Nick Nairn makes collops of beef with whisky and mushroom cream

Scottish celebrity chef Nick Nairn shows you how to cook collops of beef with Grant's Ale Cask Whisky and mushroom cream, served with wilted spinach and crushed tatties.

Plus until 31st October 2010 you could win the chance to see Nick cook you Christmas lunch live - visit the Whisky Bar Exclusive After Hours and enter today

Nick Nairn is a Grant's After Hours Club ambassador and you can find out more about Nick along with tips and competitions from him and our other ambassadors.

Why not explore the club at www.grantswhisky.com/afterhours
RECIPE:

Serves 4

3 tablespoons black peppercorns
4 fillet steaks, weighing about 175g each
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Freshly ground sea and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
50g butter
200g fresh cep mushrooms, thickly sliced
50ml Grant's Family Reserve whisky OR Grant's Ale Cask Reserve whisky
50ml beef stock
50ml double cream

For the tatties:
450g new potatoes, scrubbed
50g butter
3 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley
Maldon salt
Freshly ground white pepper

For the spinach:
25g butter
550g spinach
Maldon salt
Freshly ground white pepper
3 tbsp water

Put a pan of water onto boil over a high heat. When boiling, add the potatoes and turn down to a simmer.

Use a pepper grinder on a coarse setting to grind the peppercorns, then spread over a small plate.

Cut the four steaks in half along the equator to make eight thin medallions. Smear all sides of the steaks with the Dijon mustard and then press them into the crushed peppercorns to coat. You can now season the steak with salt, if needed. Adding salt before this stage draws out the moisture from the meat preventing the pepper from sticking.

Heat a large frying pan until nice and hot. Add the sunflower oil and then the steaks and turn once to brown both sides. Don't fiddle with them once they are in the pan or the peppercorn crust will fall off -- the aim is to produce a good crusty coating on each surface.

Now add the butter and allow it to colour a nut brown, but don't let it burn. Add the mushrooms and work around in the butter. As the mushrooms start to absorb the juices, turn the steaks again and allow them to cook for three or four minutes on both sides, turning once or twice and moving them around the pan to make sure the whole surface has plenty of colour and the edges of the meat are well sealed. Then transfer the steaks to a baking tray and leave in a warm place.

When the potatoes are tender, drain and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and, with the back of a fork, gently crush each potato until it just splits. Season, then add the parsley. Mix until all the butter has been absorbed, but don't overwork. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat a medium frying pan or wok until hot. Add the butter and toss in the spinach. Mix well and then add the water, continuing to stir until wilted. Remove from the heat, season and set aside until ready to serve.

Add the whisky to the pan used to cook the steaks, and cook over a very high heat for 1 minute to boil off the alcohol. A word of warning -- the whisky is likely to burst into flames. If this worries you, have a large lid handy to whack on the pan. Add the stock and reduce until really thick, and then pour in the cream. Reduce again, scraping and stirring together any gooey bits from the bottom of the pan. When it boils fiercely, it's ready. Pour any juices from the resting meat back into the sauce.

Use a chef's ring to make a little pile of potatoes in the middle of each plate. Sit a little pile of spinach on the potatoes, and the two medallions of steak on top. Spoon the sauce and the mushrooms over the steak, and serve.

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