Rare roast beef sirloin with tomato salsa

Bear in mind that the lime juice in the salsa will “cook” the beef; don’t put it on the meat until you’re ready to serve it. Charring the tomatoes to remove the skin also slightly cooks the flesh – a desirable attribute in this saucy salsa. You can add more or less chilli to the salsa, depending on how much heat you like.

1.5kg-2kg piece of beef sirloin, fat cap left on
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons thyme leaves
1⁄2 teaspoon chilli flakes

Tie the sirloin with kitchen string so that it’s a neat cylindrical shape. Combine the remaining ingredients then rub all over the beef. Marinate in the fridge for a minimum of
2 hours (or overnight).

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Remove the meat from the fridge at least 30 minutes before roasting. Place on a lipped baking tray and season generously with sea salt then roast for 10 minutes per 500g for rare – around 30-40 minutes (allow 15 minutes per 500g for medium). Remove from the oven and rest in a warm place for at least 15 minutes before slicing thinly. Place on a serving platter and spoon over some of the tomato salsa (recipe follows).

Tomato salsa
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1⁄4 cup lime juice (around 2-3 large limes)
2 red chillies
4 tomatoes
1⁄2 cup chopped coriander leaves
2 spring onions, sliced
1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place the onion in a bowl with the lime juice. Set aside for 30 minutes or until the onion has softened and lost its raw flavour.

Meanwhile, prick the chillies all over with a fork (this prevents them from exploding) then, over a gas flame, char the chillies and tomatoes until their skins blister and blacken (alternatively you can grill them). When cool enough to handle, peel and discard the skins. Core and deseed the tomatoes and chillies then coarsely chop the tomatoes and finely chop the chillies. Add to the onion along with the coriander, spring onions and oil. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Wine - A Hawke’s Bay syrah (go for the great 2009 vintage).