How to make a shooter's sandwich

You'll need your choice of crusty loaf, a couple of good steaks - these are rib-eyes - roughly the same shape in plan as the loaf, 500g of mushrooms and 200g of shallots
Photograph: Tim Hayward

Slice off the top quarter of the loaf, hook out most of the crumb and save for breadcrumbs
Photograph: Tim Hayward

Cut your shallots and mushrooms into fine dice and put about 75g of butter into the pan. I got lucky and had a similar quantity of bone marrow left over in the fridge
Photograph: Tim Hayward

Cook mushrooms and shallots in the butter until they've softened, reduced in size and lost a substantial amount of moisture. Once they're done, season to your taste. I used plenty of salt and black pepper, some finely grated garlic a shot of brandy and a splash of Worcestershire sauce. Those fearing scurvy might add some chopped parsley too
Photograph: Tim Hayward

Season your steaks and bring them to the pink side of medium in a searing hot dry pan
Photograph: Tim Hayward

Don't bother resting the steaks. Work fast and tuck the first one, dripping and hot, straight into the bottom of the hollow loaf
Photograph: Tim Hayward

Dollop in your hot mushroom mixture
Photograph: Tim Hayward

Tuck your second steak over the mushrooms. At this stage I usually smear hot horseradish on the top steak and Dijon mustard on the inside of the lid
Photograph: Tim Hayward

Fit the lid back on to the loaf
Photograph: Tim Hayward

Wrap in greaseproof paper and tie with butcher's string like this. Then wrap in two layers of foil and smush flat under a heavy cutting board and as many weights as you can find
Photograph: Tim Hayward

Leave under the weights in a reasonably cool place (don't refrigerate) for at least six hours or preferably overnight. Remove the foil and cut through string, paper and sandwich
Photograph: Tim Hayward

Serve sliced like cake accompanied by something vaguely vegetable-based to assuage the guilt
Photograph: Tim Hayward