Minute steak sandwich with plum chutney

As a student nurse I have been doing placements in several different offices and hospitals and right now I am based at an office. Unlike hospitals the working hours and the pace at a clinic are a lot more slow paced, which I love, however it leaves a lot of spare time to ‘’pop’’ to the kitchen and rummage the cupboards for biscuits and cake during both the morning and afternoon munchies. You often don’t find any and in days like that my munchies make me walk 2 miles to get a vanilla crown at a nearby bakery. Often someone will bring a few baked goods and leave it in the kitchen for everyone but the only treat this week was a massive box of Victoria plums from someone’s garden. No vanilla crown I’ll tell you.

On their own they are not my favourite afternoon snack. Unless they were in a cake. But their little translucent skins looked so beautiful I couldn’t help myself and picked up a few, all this recipes flashing through my brain. I think most people would have chosen to do something sweet with plums but my brain immediately thought: chutney.

I love chutney and I have mentioned before in posts how much I love sweet and sour combinations. And what do I love just as much as chutney?

A good slab of red meat.

You don’t have to use sirloin, a cheaper cut of meat will do fine, if you treat it right (by kicking the living thing out of it) you’ll think you’re having sirloin. I have used beef scallops and frying beef before but this time I was lucky enough to get a rump steak for half the price at my local supermarket.

You need to be ingenious and have a mallet at hand to soften the meat because let’s face it, who can afford to eat sirloin for lunch?!?!?

Minute steak sandwich with plum chutney

For the chutney: (makes around 350g)

450g plums, peeled, stoned and cut into small pieces

150g dark brown sugar

80ml white wine or cider vinegar

20g fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Put all the ingredients in the pan on a medium heat and bring slowly to the boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Turn the heat down to a simmer and leave to cook until well reduced and thick, stirring often so it doesn’t burn.

For the steak:

You can go for any cut of meat, most butchers will sell minute steaks. I used rump and cut it to 0.5cm in thickness

Red onion, sliced

Butter

Salt and pepper

Ciabatta bread

Rocket salad

1. Put your frying pan or griddle pan on a high heat

2. Place the steaks on a plate and rub some salt and pepper into it

3. When the pan is nice and hot add a bit of butter then add the steaks and press down with a spoon. Cook for a minute on each side

4. After the steaks are done add a bit more butter and brown the onions. After I finish frying everything I like warming my bread on the pan and letting it suck all the leftover juices.Serve it with rocket salad and the plum chutney.