New recipes from Mark Hix

Mark Hix recommends the best ways to cook meat on the bone, from rib-eye steak to veal chop

NrSpTvAK23AytoWWesTZbf.jpg
Rib-steak

Rib-eye steak with caramelised endive

Serves 4 Rib-eye steaks have flooded the shelves, and seem to be the most popular cut of beef, above fillet and sirloin. I must say, both of the latter are overrated cuts for flavour-the rib wins hands down. If you can persuade your butcher to keep the bone on it as an individual steak, or as one between two people, it's even better. Endive doesn't often get cooked, and normally ends up in the salad bowl, but, when slowly roasted, it takes on the most delicious sweet and savoury flavours. Ingredients

4 beef ribs on the bone, weighing 350g-400g each, or two weighing about 800g each Salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 heads of endive 60g butter Method

Preheat the oven to 180˚C/ gas mark 5. Place the endive heads in a roasting dish or casserole with a tight-fitting lid. Season, spoon the butter over, cover and cook in the oven for 30 minutes, basting every so often. Remove the lid and return to the oven for another 20 minutes, basting a couple of times, until they're nicely coloured and tender.

Meanwhile, preheat a ribbed griddle pan or heavy frying pan, lightly oil and season the ribs and cook on the griddle for 4-5 minutes on each side, depending on their thickness, keeping them rare.

Serve

on warmed serving plates with the endive heads next to them. If you're cooking double-sized ribs, double the cooking time or finish them on the griddle in the oven, then slice at the table.

Veal chop with roasted red onions

Serves 4

The chop from the loin or rib is one of the most delicious cuts of veal, and often features on Italian menus. A good butcher should be able to cut you a decent one, or you can buy them online from Donald Russell (www.donaldrussell.com). Ingredients

4 veal chops, weighing about 350g each Salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 medium-sized red onions, quartered, but with their skins still on 2-3tbsp olive or rapeseed oil 80g butter A few sprigs of rosemary with the stalks removed Method

Preheat the oven to 200˚C/ gas mark 6. Place the red onions in a roasting tray, season and spoon over some of the oil. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, turning them occasionally, until they're tender and nicely coloured. Meanwhile, preheat a ribbed griddle pan or heavy frying pan, lightly oil and season the chops and cook them on the griddle for 4-5 minutes on each side, keeping them nice and pink.

To serve, heat the butter in a pan until it's starting to foam, drop in the rosemary and remove from the heat. Transfer the chops to warmed serving plates and arrange the onions next to them and spoon the rosemary butter over them. And to drink...

Rib-eye steak with caramelised endive The gutsy 2007 Domaine La Tour Vieille Collioure, Puig Oriol (£14.95, Yapp Brothers) has a vibrant perfume of cassis and black plum, and the rich, earthy fruits on the palate provide a perfect foil to this hearty steak and chicory.

Veal chop with roasted red onions This Greenstone Heathcote Sangiovese from Victoria, Australia (£25.50, Tesco Wine by the Case) is particularly special. It has a hint of leather and a touch of wild herbs that pick up on the rosemary used in this dish.

Greenstone is considerably cheaper than a top-notch Chianti, and is every bit as delicious.

Chosen by Amelia Pinsent

Mark Hix's ‘Seasonal Food' is available from Quadrille at £25

Country Life

Bringing the quintessential English rural idle to life via interiors, food and drink, property and more Country Life’s travel content offers a window into the stunning scenery, imposing stately homes and quaint villages which make the UK’s countryside some of the most visited in the world.