There's nothing that quite says 'I love you' more than a perfectly cooked steak. Whether you're cooking for a loved one, hosting a mate date or looking for a mid-week hit for the family dinner, MasterChef alumni and Sum Yung Guys owner Matt Sinclair shares his favourite steak recipes that are easy, healthy and oh-so-special.

Impress with Matt's luxurious rib eye with celeriac gratin and garden tabouli or try his tender scotch fillet with a warm spiced winter salad. That's date night sorted, plus extras for lunch the next day.

"When it comes to date night, you really can't beat a beef steak. For me, it's the ultimate dish to show off, when in fact cooking a steak is easy! Just make sure you bring your meat to room temperature before cooking, season and oil the steak before it goes in the pan and get your grill smoking hot before you start" says Matt.

Matt is working with Australian Beef to highlight the variety of different beef cuts available, including the rib eye and scotch fillet, and providing Australians with inspiration, tips and tricks on how to incorporate them into healthy meals at home as part of a balanced diet.

You can find more information on cuts and other healthy meals options at www.australianbeef.com.au

Matt Sinclair's Scotch Fillet and Warm Winter Salad

Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
4 200g (max.) Scotch Fillet steaks

Salad marinade
30ml extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp salt

Salad
200g cauliflower florets
200g broccoli florets
200g zucchini, thick slices
100g green beans, 1 inch batons
75g raisins
50g slivered almonds

Salad dressing
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp tahini
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
Pinch salt

Garnish
1/2 red onion thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Method
1. Preheat oven to 230OC. Drizzle a little olive oil onto the steak and season both sides with salt. Set aside.
2. Combine salad marinade in a large bowl and whisk together. Add all salad ingredients and massage with marinade so all ingredients are covered. Spread the prepared vegetables onto a large baking tray and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes to warm through.
3. Meanwhile make salad dressing. Combine all ingredients into a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Adjust thickness of dressing with more lemon juice or even a splash of water depending on your taste. Should be consistency of pouring cream.
4. Place salad ingredients onto a serving platter, drizzle dressing over and garnish with red onion and parsley. 5. Meanwhile, cook the scotch fillet on a hot griddle pan or BBQ for approximately 4 minutes each side. The steak should be browned on the outside but with a soft, pink middle. Leave to rest for 3-5 minutes and serve with the warm salad.

Tips
• If you have any leftovers, Scotch Fillet is great sliced thinly and used in a stir-fry. The steak just needs to be gently warmed through so it's still tender.
• When cooking steak on a BBQ the plate must be hot and the lid kept down. This helps the steak char and cook through at the same time creating a lovely caramelised surface and tender centre.
• Meat should always be cooked at room temperature to ensure it cooks evenly, so get into the habit of removing your steaks from the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking