METHOD
Sauce: Put a pan of salted
water on to boil. Push in all the watercress and boil for 5 minutes. Add
the spinach and cook for another minute or so until wilted. Drain in a
colander. Press with the back of a ladle to extract as much moisture as
possible.
Put the leaves into a
food processor and blend to a fine purée, scraping down the sides
occasionally. Pour 1/4 cup of the cream through the processor funnel and
keep the blades whirling for what seems like an eternity. You will eventually
get a sauce with a texture like silk. It will be so smooth, you will not
need to pass it through a sieve. If you want a pouring sauce, add the
remaining cream. Check the seasoning, and pour into a small saucepan ready
for reheating.
Cut the beef loin into
4 even steaks and rub each side using 1 tablespoon oil. Heat a heavy,
non-stick frying pan until you can feel a good heat rising. Lay in your
steaks - they should give a good hiss as they hit the hot pan. Season
the tops and cook for about 3 minutes, then flip over and cook the other
side for 2 minutes. Slip the butter into the pan at this stage and season
the second side. Remove the steaks from the pan and leave to rest while
you cook the mushrooms.
Sauté the mushrooms
with the garlic in the remaining oil. Season and mix with the parsley.
Reheat the watercress
purée/sauce. Place the steaks on warmed plates (sliced first if
you like), trickle any pan juices over, and spoon on the mushrooms. If
your watercress purée is firm, shape it into quenelles. If it is
a sauce, spoon some over the steaks and pass the rest separately. Serve
with whatever accompaniment you like to eat steak with. Fries are great,
or why not try slices of really fresh baguette?
Serves: 4 as a main dish
Reprinted with permission
from ©2000, 2005 Gordon Ramsay, A Chef For All Seasons, published
by Ten Speed Press
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