Bavette Steak with Papaya and Noodle Salad (Demo)
Nikita Pakathji created this dish for MasterChef UK Professionals Series 18. As the 2022 champion returned to set the Skills Test benchmark for Week 8, she paired a butter-basted bavette steak with a bold green papaya and vermicelli noodle salad anchored by a five-component Southeast Asian dressing of chilli, jaggery, shrimp paste, lime, and fish sauce. Marcus Wareing praised the result, noting that the skill, balance, and precision made deeply complex cookery appear entirely effortless. Chef's Notes: The Principles Behind the Dish The Steak Is Not the Star — the Balance Is Nikita's philosophical choice to cook the steak very plainly - no marinades, no glazes, no seasoning beyond salt and pepper - is a statement of intent. In much competitive cookery, there is a temptation to add complexity to every component. Here, the restraint is the sophistication. The steak provides richness, protein, and warmth; the salad provides acidity, heat, freshness, and crunch. Neither works without the o…
- Time: 45 min
Source: Relaxed Recipes
Ingredients
- SOAK THE VERMICELLI NOODLES
- Place 3½ oz dried rice vermicelli in a large heatproof bowl. Cover with just-boi
- PREPARE THE VEGETABLES
- Halve the green papaya, scoop out and discard all seeds, then peel completely —
- MAKE THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN DRESSING
- If using fermented shrimp paste, wrap in foil and toast over a gas flame or in a
- MAKE THE CRISPY VERMICELLI GARNISH
- Heat neutral oil to 180°C in a small saucepan — at least 1½ inches deep. Drop a
- COOK THE BAVETTE STEAK
- Remove the steak from the fridge 20–30 minutes before cooking. Pat completely dr
- REST THE STEAK
- Transfer to a wire rack set over a plate — not a cutting board, which traps stea
- DRESS AND ASSEMBLE THE SALAD
- Pour the dressing over the julienned vegetables and soaked vermicelli. Using you
- CARVE AND PLATE
- Carve the rested bavette strictly against the grain — bavette has a very pronoun