Steak Tepan Yaki

This recipe is perfect for the barbecue and needs fillet steak, the best you can buy, plus fresh crisp vegetables cooked to perfection. It's a winner every time

For four people, you need to assemble:

• 4 fillet steaks
• 60mls dark soy sauce
• 2tbs mirin
• 2tbs sake - or dry sherry
• 1tsp grated ginger
• 2tsps brown sugar
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 250g snow peas (mange tout)
• 250g asparagus, trimmed and peeled

If you are not used to peeling asparagus, get into the habit. It makes a world of difference to way the finished vegetable presents and eats.

Mix the mirin, soy sauce, sake, ginger, brown sugar and garlic clove in a bowl or jug. Put the steaks into a food-safe plastic bag, add the marinade and refrigerate overnight. Next day drain the marinade into a bowl and leave the steaks to return to room temperature.

Microwave or steam the vegetables until just short of tender and add them to the marinade. Fire up the barbie.

I cook fillet steak for two minutes a side, which gives me a rare result. You may want to cook yours a little longer but in any case no more than 4 minutes a side at the very most. Once done, take the steaks off the heat and keep them warm. They need to rest for about 2 minutes inside a piece of kitchen foil. This will catch any spilled juices which you then pour back over the steaks when you serve them.

During this time, drain the vegetables and discard the marinade. Toss the vegetables on to the barbie hot plate and let them take some color before serving immediately with the beef. Or you could wok them if you wished.

I serve this by making an island of the vegetables in the centre of a plate, slicing the beef at an angle and arranging it on top of the vegetables.

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