Ingredients

• 3 tbsp black peppercorns
• coarsely ground
• sieved
• dust discarded
• 4 x 175g/6oz fillet steaks
• cut in half
• 4 tsp Dijon mustard
• freshly ground sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 50g/2oz butter
• 200g/7oz fresh cep (porcini) mushrooms
• thickly sliced
• 450g/1lb new potatoes
• scrubbed
• boiled until tender
• 50g/2oz butter
• salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 3 tbsp chopped flatleaf parsley
• 25g/1oz butter
• 500g/1lb 2oz baby leaf spinach
• 3 tbsp water
• salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 50ml/2fl oz whisky
• 50ml/2fl oz beef stock
• 50ml/2fl oz double cream

Directions

• For the steaks
• spread the coarse black pepper pieces over a small plate. Coat all sides of the steaks with the Dijon mustard and then press them into the crushed peppercorns to coat.
• Heat a large frying pan until very hot and add the sunflower oil. Season the steaks with salt
• then add to the pan to cook for 1-2 minutes. Turn once to brown both sides (don't move the steaks around once they are in the pan or the peppercorn crust will fall off - cook to achieve a good crusty coating on each side.)
• Add the butter and allow it melt and turn nut-brown in colour
• but don't let it burn.
• Add the mushrooms and stir in the butter. As the mushrooms start to absorb the pan juices
• turn the steaks again and allow them to cook for 3-4 minutes on each side
• or until cooked to your liking.
• Remove the steaks and place onto a baking tray and leave to rest in a warm place.
• For the tatties
• place the potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and gently crush each potato with a fork until it just splits. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground white pepper
• and add the parsley. Mix until all the butter has been absorbed
• but don't over-mash the potatoes.
• For the spinach
• heat a medium frying pan or wok until hot. Add the butter and the spinach and stir-fry for one minute
• then add the water. Continue to stir until the spinach has wilted. Remove from the heat
• season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground white pepper and set aside until ready to serve.
• For the whisky sauce
• add the whisky to the pan used to cook the steaks
• and cook over a very high heat for one minute to boil off the alcohol. (CAUTION: the whisky may catch fire
• which is perfectly acceptable
• but if this worries you
• have a large lid handy to place onto the pan to prevent the flames. And make sure you have your extractor fan turned off.)
• Add the stock and boil to reduce the liquid volume
• until thickened
• then add the cream. Boil to reduce the liquid volume again
• scraping and stirring to loosen the stuck bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Pour any juices released by the resting steaks into the sauce and stir well.
• To serve
• place a chefs' ring into the centre of each of four plates. Fill with the crushed potatoes and carefully remove the ring. Place a small pile of spinach onto the potatoes
• and arrange two medallions of steak on top of each pile. Spoon the sauce and the mushrooms over the steak
• and serve.