In a previous post I mentioned to you that while we were on a family holiday in Noosa, Maureen and Claire, two amazing bloggers who have become my friends, came over to our apartment for dinner, (except that Claire could only stay for a drink as she was double-booked).
Outdoor table all set for our dinner with Maureen and her husband, John
You would think that seeing there were three bloggers in the room that one of us would have taken some photos of the very special get-together but ah, no; that just wasn’t the case. There wasn’t a camera between us. So we had a very pleasant evening that was poorly documented.
So you didn’t miss out on what went on, I decided to re-create what we had for dinner. I cooked an eye fillet of beef with Massaman curry sauce that had crushed peanuts as a finishing garnish but I forgot to buy them so we went without – never mind! Here’s the re-created version with the crushed peanuts.
Chargrilled Eye Fillet of Beef with Massaman Curry Sauce
Maureen had kindly offered to bring a dessert and she went beyond the call of duty and made a fabulous apple pie with a melt-in-the-mouth pie crust and the apple filling was flavoured with cinnamon, nutmeg and a touch of lemon juice. When you visit Maureen’s blog, do be sure to ask her to blog the recipe – because I want it too! She also made a vanilla bean ice cream that had to travel for half an hour in hot temperatures but it had been so well packaged it made it to us without melting.
Maureen’s apple pie with homemade vanilla bean ice cream
Besides the food there was meant to be some entertainment but like the peanuts, this just didn’t happen. Archie had spent most of his holiday in this position; belting out his tunes to the birds in the trees.
Archie and his full-time hobby
But an audience grew that wasn’t discovered by seeing more birds in trees, it was in the growing numbers looking up from the swimming pool. After numerous requests that went on into the evening with requests to perform in different apartments, Archie lost his voice. And he had so little voice he was unable to provide any entertainment for Maureen and Claire on the night.
Archie and his audience
Despite a few things not going to plan, we had a really enjoyable evening that just proves that those you would never, ever have had the prospect of meeting save for the internet can turn out to be your very best of friends.
This recipe is from my favourite restaurant, Spirit House, that happens to be right where we were; on the Sunshine Coast. We tried to go there for dinner but it was fully booked every day and night for the entire time we were there. Fortunately, I packed their cookbook and was able to recreate one of their favourite dishes – a dish their chefs call, ‘A bloke’s dish’.
Served with Chat Potatoes and French Eschallots
Chargrilled Eye Fillet with Massaman Curry Sauce
Serves: 4
Degree of Difficulty: 3/5
Cost: Eye fillet of beef isn’t cheap but I bought some for half the usual price by purchasing the wider end of the fillet that is just as tender but less uniform in size and therefore the cost is reduced.
- 500g (1lb) chat potatoes
- 250g (8oz) golden shallots, peeled
- 2 tbspns vegetable oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbspn oyster sauce
- white pepper, to season
- 500g (1lb) piece eye fillet
- 1 tbspn vegetable oil
Sauce
- 2 cups coconut cream
- 2 tbspns Massaman curry paste
- 2 tbspns palm sugar
- 2 tbspns fish sauce
- 2 tbspns tamarind water
- 4 large red chillies, cut in half lengthways and seeds removed
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped roasted peanuts, to garnish
Preheat oven to 200C (400F). Quarter potatoes and place in a baking dish with the whole shallots, vegetable oil and seasoning. Bake until the potatoes are golden and the shallots are soft, about 45 minutes.
Rub the oyster sauce and white pepper into the eye fillet. Oil the barbecue and heat to high. Cook fillet for 10 minutes on one side then turn and cook a further 10 minutes to give a medium-rare steak. Cook longer if desired. Place fillet on a plate, cover loosely with foil and rest in warm place.
To make the sauce, heat half a cup of coconut cream in a wok until sizzling and starting to separate. Add curry paste and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. Add remaining coconut cream, palm sugar, fish sauce and tamarind water. Bring to the boil, add the red chillies, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook a further 5 minutes.
To serve, slice the eye fillet into medallions, an dtransfer to individual serving plates with the roasted potatoes. Scatter golden shallots over meat and spoon over sauce. Garnish with chopped peanuts.
Steamed greens are a good accompaniment
Looks fantastic. I love the spirit house, but you need to book it when you book the holiday it’s so dang good.
Carolyn
Wow! That beef fillet definitely seems like fine dining standard! Delicious! Love that you recreated it! And I gotta say, loving the curry and coconut!
What a beautiful looking dish Charlie, I just love your photos. The beef looks so beautifully tender!
Oh my my … any dinner on that patio would be fabulous!
sounds like you had an amazing evening! this curry looks amazing
All made me hungry 🙂 Wonderful photographs… Thank you dear Charlie, love, nia
I’m very good about taking pictures of my food when I’m alone in my own home but when I’m preoccupied with other people…it rarely happens. So I get it. This dish looks fabulous! Definitely blogger get-together worthy!
Yum, what a delicious recipe. I LOVE curries! Man, that Archie has admirers everywhere he goes… 🙂
Sometimes being focussed on taking pictures distracts you from having a good time so it may be a good thing that you forgot the camera. 🙂 As to the planned entertainment, I’m sure Archie’s previous audience was just as appreciative and, who knows, someone who heard him may remember him and it will mean a professional gig.
I’ve got some massaman curry paste in my pantry and your post reminds me that I should really get to making something tasty with it. Like this dish.
I always buy the wide end of the fillet too! And for exactly the same reason. Wonderful looking meal – I really like the sauce you put together for this. Sounds like you had a wonderful time – thanks for including us.
I always forget my camera when entertaining!! I’m glad you remade this dish as it looks so delicious! Your photos are making me hungry as I read this around my noon hour! How nice you could meet up with fellow blogger friends!
This holiday just gets better and better. I love how you just threw this together. And what a lovely setting on the patio. I just hope Archie serenaded you!
Wow,Charlie your guests were really fortunate!
The chargrilled Eye Fillet looks fantastic, the table setting is beautiful and so is the sea side view!
You and Maureen are two of my fav bloggers, and it’s lovely to know you two met and had such a great time. Hope Archie gets his voice back soon. The Chargrilled fillet looks awesome.
I totally agree with you about friends made via the internet. (Be sure to check out my post tomorrow to see how such a friend can be helped in her family’s time of great need.)
That Archie must have quite the voice as he always seems to be in demand.
Oh wow that curry sauce looks fantastic!
What a wonderful get together! The food sounds and looks amazing. That apple pie and the traveling ice cream sounds perfect.
Well good morning, you beautifu dish of food. I LOVED this dish and when we were at lunch with friends yesterday John was telling them all about it. He said, “I’m trying to get Maureen to make it for us all once the dust settles around here.”
I said, “As soon as she posts the recipe, I’m in!”
So I have no excuse 🙂
It was a beautiful meal and the company was even better. Next time we’ll have a song from the master. Your kids have the best personalities – they’re outgoing and fun even though we’re old and probably creepy to a young person. LOL
Looks delicious! That Archie is a chick-magnet, Charlie, you’ll need to watch him.. 🙂
I love that photo of Archie on the balcony doing what he loves to do. Great shot, Charlie! How ironic that food bloggers had a meet up and not one camera in sight. I suppose you enjoyed it more so that way without having any disruptions. The food everybody cooked, including yourself, is amazing. Love the sound of that massaman curry sauce.
What a fabulous dinner. Good company is always needed around any dinner table and you girls would of had a fab night. I love the shot of your son playing his guitar to the hordes in the pool.
I hope you get the opportunity to go the Spirit house next time you are here on the Sunshine Coast.
Hi,
The dinner look delicious, and so does the dessert, very nice.
I love the photo showing everyone in the pool looking up at Archie, I would say he made their day, wonderful.
I so wish I’d been able to stay Charlie. Thanks for calling me amazing! 🙂
Oh, what a grand time you must have had!!! And such a feast!! Your beef looks just incredible…and I want a huge slice of Maureen’s pie, too. Aren’t blogger friends the best????
I read about Maureen’s version of the evening too and it sounds like such a fun evening. That does look like a bloke’s dish but I would willingly demolish it.
Katrina from The Spirit House is so lovely-I’ve wanted to go there ever since I met her. Hehe Archie is SO going to be famous and your blog will become the new destination for One Direction fans! 😛
What a gorgeous view! And fillet too! 🙂
That beef looks good! Shame about the entertainment but so glad the company was good. Funny thing about blogging you actually feel that you know some of the other bloggers so well. Must visit that apple pie recipe to test out that pie crust.
The curry sauce is very tempting! Great food, good company and you can’t lose. Sounds like a lovely time to me. Archie just can’t go anywhere without drawing a crowd, can he? He must have talent that matches his winning personality! 🙂
Fabulous sounding dish Charlie. I always get flappy when I have to cook for other cooks – silly me. Archie certainly knows how to pull a crowd – from on a bus to when on holiday.
🙂 Mandy
I’d read Maureen’s account of your meeting and, as you know, she thoroughly enjoyed it, too. Small wonder that Archie had no voice by the evening. With that group of adoring fans, it’s a wonder you saw him at all that day. 🙂
You prepared a wonderful dinner for your blogging friends, Charlie. That beef was perfectly cooked and is plated beautifully. It must’ve been delicious.
Aren’t you amazing to re-create the dish! There are so many things I forget to photograph and I’ll confess they often go by the wayside from a blogging point of view 😛
What a great view off the balcony and a tribute to foodies. I have been having serious cravings for curries this week. Actually every day I am craving something hot and spicy. I was kind of concerned about this craving so I looked it up on the internet and to my horror, it could mean pregnancy… LOL… I laughed so hard I cried. No worries, no pregnancy just maybe a little iron deficiency. Needless to say I am so trying your recipe tomorrow. Take care, BAM
I just read about this wonderful meal from Maureen and now with this gorgeous picture, my mouth is salivating… looks so delicious! And what a beautiful view! I bet it was a wonderful dinner!
The food looks fantastic and the entertainment seems wonderful!
What a gorgeous feast! I love mas saman curry but I think I would much prefer it the way you have cooked it with a piece of meat instead of cubed! What a great holiday at Noosa! Beautiful view.
What a feast for the eyes & mouth!
I am not a beef fan but it sure loks great to me too! 🙂
Quiet the view too! Stunning!
If Archie had been charging for his performances you could have afforded to pay full price for your meat Charlie 🙂
How lovely to make and meet new friends, especially when you spill them with such yummy meals like this one- yummo!
Oh what wonderful fun. So sad i missed you just a day later . Beautiful food x
Hi Charlie,
Happy New year! All the dishes look wonderful! I am starving after seeing your post.
wow, the fillet is seared to a perfection..
what a lovely dish….
thax for sharing then
Recipe sounds good but 45 mins for jack/baby potatoes in oven at 200C is going to burn them. You should go for 20-25 mins on the bottom rack on baking paper lined tray. The onions need more time but keeping them in with the potatoes for 45 mins is not going to work.