Steak with anchovy butter

1 Pound or mash the butter with the anchovies and garlic until everything is well mixed in. Add the parsley and pound a little again. Cover and chill until firm, then shape into a log and wrap. Put it back in the fridge until 10 minutes before you cook the steaks. (I know people like fat rounds of butter on steaks but it’s too cold straight from the fridge. You want it to melt as soon as it comes in contact with the hot meat.)

2 Preheat the oven to 140ºC, gas mark 1. Put in a roasting tin big enough to hold the steaks (you might need 2 tins). Heat 1 or 2 large frying pans, depending on what size you have (preferably cast iron, but at least one with a heavybase), for 7-10 minutes over a medium-high heat.

3 Add a little oil to the pan – just enough to thinly coat it – and, once hot, add the steaks. First, use tongs to hold the steaks upright with the fat side facing down to render some of the fat. Next, lay the steaks down flat – you should hear the sizzle – and cook for 3-4 minutes, flipping them occasionally. Season. Press them down on the base of the pan from time to time. If the steaks aren’t getting a good colour, turn the heat up. If they’re getting too dark, turn it down.

4 Transfer the steaks to the roasting tin (or tins) in the oven and finish the cooking there – it should take about 2 minutes for medium-rare. There shouldn’t be any juices in the roasting tin – it should all be in the steak. Cover and rest for a few minutes, then serve on warm plates with some of the butter on top