Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Italian Beef and Bocconcini Salad with Pesto Dressing


Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 pound (500 g) piece eye fillet beef
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ounce (30 g) butter
6 bocconcini
8 bottled or canned artichoke hearts, drained
4 bottled or canned pimientos, drained
8 radicchio lettuce leaves
Pesto Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup firmly packed Italian parsley
1/4 cup firmly packed basil leaves
1 tablespoon capers

Method:

1. Tie beef with string to help hold its shape during cooking; sprinkle liberally with pepper. Heat oil and butter in a baking dish; add beef and fry on all sides until brown. Transfer to moderately hot oven (375 degrees F/190 degrees C); cook for 20 minutes, or longer if you prefer beef medium or well done. Allow to cool at room temperature before slicing.
2. Slice bocconcini, halve artichoke hearts and cut pimientos into strips. Arrange on serving plate with lettuce and beef slices.
3. To prepare dressing, combine oil, lemon juice, parsley, basil and capers in a blender of food processor; blend until smooth.

Fillet of Beef with Crusted Almonds


Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 pound (500 g) fillet of beef
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
Pinch of paprika pepper
Pinch of ground ginger
1 1/2 ounces (45 g) butter or margarine
2 egg yolks
2 ounces (60 g) flaked almonds

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to hot (450 degrees F/230 degrees C). Mix the oil with the salt, pepper, paprika and ginger and coat the meat on all sides, then put it in the center of the oven and roast for 30 to 40 minutes.
2. Beat the butter with the egg yolks, gradually working them in, and finally mix the almonds into the foamy mass. Coat the top of the meat with the almond mixture and cook for a further 10 minutes so that a crust is formed. Serve immediately.

Serve with young carrots and green beans tossed in butter.

Beef Burgers with Herb Butter Supreme


Make herb butter before preparing meat mixture to give it sufficient time to firm in the refrigerator.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound (750 g) ground beef (mince)
1 onion, finely chopped
Oil for shallow frying
Herb Butter:
3 ounces (90 g) butter
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Method:

1. Combine beef and onion, divide mixture into 8 portions. Enclose teaspoonfuls of herb butter in center of each beef portion, shape into burgers. Fry in hot oil on both sides until browned and cooked through.

Herb Butter: Process softened butter, garlic, herbs and cheese until smooth. Place butter in bowl, cover, refrigerate.

Beef in Red Wine Sauce

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

3 pound (1.5 kg) topside, blade or chuck steak
All-purpose (plain) flour
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 rashers bacon, sliced
1 cup red wine
1 cup water
1 large sprig thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
12 small white onions, peeled
8 ounces (250 g) mushrooms, trimmed and halved
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Method:

1. Cut steak into 2 inch (5 cm) pieces and dust with flour. Shake off excess. Melt butter and oil in a heavy casserole and brown steak pieces on all sides. Remove. Add bacon and stir over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add red wine and water and bring to a simmer, stirring well. Return meat to pan, add thyme, bay leaf, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover and cook in a slow oven (300 degrees F/150 degrees C) for 1 1/2 hours.
2. Add onions and a little more water if necessary and cook for a further 20 minutes or until meat is very tender. Add mushrooms and cook for a further 10 minutes or until mushrooms are cooked.

Serve sprinkled with parsley and accompanied by creamy mashed potato.

Devilled Beef Loaf

Serves: 5 to 6

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound (750 g) lean ground beef (mince)
1 cup grated carrot
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 teaspoons dry mustard
Pinch cayenne pepper

Method:

1. Combine the meat, carrot, onion, parsley, egg, salt and pepper. Press into a 8 x 6 inch (20 x 15 cm) loaf pan and bake in a moderate oven for 1 hour. Pour liquid from pan and turn loaf out on to a heatproof serving dish.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients and press over top of loaf. Place under a hot grill until bubbling and golden brown.

Beef Pots with Crunchy Topping


Serves: 4

Ingredients:

8 ounce (250 g) packet frozen spinach, thawed
2 ounces (60 g) butter
1 medium leek, sliced
8 ounces (250 g) cauliflower, chopped
5 ounces (150 g) mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine
Filling:
1 tablespoon oil
1 pound (500 g) ground beef (mince)
1 small beef stock cube
10 ounce (300 g) can Mushroom Supreme
2 spring onions (scallions), chopped
Topping:
4 slices bread
1 1/2 ounces (50 g) butter, melted
1/2 cup grated tasty cheese

Method:

1. Squeeze spinach to remove excess liquid. Heat butter in pan, add leek, cauliflower and mushrooms, cook, stirring, until leek and cauliflower are just soft, add spinach and wine, stir until heated through.
2. Spoon the mixture into 4 ovenproof dishes (1 1/2 cup capacity). Spoon over filling, sprinkle with topping. Place dishes on oven tray. Bake, uncovered, in moderate oven about 15 minutes or until browned and heated through.
Filling: Heat oil in pan, add beef, cook, stirring, until well browned. Add crumbled stock cube, Mushroom Supreme and spring onions, cook, stirring, until hot.
Topping: Remove crusts from bread, cut bread into small cubes. Combine bread, butter and cheese in bowl; mix gently.

Note: Mushroom Supreme is a canned product containing baby mushrooms with milk, cream, cheese, onions and bacon.

Beef Olives


Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:

2 pound (1 kg) piece of beef topside, cut into 6 slices
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 thin slices of smoked ham
1 ounce (30 g) butter
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, chopped
12 fl oz (375 ml) can stout or beer
Thyme sprigs to garnish (optional)

Method:

1. Pound the beef slices until they are thin, then cut each slice in half to make 12 slices, each about 5 x 3 1/2 inches (12.5 x 9 cm). Rub each slice with a little seasoning and thyme, then place a slice of ham on each and trim to fit; reserve any trimmings. Roll up and secure with string.
2. Melt the butter with the oil in a flameproof casserole. Add the beef rolls and brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.
3. Add the onion to the casserole with any ham trimmings and fry until softened. Return the beef rolls to the casserole and pour over the stout. Bring to the boil, then cover and transfer to a preheated moderate oven, 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Cook for 1 hour or until the beef rolls are tender. Remove the string. Garnish with thyme sprigs.

Crusty Beef Loaf


Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 cob loaf
1 ounce (30 g) butter
1 onion, chopped
1 pound (500 g) ground beef (mince)
2 tablespoons gravy powder
1 1/4 cups water
1 beef stock cube, crumbled
1/3 cup tomato ketchup (sauce)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 cup grated tasty cheese
1 tomato, chopped

Method:

1. Cutting 1 inch (2.5 cm) in from the edge, cut a circle from base of cob loaf. Remove soft bread from inside, make into crumbs.
2. Melt butter in frying pan, add onion, cook until onion is soft, add beef, stir over heat until browned. Add gravy powder, water, stock cube and tomato ketchup, stir over heat until mixture boils and thickens; stir in parsley and reserved breadcrumbs.
3. Place cheese and tomato into bread case, top with meat mixture, replace round of bread. Wrap loaf in aluminum foil, place on baking tray, right side up, bake in moderate oven 35 minutes or until heated through. Serve hot or cold.

Mexican Sausages


Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound (750 g) beef sausages
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 x 13 1/2 ounce (425 g) cans tomatoes
1 cup water
1 small chicken stock cube
15 ounce (465 g) can red kidney beans, drained
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Method:

1. Cook sausages in large pan until browned, remove from pan; drain on absorbent paper. Slice sausages thickly. Add onion and garlic to pan, cook, stirring, until onion is soft.
2. Add undrained crushed tomatoes, water, crumbled stock cube, beans, chili powder and cumin. Simmer, uncovered, about 15 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Return sausages to pan, stir in parsley, cook until heated through.

Beef and Mushrooms in Red Wine


Cook 2/3 cup rice for this recipe. Serve with crusty bread.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound (750 g) topside steak
1 tablespoon oil
12 baby onions, peeled
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 tablespoon all-purpose (plain) flour
1 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon tomato paste
6 1/2 ounces (200 g) baby mushrooms
2 cups cooked rice

Method:

1. Trim fat from steak, cut steak into cubes. Heat oil in frying pan, add steak, whole onions, garlic and oregano, cook, stirring, until steak is well browned.
2. Add flour, cook 1 minute. Stir in wine, water and tomato paste, cook, stirring until mixture boils and thickens. Reduce heat, cover, simmer 45 minutes.
3. Add mushrooms, cover, simmer 5 minutes. Serve with rice.