Tonight, rump steak cooked on a griddle, carrots and peppers and penne pasta. The carrots and peppers dish was originally inspired by having lots to use up, but we like it so much that its now a  favourite.

Carrots and peppers

Peel and cut carrots into strips. De seed red peppers and cut into strips. Warm olive oil in a frying pan and gently cook the carrots and peppers for about an hour, turning every so often. We like them when they are slightly caramelised and a bit charred. Tonight we are using 5 carrots and 2 peppers. At the very end of cooking stir in the juice of a whole lemon. Absolutely delicious as a side dish. Also nice on pasta or cold as a relish.

Marinaded steak strips 

We've been away for the weekend and brought back some steak from my mother's freezer. The provenance and age are uncertain, so I thought it could probably do with some help. A marinade of thin strips seemed the best way to do this.

Marinade:

2 tbsp prepared mustard

1 tbsp honey

4tbsp wine vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic, crushed

5mls ground black pepper

450g steak, trimmed, then cut into 0.5 cm thin strips across the grain of the meat

Mix all the marinade ingredients in a non- metal bowl. Put in steak, mix and leave for about 1 hour.

To cook: heat olive oil in large frying pan. Tip in meat when oil starts to smoke. Cook on high heat about 5 minutes. Lower heat and tip in enough double cream to make a sauce. I served this with white rice and leek chunks softened in butter.