Wilder Recipes: Beef entrecôte

In the first of our Wilder Recipes series, expedition, performance and private chef, Kieran Creevy, prepares an East African-themed tandoori-marinated beef entrecôte with smoked kachumbari and spiced flatbread. The Wilder Recipes series will showcase recipes and techniques that elevate outdoor cooking, making use of open fires, grills and basic camp cooking equipment. Photography by Lisa Paarvio.

Tandoori-marinated beef entrecôte, smoked kachumbari and spiced flatbread

Ingredients

500g beef entrecôte

Spice blend:
1 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp coriander seed
1 tsp fenugreek seed
1 tsp black onion seed
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sea salt

Flatbread:
200g white, wholemeal or gluten-free flour
30ml olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp fennel seed
Water

Kachumbari:
3 large tomatoes
1 large pink, red or white onion
2 cloves garlic
1 small red chili, deseeded
Zest 1 lime
1 cup bitter leafy greens
Sea salt

Optional:
Swiss chard, or other leafy green

To cook:
Black peppercorns
Sea salt

Method

Night before:

Toast all the spices in a dry pan and crush, mixing in the sea salt.
Cover the beef with the dry spice rub and leave to marinate overnight in the fridge.

On the day:

Get your grill/bbq to temperature.
You want a medium-to-high heat, but minimal flame.
Take the meat out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking.
While your grill is getting to the right temperature, prepare the other elements.

Flatbread

In a bowl combine all the dry ingredients.
Add the olive oil and mix well.
Slowly add a little water at a time, mixing well each time.
You want a stiff, flexible dough.
Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead for 3-4 minutes.
Break off a tennis ball sized lump, and flatten between your hands to a rough circle/oval.
The thinner the dough, the faster it will cook.

Smoked kachumbari

When the grill is hot, place the onion on the grill (skin on) and smoke for 2-3 minutes.
If you want a smokier flavour, you could also part-grill the tomatoes as well.
Roughly chop the tomatoes, garlic, bitter leafy greens and chili.
Mix in a bowl, and add the lime zest and a little sea salt.

Beef entrecôte

When the grill is at the right temperature, cook the beef, adding a little black pepper.
You can also cook the flatbreads on the side (if the grill is big enough).
When the beef gets to the right level of cooking (for you), remove to a large plate, cover and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

If the grill is small, you can cook the flatbreads while the beef is resting.

Slice the beef thickly, taste and if needed sprinkle with a little extra salt.

Serve with the flatbreads and kachumbari.

Furahia mlo wako! (Enjoy your meal)