Ingredients

• 2 tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil
• ½ onion
• finely sliced
• ½ red pepper
• seeds removed
• sliced into thin strips
• ½ yellow pepper
• seeds removed
• sliced into thin strips
• ½ green pepper
• seeds removed
• sliced into thin strips
• 1 large ripe tomato
• finely chopped
• 250g/9oz button mushrooms
• chopped
• 125-150ml/4-5fl oz boiling water
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 347g/¾lb canned ackee
• drained (available from some supermarkets and Afro-Caribbean grocers)
• 1 spring onion
• trimmed
• finely chopped
• 1½ tsp sunflower or groundnut oil
• 8 x 125g/4½oz pieces fillet steak
• 1 onion
• finely sliced
• 125g/4½oz sweet pepper
• seeds removed
• sliced into thin strips
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• leaves only
• 1 garlic clove
• finely chopped
• 2 tsp dark soy sauce
• 3 tsp tomato purée
• 4 ripe tomatoes
• roughly chopped
• 300ml/½ pint boiling water
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• For the ackee and mushrooms
• heat the oil in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the sliced onion and peppers and fry for 4-5 minutes
• or until softened
• stirring regularly.
• Add the chopped tomato and continue to fry for 1-2 minutes
• stirring occasionally
• or until the tomatoes have started to break down.
• Add the mushrooms and continue to fry for 2-3 minutes
• or until the liquid released by the mushrooms has evaporated.
• Add boiling water
• as necessary
• to loosen the sauce mixture
• stirring until well combined in the mixture. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Add the ackee and carefully fold it into the sauce. Simmer for 2-3 minutes
• or until heated through
• then sprinkle over the spring onion. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
• For the steak
• rub one teaspoon of the oil all over the pieces of fillet steak. Heat a heavy-based pan over a medium heat until hot
• then add the steak pieces and fry for 1-2 minutes on each side (for medium-rare)
• or until cooked to your liking. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Meanwhile
• heat the remaining half a teaspoon of oil in a separate
• heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and sweet pepper and fry
• stirring regularly
• until softened.
• Add the remaining steak ingredients and continue to fry for 4-5 minutes
• stirring regularly
• until the vegetables are just cooked through. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper. (NB: Bear in mind that the soy sauce is quite salty.)
• Add the cooked steaks to the pan and cook until heated through.
• To serve
• place two pieces of fillet steak onto each of four serving plates. Pour over the pepper and tomato sauce. Spoon the ackee and mushrooms alongside.