Episode 101: Beef

Beef Bourguignon
Steak Tartare
Carpaccio de Boeuf
Beef Olives
Pressed Beef Tongue Salad with Pears, Celery Root and Parmesan

BEEF BOURGUIGNON
Preparation is easy

1.5 kilograms chuck steak cut into 5 cm pieces (3 pounds 5 ounces)
1 large carrot, peeled and chunked
1 large onion, peeled and chunked
2 sticks celery, roughly chopped
2 bottles of red wine, Hernder Estates Cabernet Sauvignon
2 springs fresh thyme
1 head of garlic, cut in half horizontally
4 bay leaves
50 grams unsalted butter (2 ounces)
225 grams smoked bacon or pancetta (8 ounces)
450 grams shallots, peeled (1 pound)
30 grams plain flour (2 tablespoons)
375 grams chestnut mushrooms (12 ounces)
300 millilitres beef stock (1 ¾ cups)
75 millilitres brandy (5 tablespoons)
Fresh flat leaved parsley

Preparation time is 3 ½ hours, largely unattended plus overnight marinating
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pan. Add the carrot, onion and celery and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the wine, thyme, garlic and 2 bay leaves. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Pour the marinade over the beef cubes in a large bowl. Allow to cool and refrigerate overnight. This is known as a cook marinade.

Remove the beef from the marinade into a colander over a glass bowl. Reserve the marinade and set aside.

Heat 1 ounce of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan. Pat the cubes of beef dry with kitchen paper. Brown the beef in the pan and move it to a large casserole dish with the bacon and shallots. Use three spoonfuls of the leftover marinade to deglaze the frying pan and pour this into the casserole dish. Stir the remaining marinade, the flour and the beef stock into the casserole, bring to the boil and place in the oven for 3 to 3 ½ hours, until the beef is very tender.

Halfway through the cooking, heat the remaining oil and brown the whole mushrooms. Add the brandy and cook for a minute or two. Add this to the casserole and return it to the oven for the remaining time.

Yield: 6 servings.
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STEAK TARTARE
Preparation is easy

1 ½ pounds rump steak (750 grams)
4 egg yolks
1 cup shallots, finely chopped
1 cup onions, finely chopped
1 cup parsley, finely chopped
1 cup capers, minced
1 cup gherkins, minced
2 tablespoons paprika (30 millilitres)
Salt and pepper

Preparation time is 30 minutes

First, trim your steak of any fat and gristle. It is very important to have the finest quality meat possible. Then chop your meat into chunks. Then, with two very sharp knives, mince it. This is best done at the very last minute, keeping the minced steak as fresh as possible.

Divide the meat into individual servings. Make a well in the centre of each pile of meat and break a very fresh egg yolk. Around the edges, put small piles of shallot, onion, capers, gherkins and parsley.

With a couple of forks, each guest can mix his or her own tartare to taste. Add some of each of the ingredients. Finish by seasoning with sea salt, black pepper and paprika.

Yield: 4 servings.
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CARPACCIO DE BOEUF
Preparation is easy

1 pound beef fillet (450 grams)
8 ounces Parmesan cheese (240 grams)
½ cup olive oil (125 millilitres)
Black pepper

Trim any fat from the meat. It should be extremely lean. Then cut the beef into very thin slices.

Sandwich each slice between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound it with a mallet or the bottom of a frying pan until it is thin enough to see through. Remove one of the pieces of plastic wrap and flip the piece of meat over on to a plate. Then remove the other.

Drizzle olive oil over the top of the thin beef. Add freshly ground black pepper and then generous shavings of Parmesan.

Yield: 6 servings.
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BEEF OLIVES
Preparation is easy

1 kilogram silverside, topside of rump of beef cut into 12 thin slices (2 ½ pounds)
Salt
2 tablespoons olive oil (30 millilitres)
300 millilitres veal stock (1/2 pint)
3 slices bacon, chopped
3 hard boiled eggs, shelled and quartered
36 capers
4 tablespoons finely chopped parsley (40 millilitres)
12 anchovy fillets, rinsed and dried

Preparation time is 3 ½ hours

Flatten each slice of meat between two pieces of plastic wrap. Beat it with a mallet or the bottom of a frying pan.

Near one end of the piece of meat, arrange a piece of egg, come capers, bacon and an anchovy filet. Add some parsley. Roll the meat from the end nearest the stuffing, tucking in the edges as you go to make a compact package.

Truss each roll with string. Put the olive oil to heat in a pan just large enough to hold the beef parcels. Brown each one, turning them with a fork. Add enough veal stock that the meat is about two thirds covered and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pan. Cook until tender, basting regularly and turning the meat packages. Leave to cook for about 3 hours.

Cut away the strings before serving.

Yield: 6 servings.
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PRESSED BEEF TONGUE SALAD WITH PEARS, CELERY ROOT AND PARMESAN
Preparation is easy

2-3 kilograms salted ox or beef Tongue (4 to 6 pounds)
2 carrots, halved
2 onions, halved
1 celery Stick, cut into chunks
1 clove garlic
1 bouquet Garni
8-10 Peppercorns
1 bay leaf
Parsley stalks
2 tablespoons port
2 teaspoons powdered gelatine
6 large handfuls arugula or mesclun mix
3 pears
1 medium-sized celery root
½ lemon
8 ounces Parmesan cheese (250 grams)

For the dressing
1 cup olive oil (250 millilitres)
1 tablespoon honey (15 millilitres)
2 tablespoons grainy mustard (30 millilitres)
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar (70 millilitres)

Preparation time is 3 days

Soak the ox tongue in cold water for 24 hours, changing the water occasionally. Wash and drain the tongue.

Place the tongue into a large saucepan with the carrots, garlic, onion, celery, peppercorns, bay leaf, parsley stalks and bouquet garni. Cover with water, bring to the boil and skim the surface as needed. Cover and simmer gently for 4 hours, or until soft when a skewer is inserted into the middle and the small bones at the base can be easily pulled out.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the tongue to cool in the liquid. When the liquid is cold, remove the tongue, drain and transfer it to a board. Keep at least 10 fluid ounces of the cooking liquid. Remove the skin by slitting down the middle of it and trim the root to remove any gristle or bones.

Roll the tongue to fit into a 20cm (8 inch) cake tin It should be a tight fit. Boil the port briskly in a small pan to reduce it and concentrate the flavour. Now sprinkle the gelatine into a little cold water in a cup and melt it over simmering water until absolutely clear. Now strain off 10 fl oz (275 ml) of the cooking liquid, strain the gelatine into it and lastly add the port. Pour the mixture over the tongue.

Cover the tongue with a plate, stand a heavy weight on top to press it. Leave in a cool place for 12 hours. Run a knife around the edge to free the tongue.

Peel the pears and grate them on the coarse side of a hand grater. Do the same with the celery root. Put aside in separate bowls and squeeze a little lemon juice over them to prevent them going brown. Slice the tongue very thinly. Divide the arugula between six plates and do the same with the grated pear and celery root. Lay the tongue on top and shave the Parmesan cheese on top of this.

Mix together the ingredients for the dressing with a fork and drizzle it over the top of the salad.

Yield: 12 servings.
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Recipe compliments of Chef Ned Bell