Weekend Foodie: Raising the steaks with simple beef and spicy noodle bowls
This simple dish makes for an ideal comfort food.
January is the month when everyone cries off the rich foods and the booze and goes all out for the health kick at the start of the year!
So this weekend, I’m dishing up a relatively simple dish without the fancy dressings or richness of the food we have been eating over the Christmas period.
I’ve used striploin steaks for these simple spicy noodle bowls, but you could substitute chicken or fish if you don’t fancy red meat.
This works particularly well with salmon fillet as well so that’s a great alternative.
The noodles are very simple, just stirred through with fresh sweet baby pepper strips and green beans and dressed with a light soy sauce to taste.
I always cook steak medium rare to medium, because I like to see a bit of juice in my meat. A good indication that the steak is cooked to that stage is when the meat juices start to prick the surface of the steak during cooking. Leave it longer for these juices to dry up for well-done meat.
For dessert, we are skipping the luxurious desserts of the the festive season for some fresh fruits, but with a winter touch. Leftover mulled wine spices are great for this warm fruit salad of melon and pear steeped in a spiced apple juice. If you don't have the spices, just use the cinnamon stick as that will give a lovely aroma. This warm fruit salad makes a refreshing but comforting way to end a weekend supper.
- 4 striploin steaks
- Olive oil for rubbing and cooking
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 200g pack mixed sweet baby peppers
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 100g fine green beans, stalks trimmed and chopped into lengths
- Pinch dried red chilli flakes, to taste
- 300g medium egg noodles (2 nests per person for a main course)
- Soy sauce to taste
- Rub steaks with oil both sides and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Leave at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- While the steaks are resting, heat a little oil in a non-stick frying pan and stir fry the peppers, garlic and beans gently over medium heat to brown and char lightly.
- Stir in the dried chilli flakes.
- Remove veggies from pan and reserve.
- Turn up the heat and add an extra splash of oil to frying pan if necessary.
- Add the steaks and sear to brown one side, then turn over to brown other sides.
- Cook for about 6 minutes for medium steak, depending on thickness. Cook a little longer for well done meat.
- While steak is cooking, place noodles into a pan of boiling water and cook till just softened - about 4 minutes or according to pack instructions.
- Drain noodles and return to pan. Add the reserved veggies.
- Place pan over medium heat and stir the veggies through the noodles. Add soy sauce to taste.
- Spoon noodles into warmed bowls.
- Remove steaks from pan and slice each one.
- Pop slices on top of noodles to serve.
- 150mls apple juice
- ½ tsp mulled wine spices
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 2-3 ripe pears, cored and in wedges
- Half a ripe Cantaloupe or Ogen melon, seeded, peeled and in chunks
- Place apple juice and spices in a pan over low heat and stir while heating gently.
- Turn up the heat and bubble for a few minutes, to reduce slightly.
- Add fruits and bubble for a few seconds.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a heatproof serving bowl.
- Set aside and leave to cool till just warm or serve cold.
Dry January has kicked in, as we all forsake the booze for the month to detox from our indulgences over Christmas!
If you have lasted this long, you are almost halfway through the month so well done!
This weekend, I’m doing my best to encourage you by recommending an alcohol free alternative to match this dish.
Beer is a good partner for this supper, and alcohol free beer has come on leaps and bounds in the last number of years.
Latest news reports from early 2025 show even pub sales of alcohol free beers are rising and choices increasing, as those who want a night out with friends but would like to drive home or stay clear headed are growing in number.
This weekend, I’m recommending the Italian Moretti Zero, a beer I enjoy myself occasionally. It has all the taste and chic Italian style this brand is known for, but none of the booze - and you will not feel one bit deprived of that traditional zingly and lively flavour and body.
A vibrant match for this mildly spicy noodle and beef dish.
Now on sale at Supervalu Stores, at €5.00 for 4 x 330 mls bottles in a carry out pack.
On offer till 15/01/24.
2 x 2 pack striploin steaks: €14.00
Medium egg noodles 2 x 250g pack:€4.38
Baby sweet peppers mixed 200g pack: €1.49
Light soy sauce 150mls:90c
Total: €20.77
Fresh Apple Juice 1ltr: €1.39
Cinnamon sticks 13g jar: €3.05
Pears x 6 pack: €2.49
Cantaloupe melon: €2.19
Total: €9.12
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