Gary Mehigan’s healthy steak and fish recipes

Former MasterChef judge Gary Mehigan offers simple, easy recipes for staples you can cook at home, but which still feel special.

Gary Mehigan’s Steak & Green Bean Salad with Salsa Verde

A sophisticated yet simple dish featuring perfectly seared sirloin steak sliced over crisp blanched green beans and sweet roasted onions. The crowning glory is a rustic herb-packed salsa verde with capers, anchovies, and fresh herbs that adds bright, complex flavour to every bite. An elegant meal that’s equally suitable for weeknight dinners or casual entertaining.

A sophisticated yet simple dish featuring perfectly seared sirloin steak sliced over crisp blanched green beans and sweet roasted onions. The crowning glory is a rustic herb-packed salsa verde with capers, anchovies, and fresh herbs that adds bright, complex flavour to every bite. An elegant meal that’s equally suitable for weeknight dinners or casual entertaining.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

700g beef sirloin steaks, fat trimmed

2 small red onions, cut into quarters

6 garlic cloves, unpeeled

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

250g green beans, blanched

½ cup fresh mint leaves

½ cup flat parsley leaves

Flaked salt

Pepper

Salsa Verde

1 garlic clove, peeled

20g baby capers, soaked for 10 minutes

4 anchovy fillets

½ bunch basil, leaves picked

½ bunch dill, large stalks removed

1 bunch flat parsley, washed and spun dry

1 slice of white bread

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

100ml ml extra virgin olive oil

1 lemon zest only

Note: I prefer to leave the salsa verde a little coarse to show off the ingredients but if you like blend until completely smooth.

METHOD

• Remove your steak from the fridge at least one hour prior to cooking so it can come to room temperature. This will ensure more even cooking.
• Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
• Place onions cut side down on tray and scatter with garlic cloves. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil and bake for 30 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and soft.
• For the Salsa Verde, place all the ingredients in a small food processor and whiz until finely chopped. Season to taste. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Season the steak, then add to the pan. For a 3cm-thick steak, cook for 2-3 minutes each side, making sure to cook the shorter sides as well, or until meat has an internal temperature of 48°C-55°C for medium rare. Transfer to a plate and season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and rest for at least 5 minutes.
• Toss the blanched beans in 2 tablespoons of salsa verde and transfer to a serving platter. Slice the steak and arrange with the onion and garlic over the beans. Scatter with mint and parsley leaves and serve with the remaining salsa verde.

Gary Mehigan’s Baked Harpuka, Tahini & Yoghurt, Zucchini & Almonds. Picture: Adrian Lander

Baked Harpuka, Tahini & Yoghurt, Zucchini & Almonds

Beautiful, soft white fish, gently cooked and served with a nutty yoghurt and tahini dressing, toasted almonds and tender roasted zucchini. Fresh, light, tasty and surprisingly easy. Works well with any white fish cut into portions or cooked as a whole fillet.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

600g harpuka or snapper fillet, skin on, pin boned

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp fennel seed, crushed

1⁄2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp sumac

1 tsp flaked salt

2 zucchini sliced into 1 cm thick rounds

½ cup blanched almonds, toasted

1 lemon cut in half

Tahini Yoghurt

1 cup plain thick yoghurt

2 tbs. tahini

½ clove garlic finely chopped

½ lemon juice & zest

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

For the tahini sauce combine the ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and set aside.

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 120°C.
• Line a baking tray with baking paper.
• Place snapper (or harpuka) on prepared tray, brush with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and scatter over fennel seeds, salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon sumac.
• Place a second piece of baking paper over the top and bake for 18-20 minutes or until firm to touch and just cooked through.
• The snapper should have an internal temperature of between 46-48°C on a digital thermometer.
• Meanwhile heat a large frying pan over a high heat.
• Cook half the zucchini and one lemon half cut side down for 4 minutes or until golden and lightly charred transfer to a baking tray and repeat with the remaining zucchini and lemon.
• Place into the oven for 5 minutes to warm through.
• Serve the snapper scattered with the zucchini and almonds, scorched lemon and Tahini Yoghurt sauce.

Gary Mehigan is an ambassador for the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute and will be releasing a new healthy recipe each month.