Vivienne’s Tapas

This is how I wrote the recipe down 20 plus years ago.  It was Maria’s dish from the Philippines.

500g of rump steak sliced thin and marinated in – vinegar, garlic (1 tsp), pinch of salt – for 12 hours or overnight.   Drain and dry off meat by cooking in frypan.  Remove and add cooking oil – fry up with some thick sliced onions and serve with dip.

Dip:  vinegar, garlic (half teaspoon), white sugar (1 tsp), pepper, salt and a little chilli.

The method was a bit too brief and needed some working on.  When Maria cooked the meat I thought my whole kitchen was going to go up in flames.  The temperature was so high that smoke obliterated the stove.  It tasted great but for indoor cooking it needed toning down.

Half a kilo of rump gives enough for everyone to have a snack, as in tapas.  However, we loved it too much to settle for a snack, so I do at least one kilo for four people.  The marinate mix needs to be just enough to barely cover the meat in a glass bowl.  I put in more minced garlic and a bit more salt.   I do this the day before.

When meal time comes around, preheat the oven or warming tray and serving dish.

Peel and thickly slice the onions (3 or 4 large ones).

Dry fry off the meat in batches in a large flat bottomed pan – the meat will be cooked and a bit dry.  Drain off any liquid which accumulates in the pan.  Then add some oil and fry in the oil – mix up some of the onion with the meat each time, doing this in say four lots, each time adding a little oil.  It is done when the onions are just done (not limp).

The dip can be done hours before – put into a screw top jar and give it plenty of good shakes.  I used to add chilli powder but have also used a little sweet chilli sauce and I add more garlic.  But the basic taste is vinegar with oomph.   Serve with dish surrounded by a few little bowls of the dip for each person.  Use fingers or a toothpick and dunk in dip and pop in mouth.

Have a lovely Christmas everyone.  With very best wishes from Vivienne.