- 2 tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil
- ½ onion, finely sliced
- ½ red pepper, seeds removed, sliced into thin strips
- ½ yellow pepper, seeds removed, sliced into thin strips
- ½ green pepper, seeds removed, sliced into thin strips
- 1 large ripe tomato, finely chopped
- 250g/9oz button mushrooms, chopped
- 125-150ml/4-5fl oz boiling water
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 347g/¾lb canned ackee, drained (available from some supermarkets and Afro-Caribbean grocers)
- 1 spring onion, trimmed, finely chopped
- 1½ tsp sunflower or groundnut oil
- 8 x 125g/4½oz pieces fillet steak
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 125g/4½oz sweet pepper, seeds removed, sliced into thin strips
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 3 tsp tomato purée
- 4 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 300ml/½ pint boiling water
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the ackee and mushrooms, heat the oil in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the sliced onion and peppers and fry for 4-5 minutes, or until softened, stirring regularly.
- Add the chopped tomato and continue to fry for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the tomatoes have started to break down.
- Add the mushrooms and continue to fry for 2-3 minutes, or until the liquid released by the mushrooms has evaporated.
- Add boiling water, as necessary, to loosen the sauce mixture, stirring until well combined in the mixture. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Add the ackee and carefully fold it into the sauce. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through, then sprinkle over the spring onion. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
- For the steak, rub one teaspoon of the oil all over the pieces of fillet steak. Heat a heavy-based pan over a medium heat until hot, then add the steak pieces and fry for 1-2 minutes on each side (for medium-rare), or until cooked to your liking. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining half a teaspoon of oil in a separate, heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and sweet pepper and fry, stirring regularly, until softened.
- Add the remaining steak ingredients and continue to fry for 4-5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the vegetables are just cooked through. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. (NB: Bear in mind that the soy sauce is quite salty.)
- Add the cooked steaks to the pan and cook until heated through.
- To serve, place two pieces of fillet steak onto each of four serving plates. Pour over the pepper and tomato sauce. Spoon the ackee and mushrooms alongside.