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.
Beef Wellington
Ingredients
- Beef
1 kg (2.2 lbs) Chatsworth/David Howlett beef fillet
Salt & black pepper
2 tbsp Chatsworth Farm Shop English mustard
- Duxelles
500 g (17.6 oz) chestnut mushrooms, very finely chopped
1 shallot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp thyme leaves
1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Crêpes
100 g (3.5 oz) plain flour
2 eggs
250 ml (1 cup) whole milk
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp melted butter
- Pastry
500 g (1.1 lbs) all-butter puff pastry (pre-bought recommended)
1 egg, beaten
- Additional
8 slices Parma ham
1 tbsp olive oil
Pastry rolled to approx. 3 mm (0.1 inch) thickness
- Vegetables Served at The Cavendish
Buttered heritage carrots
Crushed new potatoes with chives
Tenderstem broccoli
Rich red wine and beef reduction (made using the beef trimmings)
Method
- Preparation & Searing
- Season the beef fillet generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat a pan with 1 tbsp olive oil.
- Sear all sides until golden brown.
- Brush with Chatsworth mustard while warm.
- Chill fully.
- Duxelles
- Cook mushrooms, butter, garlic, shallot, thyme and salt.
- Reduce until all moisture is gone.
- Cool completely.
- Assembly
- Lay cling film on the counter.
- Arrange Parma ham slightly overlapping.
- Spread duxelles on top.
- Place chilled beef in the centre and roll tightly using the cling film.
- Chill to set.
- Crêpe Layer
- Make thin crêpes.
- Wrap the beef roll in a single crêpe to create a moisture barrier.
- Pastry
- Roll pastry to 3 mm (0.1 inch).
- Remove cling film and wrap beef/crêpe in pastry.
- Trim, seal, and egg-wash.
- Chill 20 minutes.
- Score the top and re-egg wash.
- Cooking
- Standard oven: 200°C (392°F)
- Fan oven: 180°C (356°F)
- Cook for 35–40 minutes for medium-rare.
- Rest 10 minutes.
- Using the Trimmings for Gravy
- Save the beef trimmings and searing juices.
- Reduce with:
- 200 ml (¾ cup) red wine
- 300 ml (1¼ cups) beef stock
- Finish with a knob of butter for shine.
Notes
CHEF'S TIP
Pastry Recommendation
Pre-bought all-butter puff pastry is recommended. It’s consistent, reliable, and delivers excellent results.
Salad of beef tongue, green vegetables, wild garlic vinaigrette
4
servingsIngredients
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.