Rick Stein’s Cornwall episode 12: Rick is on the beautiful Roseland Peninsula. He begins his journey at a spot thought to have been visited by Jesus, which inspired the hymn Jerusalem. At the picturesque town of St Mawes, he embarks on a tour of the bay with Alex and Olga Polizzi, who own one of Cornwall’s most luxurious hotels.
At one of the county’s oldest butchers, Rick looks into the ancient practice and benefits of ageing meat, before showing us how to properly cook a steak and make the perfect Bearnaise sauce. And in the attractive harbourside village of Mousehole, Rick meets a potter who finds inspiration in the Cornish landscape.
In this new series Rick Stein reveals the Cornwall that he knows and loves: a unique part of the British isles with a strong sense of identity and a history rooted in its Celtic past. With his famous natural inquisitiveness, Rick shares the road less travelled – championing the food, history, music, art and culture of the county many locals argue should be a country in its own right.
Rick Stein’s Cornwall episode 12 recipes:
Peppercorn rib-eye steak with béarnaise sauce
Peppercorn ribeye steak works wonderfully with a rich, buttery béarnaise. The sauce can be tricky to make, but it’s well worth mastering.
Method:
- To make the peppermix, combine all the ingredients in a spice grinder. Season the steaks on both sides with the peppermix and a pinch of salt. Any excess spice mix can be stored in an air-tight container for future use.
- To make the béarnaise sauce, heat the vinegar, tarragon, shallot, pepper and three-quarters of a tablespoon of water in a small saucepan. Boil until the volume of liquid has reduced to a tablespoon.
- Set a heatproof bowl over a pan of just-simmering water, ensuring the bowl is not touching the water. Add three-quarters of a tablespoon of water and the egg yolk and whisk with a balloon whisk until the mixture is creamy and increased in volume.
- Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the clarified butter. Stir in the tarragon and shallot reduction. Season with a good pinch of salt.
- To cook the steaks, make sure they are at room temperature. Brush a ridged griddle pan with the oil and place over a high heat. When the pan is hot, add the steaks and cook for 1–2 minutes per side for rare, 2–2½ minutes per side for medium or up to 4 minutes per side for well done, depending on the thickness. Remove from the pan, cover with kitchen foil and leave to rest for 5 minutes at room temperature.
- Serve the steak with the béarnaise and a side of butterhead lettuce salad or green beans.