Easy Seared Beef Fillet with Rich Amarula Chocolate Sauce | Restaurant-Style Steak Recipe
Tender seared beef fillet served with a luxurious Amarula, dark chocolate and chilli sauce. This easy South African gourmet steak recipe is perfect for entertaining, date nights and special occasions
Ingredients
- 4 fillet steaks about 200g each
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Chocolate Chilli Amarula Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 2 tsp finely chopped fresh chilli adjust to taste
- 125ml Amarula Cream Liqueur
- 60ml tomato purèe
- 250ml beef stock
- 45ml dry red wine or red wine vinegar
- 30g good-quality dark chocolate finely chopped
To Serve
- fresh green salad
- optional: baby potatoes, mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables
Instructions
Prepare the Sauce
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and cook for about 3 minutes until beginning to soften.
- Stir in the garlic and chopped chilli and cook for another minute until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.
- Pour in the Amarula, allowing it to bubble gently for a minute.
- Add the tomato purée, beef stock and red wine (or red wine vinegar). Stir well until everything is combined.
- Reduce the heat and allow the sauce to simmer gently for 5–7 minutes so the flavours develop.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the finely chopped dark chocolate. Continue stirring until the chocolate has completely melted and the sauce is smooth, glossy and velvety.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Cook the Beef Fillet
- Remove the steaks from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before cooking.
- Pat them dry with paper towel and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat a griddle pan or heavy cast-iron pan until very hot.
- Lightly brush the steaks with olive oil.
Cook for approximately: Cooking times will vary depending on the thickness of the steaks.
- Rare: 2–3 minutes per sideMedium-rare: 3–4 minutes per sideMedium: 4–5 minutes per sideWell done: 5–6 minutes per side
Transfer the cooked steaks to a warm plate and loosely cover with foil. Allow them to rest for 5 minutes so the juices redistribute throughout the meat.
Chef's Tips
- Use good-quality dark chocolate containing at least 70% cocoa for the richest flavour.Amarula provides a distinctive South African richness that beautifully complements beef.Resting the steaks before serving ensures tender, juicy meat.For an extra luxurious finish, whisk a small knob of butter into the sauce just before serving.The sauce can be prepared several hours ahead and gently reheated before serving.