme)
  • 1 tsp flaky sea salt, for the steak
  • 1 small shallot (or ¼ of a small onion), finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp green peppercorns in brine, drained and lightly crushed (or 1 tsp crushed black peppercorns)
  • ¼ cube beef stock cube
  • 60 ml hot water for the sauce
  • 3 tbsp double cream (about 45 ml)
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • 100 g green beans or tenderstem broccoli
  • 10 g butter, for the greens
Choosing the steak
A T-bone is two steaks in one: a large strip (sirloin) on one side of the bone and a small, tender fillet on the other. Choose one that is at least 3 cm thick, with good marbling, and ask the butcher to cut it fresh. A thick steak cooks evenly, and gives you more time to get the colour. Take it out of the fridge 45 minutes before cooking, so it is not cold in the middle.

Method

  1. 45 minutes before: take the steak out of the fridge, pat it completely dry with kitchen paper (a wet steak will steam instead of sear), and leave it on a plate at room temperature. Peel the potatoes and cut them into chips about 1.5 cm thick.
  2. The chips: heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) and put a baking tray in to heat. Put the chips in a pan of cold salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, until just soft at the edges. Drain well, shake the colander to roughen them, and leave for 3 minutes to dry. Toss them with the 2 tbsp of oil and salt, tip them onto the hot tray in a single layer and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, turning once, until crisp and golden.
  3. The sauce: melt 10 g of the butter (from the 25 g) in a small pan over a medium heat. Cook the shallot for 3 minutes until soft. Add the peppercorns and the stock cube dissolved in 60 ml of hot water, and let it bubble for 3 minutes until reduced by half. Stir in the cream and mustard, and simmer for 2 minutes. Season with a little salt. Keep warm over a very low heat.
  4. The greens: when the chips have 8 minutes left, boil the green beans in salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, until tender. Drain and toss with the 10 g of butter.
  5. The steak: season both sides with the salt and plenty of pepper. Heat the 1 tbsp of oil in a heavy frying pan (cast iron is best) over a high heat until it is smoking hot. Open the window or turn on the extractor.
  6. Lay the steak in the pan and do not move it. Cook for 3 minutes, then turn it over and cook for another 3 minutes. Stand it on its fat edge for 1 minute to render it.
  7. Turn the heat down to medium, add the remaining 15 g of butter, the garlic and the thyme. Tilt the pan and spoon the foaming butter over the steak for 1 to 2 minutes. This is about 3 to 4 minutes per side in total for medium-rare. For medium, add 1 to 2 minutes. For well done, add 4 minutes and use a lower heat.
  8. Lift the steak onto a warm plate, pour over the butter from the pan, and rest it for 5 to 8 minutes. This is not optional: it keeps the juices in.
  9. Serve the steak with the chips, greens and peppercorn sauce. Cut the meat off the bone in slices, and do not leave the little fillet on the bone: it is the best part.
Cooking a steak safely
A whole steak can be served pink in the middle, because any bacteria are on the surface, which is seared in the pan. If you prefer it well done, or are cooking for anyone pregnant or unwell, cook it until there is no pink (70°C or more). Thermometer guide: rare 50°C, medium-rare 55°C, medium 60°C, well done 70°C and over. Do not wash the raw steak. Wash your hands, the board and the plate after handling it.

Swaps

A ribeye or a thick sirloin in place of the T-bone. Garlic butter mushrooms in place of the green beans. A mushroom sauce in place of the peppercorn sauce. Onion rings or a jacket potato in place of the chips.

Shopping list for this recipe

Dessert

Dessert · Serves 1, plus 1 for Boxing Day

Sticky Toffee Pudding for One (and One More)

Prep: 15 minutesOven: 20 minutesAbout 25 minutes of hands-on workMakes 2 small puddings: serves 1, plus 1 for Boxing Day

Ingredients (2 portions)

  • 60 g pitted dates, chopped
  • 100 ml boiling water
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 40 g soft butter, plus a little for the ramekins
  • 60 g light brown soft sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 60 g self-raising flour
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 40 g butter, for the toffee sauce
  • 60 g light brown soft sugar, for the toffee sauce
  • 60 ml double cream, for the toffee sauce
Make it ahead
Bake the puddings and make the sauce on Christmas Eve, and keep both covered. On Christmas Day, warm a pudding in the microwave for 40 to 50 seconds (or 10 minutes in a 160°C oven, covered with foil) and warm the sauce in a small pan. The second pudding is Boxing Day's treat.

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Butter two 200 ml ramekins or small ovenproof cups, and put them on a baking tray.
  2. Put the chopped dates in a small bowl with the boiling water and the bicarbonate of soda. Leave for 10 minutes, until soft. Mash roughly with a fork.
  3. Beat the 40 g of soft butter and 60 g of sugar in a bowl for 2 minutes, until pale. Beat in the egg and the vanilla. Fold in the flour, then stir in the date mixture, with its water. The batter will be quite runny, and that is right.
  4. Divide the batter between the ramekins and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until risen and springy to the touch.
  5. The sauce: while they bake, put the 40 g of butter, 60 g of sugar and cream in a small pan over a medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for 3 minutes, until it is thick and glossy. Take it off the heat.
  6. Turn one pudding out onto a plate (or leave it in its ramekin), pierce it all over with a skewer and pour over a few spoonfuls of the hot sauce. Eat it while it is warm, with ice cream or cream if you like.
  7. Cool the second pudding, cover it and keep it in the fridge for Boxing Day, with the rest of the sauce in a small jar.
Keep the second one safe
The second pudding must be cooled, covered and chilled within 2 hours of baking. Eat it the next day, reheated until steaming hot all the way through.

Swaps

A chocolate fondant in place of the pudding (bake 2 fondants at 200°C for 10 minutes). A splash of whisky or brandy in the sauce, if you like. A handful of chopped pecans in the batter.

Shopping list for this recipe
Coming up next
Occasion 7 is your own "I feel like celebrating" meal, for one: a garlic king prawn and chorizo linguine with garlic bread, followed by a tiramisu pot.