Roast côte de boeuf and black garlic gravy

Serves 4 Starters and mains

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Method

First, make the gravy. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan, add the butter and, when foaming, add the onions. Fry very gently, stirring often, for about 40 minutes until rich brown and meltingly soft.

Add the garlic, tarragon, wine and port, then boil hard to reduce by half and add the stock. Bring to the boil once more then blitz with a hand-held blender until smooth. Season to taste. Stir in the peppercorns. This mixture can be frozen or refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated later.

Using a small sharp knife, cut around the ends of the beef bones starting about 2cm down. Trim and scrape the bone ends clean. Light the barbecue and get it to the grey/white stage – wood charcoal or wood embers are best for heat and flavour. Smear the beef all over with the dripping (not too much) and season with salt and pepper. Put the beef on the barbecue and it should instantly sizzle. Cook for about 6 minutes on each side. For best results, use a meat thermometer to test the internal temperature – 57C for medium-rare or 60C for medium. Or cook for 12 minutes in total, turning every two minutes. Once cooked to your liking, remove to a platter, cover with foil and a thick towel then rest for 20 minutes.

Alternatively, roast in an oven preheated to 220C/425F/Gas 7 for about 15 minutes then reduce the heat to 170C/325F/Gas 3 for about 10-15 minutes. Test with a meat thermometer, as above, if you're unsure.

While the meat is resting, tip out any fat from the roasting pan and add a splash of water to the pan to deglaze, scraping up any caramelised juices. Once this has almost evaporated, pour in the gravy, stir and bring to the boil.

Serve the rested steaks whole or carved with the black garlic gravy on the side.