With each passing fast day I find I  am acquiring an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of the calorie value of the food I like to eat. If the truth be known I find calorie counting  incredibly tiresome and dreary. Unfortunately, it’s a necessary evil if I  am to have any success with this eating plan. With each passing week I am managing to put more food on my plate for my meagre allocation of just 500 calories a day. Whilst I don’t exactly look forward to fasting, I definitely appreciate my feast days.

I’m glad to say that I am progressing past the predictable soups and salads. Today’s focus? Beef. Lean, trimmed eye fillet steak to be precise. At only 152 calories per each 100 gram serve it lends itself perfectly to a fast day treat. A little more expensive than your average cut of meat but a little goes a long way. Tonight’s offering was well received.  A rich and buttery medium rare steak.  Seared to perfection. Served with a sweet and  sour, slightly spicy caponata relish.

Seared Beef Eye Fillet Steaks

Serves 4 (238 calories per serve)

4 x 150 g Eye Fillet Steak (228 calories each)
1 teaspoon olive oil ( 40 calories)
generous grinding of freshly cracked black pepper

TAKE eye fillet steaks  out of the fridge and bring to room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking.
HEAT a griddle pan until smoking hot.
SEASON the steaks with a generous grinding of pepper and  pat with olive oil.
SEAR for 2 to 3 minutes on each side for medium-rare, or longer until cooked to your liking.
REMOVE  from the griddle pan and allow to rest  for 5 minutes.

Caponata

Serves 6 ( 80 calories per serve)

1 tablespoon olive oil (120 calories)
2 anchovy fillets (16 calories)
2 medium eggplant, chopped into chunks (6 cups) (120 calories)
1 heaped tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (3 calories)
2 red onions, peeled and chopped (60 calories)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (8 calories)
2 red capsicums, roasted, deseeded, peeled and chopped into chunks (60 calories)
1/3 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, reserve a handful of picked leaves for presentation (10 calories)
1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes (1 calorie)
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar (20 calories)
1 teaspoon brown sugar, to balance the acidity (17 calories)
1 can peeled tomatoes, roughly chopped (32 calories)
¼ cup chicken or vegetable stock (optional) (10 calories)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

POUR olive oil into a large heavy based pan. When the oil is hot melt the anchovy fillets for a few minutes until they disappear into the oil.
ADD the eggplant, chilli flakes and oregano. Fry for about fifteen minutes until soft and golden, stirring often to avoid burning.
ADD onions and garlic and cook for a further ten minutes. Add a little chicken or vegetable stock to the pan if the mixture becomes a little dry.
ADD parsley and roasted capsicum. Stir well to combine.
MIX together the sugar and vinegar. Pour over the vegetables and cook for another 1 or 2 minutes.
WHEN all the vinegar has evaporated, add the tomatoes and simmer for around 15 minutes or until tender.
TASTE before serving and season with sea salt, freshly ground pepper and a little more vinegar.