- 4 x 7oz fillet steaks
- 8 slices of pancetta or streaky bacon
- 8 oysters, water reserved
- butter for frying
- 300ml/½ pint/1¼ cups of olive oil
- 400g/13oz new potatoes scrubbed and cut into 1in/2.5cm chunks
- 200g/7oz tomatoes cut into 2cm/¾in chunks
- 200g/7oz small onions, halved top to bottom
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 2 sprigs sage
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 60g/2oz/½ cup pitted black olives
- 60g/2oz flat leaf parsley, stems removed
- Slit the steaks to make a pouch, stuff with a couple of wet oysters and then wrap around two pieces of pancetta or streaky bacon.
- Heat 50g/1¾oz of butter in a heavy frying pan, over a medium heat and put in the steaks.
- For medium-rare, cook for roughly 3 minutes on each side, then remove from the pan.
- Take the pan off the heat, pour in the reserved oyster water and scrape any bits from the bottom to the surface.
- Finally, pour the resulting liquid over the steaks.
- To make the potatoes pre heat the oven to 190C/375F/ Gas 5.
- Warm the olive oil in a heavy casserole dish over a medium heat.
- Add the potatoes, tomatoes, onions, garlic cloves, thyme and sage and bring to the boil.
- Season well and simmer for 8-10 minutes, then cover and cook in the oven for half an hour, or until the potatoes are cooked through (do not stir as this will break up the vegetables).
- Allow to cool slightly, then add the olives and parsley. Finally, serve with the carpet bag steaks.