Take the Heat out of Chilli
You'd think any Mexican recipe which involved copious amounts of chilli would have you running for the nearest fire extinguisher but not this one. Steak Dunigan was a clever invention by an American restauranteur who stated - "Some like it hot - and some not."

The sauce calls for 1lb (450g) of chillies. I suggest that you use Italian chillies that are sold in glass jars. They are beautifully mild, full of flavour and without a hint of fire.

INGREDIENTS
  • 4 tbsp. (60 ml) olive oil
  • 2 medium onions, finely chopped
  • 2 x 8 oz (225g) jars mild chillies, drained and chopped
  • Half teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon coriander paste
  • Half teaspoon salt
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) Tabasco sauce or chopped jalapeno pepper, optional
  • 6 oz (175g) butter
  • 8 large mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • Barbecue seasoning or barbecue salt
  • 4 x 10 oz (275g) sirloin steaks
In a frying pan, heat the olive oil and add the chopped onions. Cook for a few minutes until onions are soft. Add the chopped chillies, oregano, coriander paste, salt and Tabasco sauce or jalapeno pepper, if using, and cook for 5 minutes. Put the sauce to one side but keep it warm.

Melt the butter in another pan and fry the mushrooms for about 5 minutes or until soft. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

Sprinkle barbecue seasoning or barbecue salt to taste on both sides of the steaks. Fry or grill the steaks, turning them once, to your preference - 10-15 minutes for rare steak, 15-20 minutes for medium.

Transfer the steaks to a platter. Arrange the mushrooms over the top of the steaks. Cover each with a serving of the chilli sauce.

Serve with a cooling green salad, lots of crisp radishes and don't forget plenty of ice-cold lager or beer.

Please send any comments on this page to:
G.Mills@compserv.gla.ac.uk
(George W. Mills, Computing Service, University of Glasgow)