Category Archives: Beef

Steak Ciabatta Sandwich with Zingy Tomato Relish

Beef, Mains

Ingredients (serves 2)

For the sandwich

  • 1 large or two small ciabattas (I use bake at home and bake it at the beginning).
  • 2 fillet steaks, at least 2cm thick
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • Butter
  • 2tbsp mayonnaise
  • 2tsp whole grain mustard
  • Salt and pepper
  • Baby gem lettuce

For the relish

  • 1/2 a red onion, diced
  • 1/2 a red chilli, chopped
  • 200g mixed colour baby tomatoes, sliced in quarters
  • 1tsp of balsamic vinegar
  • A handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped

Method

  • Important steak prep: take your steaks out of the fridge and out of their packaging 30mins before starting to bring them to room temperature. Then drizzle with olive oil and season very generously with salt (not pepper!). Leave to rest.
  • We’ll make the chutney first, so get a large frying pan on a medium heat and heat some olive oil.
  • Add the onion and chilli and cook for 5mins until softened.
  • Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 6-8mins until the tomatoes have softened and collapsed.
  • Add the balsamic and stew slowly for another 6-8mins.
  • While it’s stewing, mix the mayonnaise and mustard in a small bowl or ramekin.
  • Remove from the  heat and stir in the fresh basil. Set aside.
  • Heat a pan that comfortably fits both steaks with space around them on a very high heat until the pan is smoking. Do not add oil.
  • Add the steaks to the pan, oil side down and then oil and salt the other side. Sear for 1 minute.
  • Turn the steaks over and set another 1 minute timer. After about 10 seconds, add a generous knob of butter, the garlic and thyme. Swirl around the pan and use a brush to cover the steaks in the flavour.
  • Take a second to heat your griddle pan on a medium-high heat while your timer is going.
  • Turn the steaks again for 30seconds-1 minute (continue brushing) and once more to the other side for 30seconds-1 minute. This will give you a medium-rare finish.
  • Leave the steaks to rest on a chopping board for 4-5mins, and while they rest, toast your ciabatta on the griddle.
  • To serve, spread a layer of the mayonnaise on the bottom of your ciabatta, then a layer of lettuce, followed by thinly sliced steak, and topped with the relish.

Croatian Pašticada (fruity beef stew)

Beef, Mains

Serves 4-6 people
Marinating time: 5hrs-overnight
Cooking time: 2-3hrs

Ingredients

  • 2kg beef joint (toprump/topside – doesn’t need to be an expensive cut)
  • 2tbsp olive oil
  • 250ml apple cider vinegar
  • 50g smoked bacon lardons
  • 3 medium onions, chopped in 8ths
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped roughly
  • 3 sticks of celery, sliced
  • 3 carrots, sliced
  • 750ml red dessert wine
  • 2 braeburn apples, chopped in 8ths
  • 8 prunes, chopped in half
  • 3 tomatoes, sliced OR 20g puree
  • 1 thyme sprig
  • 1 rosemary sprig
  • 2 bay leaves

Method

  • Cut slits in the beed and insert the lardons throughout.
  • Put it in a dish you can cover with a lid or clingfilm and pour over the oil and vinegar.
  • Leave to marinate for at least 5hrs but overnight if you can.
  • Remove the beef from the fridge 20mins before you cook it.
  • Heat a large casserole/soup pot on the hob on a high heat and brown the beef on all sides
  • Remove the meat, lower the heat and sauté the onions, garlic, carrots and celery until they start to soften
  • Return the meat to the dish and pour in the wine.
  • bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. Cook covered for an hour-90mins.
  • Add the apples, prunes, tomatoes and herbs. You can also add a splash of water at this point if you feel it needs.
  • Cover again and simmer for another hour.
  • Remove the meat, frut and veg and keep them warm on a serving dish, and let the sauce reduce to your liking.
  • While the sauce is thickening, cook your gnocchi or mashed potatoes.
  • Slice the beef and serve with some of the fruit and veg, your side dish and pour over the sauce.

Swedish Meatballs with Creamy Gravy

Beef, Pork

Ingredients (serves 4 people)

For the meatballs:

  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 500-600g mince (beef, pork or a mix of both)
  • 75g breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 50ml milk or single cream
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • Salt and pepper

For the sauce:

  • 25g butter
  • 25g plain flour
  • 100ml white wine
  • 500ml beef stock
  • 100ml double cream
  • 2tsp soy sauce
  • 1tsp dijon mustard

Serve with creamy mash and lingonberry jam or redcurrant jelly

Method

  • Preheat oven to 200C/180C Fan
  • Add all the meatball ingredients to a large bowl or mixer and mix until combined.
  • Roll meatballs about the size of golf balls
  • Heat 1tbsp and 2tsp olive oil in a large pan on a medium heat and fry off the meatballs until browned.
  • Transfer to place on a baking tray. Cook for around 15-20 mins until cooked through
  • Once the balls are in the oven, get your mash going. Peel and boil your potatoes – 15mins should do it.
  • Now for the sauce. Add the butter to a large frying pan (make sure it will hold the meatballs later) and once it melts, add the flour. Mix together to make a roux and stir for a few minutes.
  • Add the white wine and whisk vigorously until it’s all incorporated.
  • Gradually add the beef stock, mixing along the way to avoid lumps.
  • Let the sauce thicken up on a low heat and then add the cream, soy sauce, dijon mustart, and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 5-10mins while you mash up your potatoes.

Spaghetti Bolognese

Beef, Pasta and Rice

Serves 4-6 people.
Chef’s tip: Make this at least 3 hours before you plan on eating it. The flavours will develop the longer you leave it.

Ingredients

  • 500g beef mince (a bit less/more works just fine if you can’t get the exact weight)
  • 150ml red wine
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced or finely chopped
  • 1/2 a celery stick, diced super small
  • 2 tins of plum tomatoes (chopped tomatoes are also fine)
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1/2 beef stock cube (optional but delicious)
  • Dash of Worcestershire sauce
  • Dry basil
  • Dry oregano
  • Salt and pepper
  • Olive oil

Method

  • Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan on a medium-high heat.
  • Add the mince and use a whisk to break it up and remove any chunks. Season the mince with salt and pepper.
  • Cook the mince until all of the liquid has evaporated and the meat is starting to brown/stick to the pan (don’t worry, it will come off). This will take your bolognese to another level of flavour.
  • Add the red wine and cook for about a minute to release the alcohol, then add the onion, garlic, celery and rosemary.
  • Cook for another 5-10mins or so to soften the onions
  • Add the puree and stir until it’s incorporated
  • Add the tomatoes. Break them up with a spoon/masher/knife if you want smaller chunks.
  • Take one of the tins and fill it 2/3 with water, and add that to your sauce.
  • Add the half stock cube, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, and a good sprinkle of basil and oregano – I’d say around a tablespoon of each.
  • Re-season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Turn down to simmer with a lid on for at least an hour, longer if possible and occasionally stirring it. Ideally you want time to be able to turn it off, let it cool and start it up again when you make your pasta.
  • Taste it every time you stir and see if you need to add any more seasoning.
  • When you put your water on to boil for the pasta (in salted water), add a pinch of sugar to the bolognese sauce to really bring it all together.
  • Serve with your choice of pasta and maybe some garlic bread 😉

Beef Wellington

Beef, Christmas, Mains

Serves 2-4 people

Ingredients

  • 450-500g fillet of beef
  • English mustard
  • 250g chestnut mushrooms
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 tbsp breadcrumbs (optional)
  • 1 fresh spring of rosemary
  • 4-6 slices of parma ham
  • Puff pastry (I buy pre-rolled but if not you’ll need to roll it out to about A4 size)
  • 1 egg
  • Salt and pepper

Method

  • Put a frying pan on a high heat and once hot, add about a tablespoon of olive oil.
  • Sear the meat in the pan – about a minute on each side and then quickly do the ends.
  • Place the meat on a chopping board/plate and brush it all over with English mustard.
  • Add the mushrooms, garlic, breadcrumbs (if using), salt and pepper to a blender and whizz up until it resembles fine breadcrumbs
  • Get a dry frying pan on a medium heat and tip the mushroom mixture in. The idea here is to cook out all of the moisture so this might take a little while.
  • Once completely dry, leave the mixture to one side until it has cooled down.
  • In the mean time, lay out some cling film and lay your parma ham along it, making sure they overlap each other
  • Spread the mushroom mixture over the ham, leaving about half an inch at the top and bottom of where you’ll roll it.
  • Place the beef on top.
  • Use the clingfilm to help roll the beef in the ham and wrap it up in the clingfilm like a sausage. Put it in the fridge to set.
  • Roll out more clingfilm and place your pastry on top. Preheat your oven to 200C/180C Fan.
  • Get the beef from the fridge and place it on the pastry. Again use the clingfilm to wrap the beef in the pastry. Trim the pastry so that you have just enough to go round the beef without overlapping.
  • Tuck the pastry at both ends and wrap up like a sausage in the clingfilm. Leave this in the fridge for 5-10mins to set.
  • Unwrap the package and place on a baking tray. Brush with beaten egg yolk and use the back of a knife to slice patterns in the top of the pastry (don’t go through it!). You could also use the spare pastry to make shapes on top.
  • Sprinkle with sea salt and then cook in the oven for 35-40mins until the pastry is golden brown.
  • Cut into 1cm slices and serve 🙂

Authentic Bologna Bolognese

Beef, Mains, Pasta and Rice, Pork

Gennaro Contaldo’s recipe, goes perfectly with my fresh pasta

Ingredients

  • 250g beef mince
  • 250g pork mince
  • 1 sprig of rosemary
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 stick of celery
  • 150ml red wine
  • 2tbsp puree
  • 900ml-1ltr beef stock

Method

  • Heat 2-3tbsp olive oil in a high sided frying pan on a medium-high heat.
  • Add the mince, season with salt and pepper, and use a whisk to break it all up. It will stick to the pan at first but it will come off as it cooks.
  • Cook for 5mins, then add the rosemary sprig
  • Cook until the liquid has evaporated and the meat is brown and golden
  • Add the wine and let it bubble away for a minute
  • Add the vegetables and stir, then add the puree. Let this cook for 2-3mins.
  • Add the beef stock and stir.
  • Turn down to a low simmer and cook for around 90mins or until it’s thickened up.
  • Serve with your choice of pasta 🙂

Chilli Con Carne

Beef

Serves 4 people

Ingredients 

  • 400-500g beef mince
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • Mushrooms, sliced (optional)
  • 1/2 red chilli, chopped (or 1tsp chilli powder)
  • 2tsp cumin powder
  • 2tsp ground coriander
  • 450ml beef stock
  • 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 400g tin of red kidney beans
  • 3tbsp tomato puree
  • 2tsp caster sugar
  • 1tsp dried oregano
  • Sea salt
  • Pepper

Method

  • Put a large non-stick saucepan on a medium-high heat with a little oil and add the mince.
  • Once browned, add the garlic, chilli and mushrooms if using and cook until the mushrooms are softened and browned
  • Add the kidney beans and stir for a minute
  • Add the cumin and coriander. Cook together for another 2mins.
  • Add the puree and stir until incorporated
  • Add the stock slowly, stirring constantly.
  • Add the tomatoes, sugar and oregano.
  • Season with salt and pepper, and stir it all together.
  • Bring it to a simmer, then reduce the heat and put a lid on it.
  • Simmer gently for 45mins, stirring occasionally until the mince is soft and the sauce is thicker.

Delicious Roast Beef

Beef, Mains

Chef’s Tip: serve with my Perfect Roast Potatoes, plenty of veg and some Yorkshire Puddings 🙂

Ingredients

  • Roasting joint of beef (silverside/topside/small roaster)
  • 2 onions
  • 4-5 cloves of garlic
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and Pepper

Method

  • Preheat oven to 240C/220C Fan
  • Peel the onions and cut them in half. Place them face down with the garlic (unpeeled) in a roasting dish
  • Place the beef joint on top, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper
  • Add about 50-100ml of water to the bottom of the pan to stop the veg from burning
  • Put it in the middle of the oven and turn down the heat immediately to 200C/180C Fan
  • Check the cooking time of your joint but generally follow the rule of 20mins per 450g/1lb for rare and then add an extra 10-15mins for medium and another 15mins for well done.
  • Make sure you baste the beef with the juices at least twice during cooking and add more water if necessary.
  • Remove from the oven, cover with foil and let it stand for 10-15mins before carving.

Slow cook beef casserole

Beef, Mains

Serves 2 people

Chef’s tip: You can either use a casserole for the whole process or use a frying pan and oven dish which is how I’ll describe it.

Ingredients

  • 600g stewing beef (either casserole beef or brisket is fine) cut into chunks
  • 1 onion
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 sticks of celery
  • Optional other veg: mushrooms, potatoes etc
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1tbsp butter
  • 1tbsp olive oil
  • 1.5tbsp plain flour
  • 1.5tbsp tomato puree
  • 1.5tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 beef stock cube (I use Knorr)
  • 400ml boiling water
  • 100ml red wine

Method

  • Preheat your oven to 150C/140C Fan/Gas 2
  • Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan on a medium-high heat.
  • Add the onion, carrots, celery (plus mushrooms if using) and bay leaves and soften for 10-15 minutes.
  • Sprinkle the flour in and stir until it’s not dusty anymore.
  • Add the purée and stir through
  • Add the Worcestershire sauce and stir through
  • Add the wine and wait for it to mostly cook away
  • Add the stock cube and water.
  • Stir until it simmers
  • Add your potatoes now if using (I usually cut them into big chunks)
  • Add the beef and simmer for 5 mins.

Transfer to an oven dish/casserole dish, cover and cook for at least 3hrs.

  • Turn the oven up to 200C/180C Fan and remove the lid.
  • Make your dumplings! Pop the dumplings on top of the sauce.
  • Cook for another 20-30mins or until the sauce has thickened up and the dumplings are crispy on top.

 

Steak and Ale or Red Wine Pie

Beef, Mains

Ingredients

  • Approx 500-600g stewing/casserole beef
  • Plain flour
  • 1 medium sized onion
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 sticks of celery
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (optional – I have made without this and it’s fine)
  • 350ml beef stock OR if using wine instead of ale 400ml beef stock
  • 250ml ale – I find that something dark works best as it gives a richer flavour OR 200ml red wine
  • Ready rolled puff pastry

Method

  • Preheat oven to 150C/140C Fan/Gas mark 4
  • Cut the beef into 1cm squares and dust with the flour. I find it easiest to pour flour onto a plate/bowl and then add the beef and stir it around until covered.
  • Fry the beef until browned and then set it aside.
  • Put your casserole dish or a large high-sided frying pan on a medium heat to fry the onion, carrot and celery for 5-10mins to soften.
  • Add the beef back into the pan, along with the paprika, bay leaf, puree and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until covered.
  • Add the beef stock and ale, and bring to the boil.
  • Put the dish in the oven with the lid on (or if you’re using a frying pan, transfer to a dish first) and cook for at least 3 hours.
  • You can turn up the heat towards the end and remove the lid to thicken it up and add some more flour if needed.
  • At this point, it’s your choice what you do with the pastry but make sure you brush it with beaten egg or milk before it goes in the oven:
    • Cut the pastry into individual portions, cook in the oven on a baking sheet for around 20mins and then dish up the meat onto a plate and top with the cooked pastry.
    • Pour the meat and sauce into an oven dish, cover with pastry and cook in the oven for around 20mins.
    • Make mini pies by cutting rounds out of the pastry (large circles for a base and small circles for a lid). Line a cupcake tray with the bases, fill with meat and pop the lid on top to cook for 15-20mins.