Celebrating Great British beef

Beef, leek & swede Cumberland pie

NEW this month on our ‘foodie calendar’ is a Great British Beef Week, which runs from April 23-30. The aim is to celebrate the “iconic” flavours and versatility of British beef and the sustainable practices of beef farmers. 

Thankfully, the National Beef Association website – nationalbeefassociation.com –
has some interesting recipes using every cut of beef imaginable…
so we offer you two of them. 

Novak Djokovic’s Crispy Mushroom Polenta
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Novak Djokovic’s Crispy Mushroom Polenta

Serves

4

People

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

  • 4 oz. portobello mushroom caps, gills removed, finely chopped

  • 1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme

  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika

  • 4 cups vegetable stock

  • 1 cup uncooked instant polenta

  • 1 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

  • 1¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided

  • 1 tsp. black pepper, divided

  • 1 lb. oyster mushrooms

  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice

  • 2 cups loosely packed watercress

Method

  • Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add portobellos, and fry, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in thyme and paprika.
  • Bring stock to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat; gradually whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in portobello mixture, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Wipe skillet clean, and set aside.
  • Pour polenta mixture into a greased 8-inch-square baking pan, and smooth top. Press a sheet of plastic wrap lightly sprayed with cooking spray directly on polenta, and chill until firm, about 2 hours.
  • Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cut polenta mixture into 8 (4×2-inch) rectangles. Add polenta, in batches, to hot oil, and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 4 minutes per side. Remove to plate.
  • Wipe skillet clean; add 4 tablespoons oil, and heat over medium-high. Add oyster mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper; remove from heat.
  • Whisk together lemon juice and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a small bowl. Toss watercress with 1½ tablespoons vinaigrette. To serve, place 2 polenta rectangles on a plate; top each with ¼ cup oyster mushrooms and ¼ cup dressed watercress. Drizzle with remaining vinaigrette, if desired.
Salad of beef tongue, green vegetables, wild garlic vinaigrette
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Salad of beef tongue, green vegetables, wild garlic vinaigrette

Servings

4

servings

Ingredients

  • 320g of finely sliced cooked beef tongue

  • 100g of wild garlic leaves

  • 100g of olive oil

  • 1 bunch of watercress

  • 1 bunch of green asparagus

  • 1 small head of broccoli

  • Juice of 1 lemon 

  • 4 small spring radish

  • 40g parmesan shavings

Directions

  • Prepare the wild garlic puree: Blanche the wild garlic leaves in boiling water and refresh by dipping in cold water. Remove excess water. Mix the olive oil with the wild garlic and pass through a fine sieve. Put aside.
  • Prepare a vinaigrette with the lemon juice, the wild garlic puree and the wild garlic oil.
  • Prepare the vegetables: Using a mandolin or a grater, finely grate the raw broccoli florets into rice-sized pieces. Wash the watercress and remove the excess water. Blanche the green asparagus in salted boiling water for 10 minutes and refresh in iced cold water. Slice each asparagus long ways in four.
  • To finish: Use a plate for each person and spoon some of the wild garlic vinaigrette onto the centre of each plate. Arrange slices of beef tongue on each plate.  Sprinkle the broccoli over the beef. Place the green asparagus in a bowl and toss in a little of the vinaigrette until coated. Arrange nicely on the top of the meat.
    Decorate with some of the watercress and parmesan shavings. Finish by spooning a little more of the vinaigrette.
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