Yes, Spring has finally Sprung….the weather in Jozi has been glorious. It felt as though Winter would go on forever, and suddenly the willow tree is coming alive again! It’s the best thing about our garden…the long drooping branches of the willow that showers us with a crisp coolness on long Summer days!

Although I do love curries, soups, stews and casseroles…enough to enjoy them anytime of the year, I sometimes ‘lus’ for lighter meals….grilled meat or fish that can be thrown onto a pan and served with a drizzle or salad. I love spicy foods and curries but also find a seared beef fillet irresistible!

My dear friend and GIBS 10000 women colleague, Mandisa Bardill, messaged me last week for my marinated beef fillet recipe. First a little about Mandisa…how could I best describe her….a singer, a songwriter, a businesswoman, a friend and the ‘Hummingbird’ of our group!

Mands raved about the marinated fillet after trying it at one of my home dinner parties…it was one of our mad, crazy feasts, actually! That was a party to remember…us girls in party mode ready to rock on….and believe me, these ladies are a unique and talented bunch!

It was a great evening of fun and feasting….and we had Rebecca’s birthday to celebrate…

If you love celebrating as much as we do, check out the KitchenAid competition…post your comment on Facebook, Twitter or on the blog posts with #KitchenAid #mela and you could be the lucky winner! Here is the link, https://yudhikayumyum.com/competition/kitchenaid-giveaway-2014/

Even my kids got into party mode….firstly, by serving our guests and then having some fun!

One dessert is just not enough…..creme brulee was also on the menu!

Most of the girls on the scholarship programme had never met before, but I am sure that most of us made new friends….not acquaintances but real friends for life! I was very privileged to be a part of my little group and we called ourselves….’The Pussycat Dolls’ or the ‘Elevator Witches’! We always sat together…every class bucking the advice to mix and mingle! Hats off to the course directors who had to get us in line and keep us on track….Korkor Cudjoe, Yogavelli Nambiar, Catherine Burnard and Misha Dhana – the Gibs team really did have their hands full!

Back to the recipe….without further delays….

Fillet by Yudhika Sujanani[/caption]

Marinated Beef Fillet

Serves four

Ingredients
1kg beef fillet
Seasoned salt
25ml sunflower oil
Juice of 2 lemons
3 cloves garlic crushed
Chopped green chilli, to taste
50ml olive oil
Handful of fresh coriander, chopped

Here’s how:

Remove the fillet from the refrigerator and allow the meat to stand until it is at room temperature. Place the meat on a chopping board and using a sharp knife trim the fillet and remove the silvery skin. Season the fillet with seasoned salt. Heat an AMC skillet on high until it is smoking hot. Place the seasoned fillet on the skillet and pour the sunflower oil over. Sear the fillet until it caramelises on the outside. When the meat is caramelised, remove from the pan and wrap it in foil. Leave the meat to rest for fifteen minutes. The fillet continues cooking while it is resting. While the meat is resting, combine the lemon juice, crushed garlic, green chilli, olive oil and chopped coriander. Place the meat on a chopping board and slice thinly. If the meat is undercooked, grill again on a hot pan. Arrange the meat on a platter and pour the lemon and olive oil mixture over the fillet.

Yudhika’s Tips
Beef fillet is one of the most tender cuts and also the most expensive.
Ask your local butcher to trim the fillet for you as this saves time.
You can slice the fillet into portions if this makes searing them easier.
Always pour the sunflower oil into the skillet once the meat has been added. The oil can catch alight when it is poured into the pan before the meat.
This can be prepared rare, medium or well done according to your taste but the cooking time should be adjusted accordingly.
Thinly sliced beef fillet is an impressive snack and it can be served at room temperature.