Bavette with Fennel Salad and Kimchi Butter
Bavette is a well-worked, flavourful cut that rewards quick cooking over high heat and careful slicing against the grain. Here it's paired with a punchy kimchi butter that melts into the meat and a crisp fennel salad dressed with the kimchi brine.
Prep time: 20 minutes, plus 1 hour resting
Cook time: 10 minutes, plus 5 minutes resting
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
Kimchi Butter
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250g unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature
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150g kimchi, roughly chopped, liquid reserved
Fennel Salad
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1 large fennel bulb, very thinly sliced
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Reserved kimchi liquid
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10ml white wine vinegar
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½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
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½ bunch chives, cut into 3cm lengths
Steak
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500g bavette steak
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Extra virgin olive oil, to coat
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Salt
Method:
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Remove the bavette from the fridge 1 hour before cooking. Take a moment to note the direction of the grain - you'll need this when slicing.
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To make the kimchi butter, squeeze as much liquid from the chopped kimchi as possible and reserve the liquid for the salad. Place the butter in a food processor and whip until it changes from yellow to very pale, almost white. Add the kimchi and process until fully incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. ⚠️ Kimchi saltiness varies by brand - check before adding extra salt.
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Roll the butter into a cylinder in cling film and refrigerate until needed. The butter can be made ahead and frozen.
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Place a heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat and allow to come to temperature.
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Coat the bavette lightly in extra virgin olive oil and season generously with salt. Add to the hot pan and cook, flipping every minute, until a thermometer reads 52°C in the thickest part, about 6–8 minutes total. Add a knob of the kimchi butter to the pan toward the end of cooking and baste the steak with the foaming butter.
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Transfer to a wire rack and rest for 5 minutes.
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While the steak rests, combine the fennel, reserved kimchi liquid, white wine vinegar, parsley and chives in a bowl. Toss to combine and season to taste.
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Slice the bavette thinly against the grain. Arrange the fennel salad on plates, top with the sliced bavette and finish with a generous slice of kimchi butter to melt over the meat.
Notes:
Kimchi butter keeps well in the freezer for up to 2 months. Slice off rounds as needed - it's excellent on grilled fish, corn or roasted vegetables.
