Minute Steaks with Smashed Olives & Goats Cheese
(a) they’re super quick to cook and
(b) they’re always super tender.
Plus you can get away with using cheaper (and more flavourful) cuts of steak. So they’re an all round winner.
If the thought of bashing the meat scares you, just buy minute steaks from your butcher.
Although I must say it is a good way to work out some aggression if you’ve had a tough day… I generally use my metal potato ricer because I don’t have a meat mallet.
I love the combo of goats cheese and olives to add an instant salty, flavour boost to our steaks.
And the way they combine with the olive oil and steak juices to make an instant sauce is a winner! Also fab with lamb chops or chicken.
Ingredients
- 2 small steaks
- 1 sprig rosemary finely chopped
- large handful black olives pitted and smashed
- 100 g goats cheese or feta, crumbled
- salad or steamed veg, to serve
Instructions
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Cut steaks into 2-3 pieces each. Then using your fist, a small saucepan, a meat mallet, rolling pin or potato ricer bash each piece of meat until it’s about 1/2cm (1/4in) thick. Rub steak with oil and sprinkle with salt.
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Heat a large frying pan, griddle pan or your BBQ. When it’s super hot add steaks and cook for 1 minute on each side or until well browned. Add rosemary to the pan and remove from the heat.
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Divide steaks between two plates. Top with olives, cheese and a good glug of your best peppery extra virgin olive oil.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
WINE MATCH: A big gutsy red like a Barossa Shiraz or a Californian Zinfandel.
Variations & Substitutions
vegetarian – try the goats cheese olive combo with mushroom steaks or as a stuffing for roast eggplant or sweet potato halves.
more substantial (carb lovers) – serve with potatoes (steamed, roast, chips) or with crusty bread and butter.
more substantial (low carb) – increase the cheese and be generous with the olive oil. And serve with more substantial veg like steamed broccoli or roast veg instead of just the salad leaves. Roast nuts like almonds or walnuts will add crunch and extra substance.
dairy-free – replace goats cheese with roast almonds or anchovies. Croutons will also work.
different meat – awesome with lamb chops or leg steaks (bashed out in the same manner). Chicken breast or thigh fillets are also fab. And meaty fish like swordfish or tuna steaks.
different cheese – any sharp soft cheese will work. Grated ricotta salata or soft fresh ricotta would be good too.
Waste Avoidance Strategy
steaks – freeze them.
rosemary – will keep in a plastic bag in the fridge for weeks. Also freezes well.
olives – keeps for months in an unopened jar. Opened jars or from the deli will keep in the fridge for a few weeks.
feta – keeps for months unopened in its packet. Or can be frozen. Or you could make a marinated feta by putting it in a super clean jar from the dishwasher and covering with oil and then keeping it in the fridge. Sometimes I like to add flavourings like bay leaves, lemon zest and pepper corns or chilli.
goats cheese – pre-paackaged goats cheese can have a shelf life of months. If your packet is opened, though, best to freeze. salad leaves – are highly perishable. My first path would be to use them for another meal (salad for breakfast!) but if that isn’t possible you can pop them in the freezer. They will wilt down but can then be used anywhere you’d use wilted greens. At least this way they wont go slimey.
Prepare Ahead
Best when the steak is freshly cooked. You could bash out and oil the steaks up to a few days ahead. And the cheese can be crumbled and the olives chopped. That being said, I used the leftovers from the photo shoot and warmed them to serve as a steak sandwich and didn’t get any complaints.