Cacio e pepe, literally translated from Italian, means cheese and pepper. Though usually relegated to side roles in a main dish, cheese and pepper take centre stage in anything cacio e pepe related. This recipes uses a variety of different mushrooms for a perfect nutty flavour that pairs perfectly with a generous helping of barbecued steak.
Ingredients
Baby cos salad
Method
1.Place butter, parsley, pecorino, garlic, 3 tsp lemon juice, zest, and pepper in a bowl and stir to combine. Set aside at room temperature.
2.Preheat a lightly greased barbecue or char-grill pan to high. Place steak in a large bowl, season and drizzle with oil to coat. Barbecue steak, turning occasionally until lightly charred all over (6-8 minutes for medium rare) or until cooked to your liking; rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
3.Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp of the flavoured butter with mushrooms and sage, cook, tossing occasionally, until mushrooms begin to brown (2-3 minutes). Add another 2 tbsp butter with 2 tbsp water; cook for a further 2 minutes. Take off heat, season to taste and stir in 1 tbsp lemon juice; keep warm until ready to serve.
4.For salad, place oil in a large bowl with mustard and remaining lemon juice, season to taste and whisk to combine. Add cos and herbs and toss to combine; transfer to a serving bowl.
5.To serve, thickly slice steak and place on a large platter and spoon over cacio e pepe mushrooms. Serve with remaining butter and salad on the side.
To create good caramelisation on the steak, ensure your barbecue or char-grill pan is preheated well before cooking.