Steak and 'Asian' Cucumber Salad

Steak goes in pie with ale, steak goes with chips, steak goes with eggs. There aren't many ways you can go wrong with this fantastic joy of a meat cut, but for me this option just makes things a little lighter, saves the carbs for pasta night, and puts a little twist on our delicious friend Mr. Moo.

It's been said that the cut of meat you choose and the way you have your meat cooked are intertwined, to a level that you should probably pick a certain cut if your preference is for super lean meat, or that you should probably switch to more medium-cooked territory if you like a fattier cut. I must say I have found this to be true.

Below I'm going for a rib-eye, which does mean the world of blue-cooked beef is probably not going to allow the fat to fully render, so if your wish is for that almost-rare cook, then I would probably switch below for a fillet or something a little leaner. I won't be doing this.

Ingredients

• Small ribeye steak
• Cucumber
• Tomatoes
• Mozzarella

Preparation

• Remove the meat from the fridge. Pat dry and season with salt and pepper.
• Wrap the cucumbers in cling film and hit with a rolling pin until crushed and broken, but not mushy. This will add texture to the vegetables and better aid the absorption of the marinade.
• Slice the broken cucumbers into pieces, salt well, then place in a sieve to drain the water.
• Slice the cherry tomatoes in half, squeeze the halves to remove the seeds, then add to the cucumbers.
• For the marinade, mix soy sauce, sesame oil, wasabi, crushed garlic, chili flakes and sesame seeds in a jar and shake well.
• Cube the mozzarella and add to the veg before pouring on the marinade and giving it all a mix. Leave to sit in the fridge while you make the steak.
• Heat a pan to maximum temperature, add a little avocado oil and cook the steak on each side for 2 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and add butter, thyme and a garlic clove to the pan. Baste the steak on each side for a minute.
• Let the steak rest for 3 minutes, then slice into strips.
• Plate and serve the steak with a generous portion of the salad.