Ingredients

• 4 x 200g/7oz beef fillet steaks
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 115g/4oz butter
• 1 onion
• skin on
• halved
• 150ml/5fl oz Madeira
• 150ml/5fl oz red wine
• 250ml/9fl oz beef or veal stock
• 250g/9oz baby spinach leaves
• 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 175g/6oz duck liver pâté
• 4 slices brioche

Directions

• Season the beef with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat a frying pan until hot
• add the oil and some of the butter
• seal the beef on each side for three minutes then remove from the heat and set aside to rest.
• Heat a sauté pan until hot; add some more of the butter and the onion
• cut side down. Fry until the bottom of the onion is very browned then add the Madeira and cook until reduced by half.
• Add the red wine
• reduce again then add the stock and cook once more until reduced by half. Strain into a clean pan then whisk in 25g/1oz of the butter and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Keep warm.
• Heat a frying pan until hot
• add a little more butter and the spinach
• cook until the spinach has wilted down then season with a little salt
• freshly ground black pepper and nutmeg. Drain the spinach onto kitchen paper.
• Heat the last of the butter in a clean frying pan until foaming then add the brioche slices and cook on each side until golden brown. Remove from the pan and drain onto kitchen paper.
• To serve
• lay the brioche onto the centre of the plate then spread the duck liver pâté over the top. Place a pile of spinach on top then the rested steaks. Finish with a ladle of Madeira sauce over the top.