Ingredients

• 12 shallots
• peeled
• roots trimmed
• 60g/2¼oz butter
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 75ml/2 ½fl oz red wine
• 50ml/2fl oz port
• 50ml/2fl oz crème de cassis
• 250ml beef stock
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• ½ lemon
• zest only
• 4 thick fillet steaks (ask your butcher for steaks cut from the centre of the fillet)
• 150g/5½oz soft goats’ cheese
• 1 tsp finely chopped rosemary
• 1 lemon
• zest only
• 1 garlic clove
• crushed
• 4 streaky bacon rashers
• rind removed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• For the candied shallots
• bring a pan of water to the boil. Simmer the shallots in the water for 5 minutes
• then drain. Heat the butter in a frying pan
• add the shallots and cook over a medium low heat until lightly browned. Add the sugar
• heat gently and stir until the sugar starts to caramelise.
• Mix the wine
• port
• cassis and stock in a jug. Add about a quarter of this to the pan of shallots
• bring to the boil
• then add the bay leaf
• thyme and lemon zest. Keep adding the remaining liquid gradually
• reducing each time
• until the shallots are just covered with a lovely sticky glaze
• then set aside until needed.
• For the steaks
• take the steaks out of the fridge an hour or so before cooking so that they are at room temperature.
• Crumble the cheese into a bowl
• then add the rosemary
• lemon zest and garlic.
• Using a sharp knife
• cut a pocket horizontally in each steak
• taking care not to cut all the way through the steak. Place one-quarter of the cheese stuffing into each pocket. Close the flap
• and wrap a rasher of bacon around each steak
• helping to seal the pocket. Secure with a cocktail stick.
• Rub olive oil over the steaks
• then sprinkle with salt and pepper to season.
• Heat frying pan until hot and fry the steaks for 3-4 minutes on each side (for medium) or until cooked to your liking. For a 2.5cm/1in thick steak
• 2-3 minutes per side will give you a rare steak
• 3-4 minutes per side will give you a medium-rare steak; and 4-5 minutes per side will give you a medium to well-done steak.
• Allow the steaks to rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile
• gently reheat the shallots. Serve the steaks with the candied shallots.