Grilled Beef and Noodle Salad

Bank holiday weekend - so the weather was bound to be bad - and this belief is enough to make me splash out on steak. Because I love a good steak and any excuse will do. With rump I buy a piece that is thick - at least an inch thick - and it usually comes in at well over a kilo in weight. The steak I bought on Saturday was close to a kilo and a half - serious meat. It is expensive - £17 - but we get two meals from it and the pleasure is sublime.

Cooking the steak is simplicity itself. I heat my ridged cast iron pan on the highest flame for at least five minutes, then season the meat, cut it in half and put the pieces into the pan. Cook on the high heat for 4-5 minutes each side, then turn off the heat and leave the steak in the pan for another 5 minutes to rest. It will be seared on the outside and fairly rare in the centre. Serve with salad and a glass of red. Bliss.

But a lot of meat - too much in fact to eat in a single meal. Next day, the leftovers make a brilliant salad with noodles and a sweet salty dressing that comes from the brilliant book Spice by the Australian chef Christine Manfield.

Grilled Beef & Noodle Salad

12 cloves garlic, peeled
vegetable oil
2 tspns white sesame seeds
4 little Japanese aubergine
500g fresh egg noodles
1/4 cup mint leaves shredded
1/4 cup thai basil leaves, shredded
3 spring onions, finely sliced
2 cups watercress sprigs
leftover grilled rump steak, thinly sliced

Soy dressing
20 ml light soy sauce
1 tspn sesame oil
20ml lemon juice
25 ml Chinese rice vinegar
35 ml mirin
30ml sugar syrup (heat equal quantities of caster sugar and water till dissolved)
2 cloves garlic, minced

Shallow fry garlic cloves in oil until golden and soft, then drain on paper towels. Dry roast sesame seeds over gentle heat until just coloured, then cool. To make the dressing combine all the ingredients and whisk together.

Quarter the little aubergines lengthwise, score the flesh and brush with oil (I use the garlic oil from the previous step) then grill until softened and golden.

Cook noodles in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, drain and refresh. Put the noodles into a bowl with half the dressing.

In another bowl, mix garlic cloves with the herbs, spring onions and watercress then add the meat and spoon in enough dressing to coat leaves and beef lightly.

Pile noodles into bowls, sit grilled aubergines on top. Arrange beef and salad over this then drizzle over a little more dressing and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Fabulous.