This simple, summery dish is inspired by Richard Bainbridge's time in Midleton town just outside Cork City on the island of Ireland. In Midleton, Richard met Brian Murphy of Murphy's Butchers, Conor McCauley from organic Yellow Belly Farm and Sharon Gleeson from The Grumpy Bakers bakery, all of whom practise a farm-to-fork philosophy. Richard brings a selection of wonderful ingredients together from these producers, growers and bakers into a generous steak panzanella dish to share.
Preheat the oven to 180°C
Place a large, ovenproof frying pan over a high heat and allow it to become smoking hot. Season the steak generously with salt
Carefully place the steak into the hot pan and colour it well on each side until beautifully golden brown
Transfer the pan to the oven and cook the steak for 8 minutes, turning halfway through – this should give you a beautifully medium-rare steak, depending on the thickness of the porterhouse but adjust the cooking time accordingly. Season the steak with freshly ground black pepper and leave it to rest for at least 10 minutes in a warm place
For the panzanella, place the tomatoes in a large bowl. Add the chopped onion, capers and herbs, along with the rapeseed oil and vinegar. Season with salt, black pepper and the sugar. Mix everything together and leave it to sit for at least 5 minutes, allowing the tomatoes to release their juices – you want it to be juicy and quite wet so the bread can soak up the juices and wonderful flavours
Fold the focaccia through the tomato salad, ensuring it soaks up the juices and dressing. Check the seasoning then transfer the panzanella to a large serving dish
Once you're happy that the beef has sufficiently rested, remove the meat from the T-bone and slice it into thick slices. Lay these over the panzanella, allowing the resting juices to mingle with the tomatoes, bread, herbs and vinegar
Bring the dish to the table and serve immediately for everyone to share


With a background in classical cooking in Michelin-starred kitchens, Richard Bainbridge returned to his home city of Norwich to open Benedicts, a renowned restaurant which serves Norfolk produce cooked with passion, playfulness and creativity.
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