Monkey Gland Steak

I remember my very first Monkey Gland Steak, but for the life of me I can’t  remember where I had it, do you remember where you had it?

Here is Cavaliere Fiorino Bagata’s, the man who introduced the Monkey Gland Steak to South Africa, original recipe for the famous steak dish.

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Salt and ground black pepper

100g butter

2 fillet steaks, flattened

1 chopped shallot

10ml French mustard

10ml Worcestershire sauce

50ml brandy

10ml chopped parsley

Method:

Season the flattened steak on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat chafing dish over lamp or flame and add half the butter.

Fry steak, slightly underdone; remove from pan and set aside.

Add rest of butter to the pan and sauté shallot. Add French mustard and Worcestershire sauce; stir thoroughly.

Put the steak back into the pan and allow it to macerate into the sauce.

Pour in the brandy, set alight, burn for 10 to 15 seconds, then smother the flame with the lid of the chafing dish.

Serve the sauce over the steak and sprinkle parsley on top.

Read the full and fascinating history and story, The Secret History of Monkey Gland Sauce as written by Eric Bolsmann in the Times on 14 February, 2010 at

http://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/food/2010/02/14/the-secret-history-of-monkeygland-sauce

According to Wikipeadia – Monkey Gland Sauce is a restaurant item in South Africa. The tangy sauce is prepared in several manners, and may include a blend of fruit and spices. It is typically served with meats, such as steak, hamburgers, pork ribs or chicken. Several popular South African fast-food chains serve a Monkey Gland Burger. Despite the name, the sauce does not involve monkeys in any way. Instead, it is made up of chopped onion, garlic and ginger, with a combination of chutney, soy sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and wine. At the time the sauce was developed there was a lot of speculation in the popular medical press regarding the use of monkey glands as a means of keeping young.