Anthony Ekizian, culinary director of the steakhouse group Gaucho, shares two of his recipes from GAUCHO The Cookbook

When you’re fed up of feasting on turkey leftovers, treat your loved ones to a fiery Lomo al Diablo followed by a Sticky Apple, Date and Toffee Pudding – perfect to impress without being flashy.

A fiery, flavourful take on steak. This dish combines succulent and tender beef fillet with a bold kick of spices – perfect if you like something quick to cook with plenty of heat.

Lomo al Diablo

SERVES 2

4 x 100g fillet (lomo) medallions 

Olive oil for brushing

Sea salt

For the spicy rub

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

30g flat-leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 teaspoons aji molido

1/2 teaspoon sherry vinegar

1/2 tablespoon dried oregano

Method:

Mix all the ingredients for the rub together and set aside (this will make a little more than you need for the recipe, but the remainder will keep for up to 1 month in an airtight container).

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the salsa. Set aside.

Place the steak medallions on a large tray and pat them dry with kitchen paper. Brush both sides lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the spicy rub evenly over the beef medallions, massaging the rub into the surface to ensure it sticks well. Cover the medallions with foil and marinate them in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or up to 12 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare your barbecue to produce a high heat and bring the meat up to room temperature.

When you’re ready to cook, season the medallions with salt, then place them directly on the grill. Sear them for 2 minutes, then flip them and grill them for 2 minutes on the other side – this will give you a medium-rare finish.

Remove the steaks from the grill, cover with foil and leave them to rest for about 5 minutes before serving with the salsa drizzled over.

This large, sticky pudding is the perfect treat for a cold day or a classic end to a roast. You can buy the toffee sauce if you’re short on time, but we encourage you to make it – it’s out of this world.

Sticky Apple, Date & Toffee Pudding

SERVES 6–8

230g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting

100g dark brown soft sugar 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon mixed spice 

80ml vegetable oil

80ml whole milk

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 large eating apple, peeled, cored, and chopped into 5mm dice

75g pitted dates, chopped into bite-sized pieces

For the toffee sauce

100g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

150g dark brown soft sugar 150ml double cream

You will also need a 23cm-square baking tin or an oval ovenproof dish (26cm x 18cm, 5cm deep). 

Method:

Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Grease your baking tin with butter and dust it with flour to prevent sticking. In a large mixing bowl, combine the self-raising flour, sugar, baking powder and mixed spice. In a separate bowl, beat together the vegetable oil, milk and eggs.

Pour the wet mixture on to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Gently fold in the apple and dates.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

While the pudding is baking, make the toffee sauce. In a saucepan, melt the butter over a low heat. Stir in the sugar and double cream. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to the boil, then cook for 3–4 minutes, until the sugar is fully dissolved and the sauce thickens enough to. coat the back of a spoon. Set aside and keep warm.

Leave the baked pudding to cool slightly. Pour the warm toffee sauce over the top just before serving. 

Alternatively, serve in slices with the sauce on the side for pouring over.