Category: Beef

Dianne Bibby’s Bobotie Filo Parcels

.Reading time 5 minutes.

Makes: 20

New Years Eve 2024 and we are off to Nat’s parents for Champagne, a swim with the family and counting down the minutes.

My main was this always brilliant Doner Kebab, with the chicken slow cooked and caramelised.

But it was Nat’s starter of these Bobotie filo parcels that won the night.

They’re awesome.

The addition of the Mrs Ball’s chutney means it doesn’t need to be on the side. The sultanas add a sweetness to balance the excellent spice. The addition of the milk-soaked bread keeps the whole thing moist.

The buttery filo pastry and then the egg wash with the black (or white) sesame seeds finishes it off.

Sophisticated? No. And neither expected.

Delicious? Absolutely yes.

I promised my brother-in-law Greg – of South African heritage – I would type these up for his mother – Elaine – who has not only published a cookbook and is a fantastic cook and entertainer, though is also a subscriber of this blog!

Elaine’s specialty is South African. Think Bobotie, Bunny Chow and Cape Malay Curry.

Actually, that’s not fair.

Elaine’s speciality is just great food and sharing the experience of cooking and enjoying it with friends and family.

I’ve had the pleasure.

Catching up with Elaine is always electric. She is as mad about food as I am and we share stories and all sorts of promises.

I don’t think I have had Elaine’s Bobotie and I am not convinced Greg shouldn’t be cooking these for his mother instead, though this recipe is for Elaine and hopefully her next family gathering.

Delicious? Will most definitely be.

Ingredients

2 sliced white bread, crusts removed and soaked in 200ml milk
2 tbsp golden sultanas
45ml freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp vegetable oil
20gm salted butter
1 large brown onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 carrot, finely grated
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
2 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp dried red chilli flakes
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
Zest of 1 lemon and juice of half
500gm lean beef mince (Nat used turkey mince)
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp Mrs Ball’s chutney
1 c chicken stock
2 tbsp almond flour
20 sheets filo pastry
4 tbsp melted butter
Egg wash (1 egg whisked with 30ml water)
Sesame seeds, for finishing

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Place the sultanas in a small bowl, cover with the orange juice and set aside.
  3. Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan. Sauté the onion until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, carrot and ginger and cook for a further 5 minutes.
  4. Turn up the heat, add the mince and cook until nicely browned and just starting to catch on the bottom of the pan. Season with 1 tsp salt and freshly ground pepper; mix in all the spices and cook for a further few minutes.
  5. Stir in the milk-soaked bread along with the milk, drained sultanas, cinnamon, chutney, stock and almond flour. Cover partially with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes or so, until the carrots are soft, the meat is cooked through and most of the liquid has reduced. Set aside to cool.
  6. Lay one sheet of Filo pastry on a bench with the shorter edge facing you and brush with the melted butter.
  7. Lay another sheet on top and brush with butter. Cut the sheet into 3 strips (approximately 15cm each).
  8. Place one heaped tbsp of the filling mixture on the very top of the sheet allowing 2cm from the bottom. Take the bottom right corner of the Filo pastry strip and fold it diagonally towards the opposite side of the strip to form a triangle.
  9. Then take the bottom left corner of the strip and fold diagonally towards the opposite side.
  10. Continue folding in the same way to ensure you keep a triangular shape.
  11. Brush each triangle with the egg wash, scatter with sesame seeds and cook for 18 – 20 minutes or until golden.

Matty Matheson’s Meatball Sub

.Reading time 4 minutes.

Serves: 8

Nat said these meatballs were the best she has ever had and I’m not going to lie.

They are.

Add the marinara sauce, the mozzarella and the focaccia and this is just heaven.

It’s the sum of the parts that make this brilliant. No expenses spared.

Matty believes these subs should be served as single meatball portions, though did whole meatball subs and the kids absolutely loved it.

Which is not to say this isn’t something Nat and I wouldn’t cook again and again.

Just for us.

Which is why I am typing it.

Go Matty Matheson!

Ingredients

1 c dry breadcrumbs
2 cups milk
2 eggs
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
6 garlic cloves, minced, plus 1 clove for rubbing the focaccia
1 c flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tbsp salt
Freshly cracked pepper
1 tbsp chopped oregano leaves
1 c grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
1 c grated Pecorino Romano
Olive oil
500gm ground beef
500gm ground pork
500gm ground veal
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 c Marinara (recipe follows)
1 large focaccia
250gm mozzarella sliced into 16 slices

Marinara (makes 6 cups)

800gm canned tomatoes
1 c olive oil
1 red onion, finely diced
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch basil
2 tbsp salt
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 c grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Method

  1. In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and milk, mixing them thoroughly, and let stand for 10 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are hydrated. Add the eggs, onion, garlic, parsley, salt, black pepper, oregano, Parmigiano, Pecorino, and a dash of olive oil and mix everything until combined.
  2. Next add the beef, pork and veal. Use your hands to really work the meat until everything comes together into a nice homogenous mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and let the mixture sit in the fridge for 1 hour.
  3. After the mixture has rested, portion the mixture into golf ball sized balls. In a medium bowl, add the flour. Gently dust each meatball with the flour.
  4. Preheat your oven to 180c.
  5. Pour 1.5cm of olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet and bring it up over medium heat. Brown the meatballs in batches, about 10 minutes on all sides. Be gentle. Transfer the cooked meatballs to a large baking dish and cover them with marinara. Bake for 30 minutes.
  6. Slice the focaccia down the middle and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Grill or toast until olive-oil side is golden brown. Rub both grilled sides with a sliced piece of garlic.
  7. Preheat your grill on high. Spread the meatballs over the bottom half of the toasted focaccia. Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano and place a slice of mozzarella over each meatball. Place onto a baking sheet and grill until the cheese is bubbling and lightly browned: 5 minutes. Coat the meatballs in the marinara mixture and the remaining slice of focaccia. If serving individually, skewer each meatball or cut it up however you want.
  8. For the marinara: in a heavy pot, warm the olive oil and add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent, stirring frequently. Add the tomatoes, helping to break them down. Turn the heat down, add the basil an allow the sauce to simmer for 1 hour or more.
  9. Remove from the heat, remove the basil stems and add the salt, sugar and Parmesan. Using a hand blender on low, gently blend the sauce until the tomatoes break down: you are looking for a sauce that is slightly chunky. Allow the sauce to cool. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Matty Matheson’s Taco Submarine

.Reading time 4 minutes.

Serves: 2

Matty Matheson’s new cookbook Soups, Salads, Sandwiches is a must-have cookbook.

There isn’t a thing in it I wouldn’t cook.

Four recipes in, each has been a blockbuster.

The book is full of obtainable, super tasty food with a few fancy touches here and there; the Sichuan Chilli Oil Smashed Cucumber Salad and Soy-Cured Egg is just one example: a beautiful, sophisticated yet obtainable Asian salad.

The photos – and there are plenty – of Matty and his family are just fun.

And the stories are fucking fun. (He swears a lot.)

This taco sub isn’t sophisticated though is damn excellent.

This is a Saturday night, tequila time dinner.

As Matty says introducing this recipe:

To this day, my favourite restaurant is Robo Marty a small gas station und the Peace Bridge on the Niagara River. They used to have a taco sub that was so insane it worked, and it made me happy. Cheesy Mexican pickled jalapeño beef. Texy mexy beefy. Cheesy sexy texy mixy mexy jalapeño beef. After a few minutes it would relax you, and if you were like me and in high school on a BMX bike eating this in the woods, then you do what you gotta do. Life is not a straight line, but it is not fair if you don’t get to have your cake and eat it too. The taco sub is that for me. It’s a double-edged sword and double entendre, but it’s always worth the fight.

Ingredients

500gm ground beef
1 c water
Two 30gm packets spicy taco seasoning
1/2 c pickled jalapeños
6 slices American cheese
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
2 submarine buns
1 white onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tomato, thinly sliced
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced
1 c Wedge Salad Dressing
Frank’s RedHot sauce (available in Australia)

Method

  1. The biggest thing is making this beef. It’s so important. Get a large skillet really hot with no oil. Take the ground beef out of the pack and put it into the hot pan. Sear it like one big cheeseburger patty and let it fry up, about 10 minutes. Once it is a little smoky, using a flat wooden spatula, scrape the beef off the pan and chop it all up and break it down. Keep chopping with your spatula while it browns and cooks, about 5 minutes.
  2. When the beef is completely browned, deglaze the pan with water. Stir that in with the beef. Real quick. Dump in the magic powder (taco seasoning) and pickled jalapeños. Keep stirring until your entire house smells like magic and cook it out for 5 minutes max. Throw in the American cheese and stir until the cheese melts and is incorporated, about 2 minutes. It will become stinky cheesy texy mexy beefy, Turn off the beef heat, The residual heat will melt the cheese.
  3. Take the bun. Don’t toast it. Slice it open. Take a big spoonful of cheesy beef and throw three clumps of it into the soft bun. Throw half the onions, tomatoes, and lettuce on top, then drizzle with the dressing. Squirt some hot sauce all over it. Take your knife and squish it all in. Wrap it in parchment paper. Repeat with the other sub.
  4. Slice the sub down the middle, then peel it back and take a bite.
  5. I told you how bloody good this was.

Nebraska’s Runza (Beef and Cheese)

.Reading time 3 minutes.

Makes: 12

I’m a massive follower of US politics and so excited to see the Democrats become competitive – and truly joyous – for the 2024 Presidential Election.

I especially love Tim Walz, Kamala Harris’ running mate.

A completely down-to-earth guy (teacher, coach, veteran, Governor of Minnesota) originally from Nebraska.

In one of his social videos, he trolled JD Vance, Trump’s running mate about likely not even knowing what a Runza was.

And of course, there I was replying on Twitter: “[Me, not knowing what a Runza is] Haha, fuck yeah, get him.”

Tim Walz, nominee VP at Runza in Nebraska.

So what is a Runza?

It’s a bit like a pizza pocket, though filled with savoury mince, maybe cheese, mushrooms, chilli, you name it.

Very popular in the mid-west of the States and originally from Germany.

The key is the amazing dough however.

Friday night and Nat was up for the challenge (which wasn’t much of a challenge).

I totally get why so many people freeze these as a snack.

They’re great.

Mid-western fast-food, pizza-pocket great.

But again, it’s that dough. Just yum!

Go on. Live a little and master the Runza.

Ingredients

Dough

4 1/2 c plain flour
1/4 c sugar
7gm yeast (1 packet)
1 tsp salt
3/4 c milk
1/2 c water
1/2 c butter
2 eggs, beaten

Filling

1 tbsp olive oil
1kg ground beef mince
1 small onion, diced
4 c cabbage, chopped
2 tsp seasoned salt*
1 tsp pepper
12 slices cheddar cheese

* Seasoned Salt

1 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

Method

  1. To make the dough, place 1 1/2 c flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a KitchenAid mixing bowl.
  2. Heat the milk, water and butter until warm and the butter melted. Pour the heated, wet ingredients into the flour mixture. Stir slightly before adding the beaten eggs.
  3. Continue by adding the remaining flour, one cup at a time, until when kneaded the dough comes together and is smooth and elastic.
  4. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
  5. For the filling, while the dough is rising, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and then cook the onions and mince until the liquid has evaporated and the meat is starting to brown. Stir in the cabbage, seasoned salt and pepper and cook until the cabbage has wilted. Set aside to cool ensuring no liquid is left.
  6. Heat the oven to 180c. To assemble, punch down the dough and divide into 12 equal portions.
  7. Working with 1 piece of dough, roll into a rectangle 15cm x 20cm in size.
  8. Place a heaped 1/2 c of filling into each dough piece. Fold over the filling, seal and suck the edges.
  9. Place onto a greased baking sheet and bake for 18 – 20 minutes until golden brown.

Thomas Straker’s Baked Gnocchi with Beef and Pork Ragù (TikTok)

.Reading time 6 minutes.

Serves: 6 – 8

The first Thomas Straker recipe I typed up a few weeks ago was extraordinary.

And no kidding, my traffic grew by a third almost overnight and the recipe became my second most viewed.

All of Thomas Straker’s recipes are contained in short-burst TikTok videos without the recipe. Totally viral and social content, though not very helpful regarding cooking.

For the second time, however, Nat was still determined.

Introducing this totally nuts, baked gnocchi with beef and pork ragù!

On account of going up to Newcastle – two hours north of Sydney – for a 40th Saturday night, Nat started the ragù Friday. Gnocchi and béchamel on our return.

A triumphant, late Sunday winter lunch?

You absolutely bet!

What absolute luxury. Total, last meal decadence.

A dish that you’d drive across town for. Honestly, a dish you just can’t stop smiling about.

In a world of food complexity and pretence (and I am plenty guilty of that), this is a swinging boulder from the other direction to smash it all to pieces.

The beginning of homemade gnocchi.
Taking shape.
Plunged in an ice bath, reserved and tossed with olive oil.
The incredible ragù.
Béchamel with mozzarella and parmesan.
OMG. Combine the béchamel and ragù and two very good things have come together.
More parmesan and we are ready to bake.

Ironically, as we were leaving Newcastle this morning, Nat spotted an institution – Don Beppino’s House of Lasagne – a restaurant we had a late-night meal at 12 years ago. Already with a few drinks under our belt, we had the best night: the sort of food I am typing up here with too much Chianti and too many laughs.

About as old-school as it gets.

This is what life is all about.

Ingredients

Ragù

Extra olive oil
1 carrot, unpeeled, chopped finely
1 onion, finely diced
1 stick celery, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 sprig rosemary
1 tsp Italian herbs
1/2 tsp dry oregano
500gm beef and pork mince
1 tbsp tomato paste
Salt
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
3/4 c red wine
1 can cherry tomatoes
500ml chicken stock

Béchamel

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1/4 c milk
1/2 mozzarella ball (175gm), chopped
1/4 c parmesan, grated
Salt

Gnocchi

6 baking potatoes
1 1/2 c plain flour (plus more as you need it)
2 egg yolks
1 tsp salt
Extra virgin olive oil

Pepper and extra parmesan to sprinkle before baking

Method

  1. Start by making a sofrito: heat some oil in a heavy pan and softly sauté the carrot, onion, celery and garlic until very soft though not golden.
  2. In a separate heavy pan, heat more oil over medium-high heat and fry the mince until browned. Add the tomato paste, salt and sherry vinegar and combine. Add the red wine, canned tomatoes and stock and bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer adding the herbs. Cook for 30 minutes. Add the sofrito and combine, reducing the heat to low and cook for as long as you can. Taste and season and remove the rosemary sprig.
  3. For the béchamel, in a saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat until bubbling. Whisk in the flour until well combined and then add the milk, whisking until combined. Increase the heat and add the mozzarella and then Parmesan, whisking until well combined and fully melted.
  4. Slowly introduce the béchamel sauce to the ragù and stir to combine.
  5. To make the gnocchi, bake the potatoes at 180c until cooked through. Remove the flesh when cool and rice/mash. Combine with the flour, egg and salt and knead until combined. Set aside for 5 minutes.
  6. Heat a large pot of boiling water and separately, set up an ice water bowl to reserve the cooked gnocchi. Using a piping bag with no attachment, pipe long tubes of the combined potato mixture and then cut into 3cm gnocchi with a sharp knife.
  7. Cook the gnocchi rapidly for a few minutes until they float. Immediately transfer to the ice water bowl and allow to cool completely. When cooled, quickly drain and toss with oil.
  8. Heat an oven to 200c. Carefully combine the gnocchi with béchamel ragù mixture ensuring the gnocchi does not break up. Pour the gnocchi mixture into a baking pan; or several pans. Pepper, very liberally sprinkle over parmesan and bake until bubbling.
  9. Serve immediately with Chianti!

Dina Begum’s Slow-cooked Spicy Beef Curry (Mezbani Mangsho)

.Reading time 3 minutes.

Serves: 6 – 8

This thumper of a beef curry was cooked by Nat as part of a Bangladeshi lunch.

Calling it a thumper is unfair on one hand because it is so complex and aromatic. But boy, it isn’t mucking around either.

Nat skipped the addition of the final fresh chillies because she felt it was already where she wanted to be, spice-wise. You’re call.

Otherwise, let this number marinate overnight, cook it low and slow and you’re in for a real autumn warmer. Beautiful. (Red wine is not really optional either.)

Ingredients

1.4kg beef shoulder on the bone, cut into 4cm pieces*
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1/3 tsp ground nutmeg
1/3 tsp ground mace
1/2 c mustard oil or rapeseed oil**
2 medium onions, finely sliced
3 c cold water
2 bay leaves
4 – 5 whole green chillies

Dry Spice Mix

2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp Bengali five-spice or 1/2 tsp (wild) celery seeds
2 green cardamom pods
5cm piece of cassia bark or cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds

Wet Spice Paste

1 tbsp water
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 medium onion, roughly chopped
5cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled
1 1/2 tsp salt

Method

  1. Place the beef chunks in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle over the salt. Set aside.
  2. To make the dry spice mix, lightly toast all the whole spices except the fennel seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium-heat and stir for 2 minutes, or until the spices are aromatic. Transfer to a dish to cool slightly, then tip into a spice grinder, along with the fennel seeds. Grind until very fine, then pour into the bowl with the meat.
  3. To make the wet spice paste, blend all the ingredients in a blender until you have a smooth paste. Transfer this to the bowl with the meat. Add the turmeric, both chilli powders, nutmeg and max and mix thoroughly. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 – 2 hours or preferably, overnight.
  4. When you’re ready to cook, heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over a high heat. Add the sliced onions and sauté for a few minutes until golden, then add the marinated meat, followed by 1 1/4 c of the water and the bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 – 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to low-medium, cover with a lid and cook for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Add the remaining 1 1/2 c water. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 45 minutes, or until tender and the gravy is reduced and no longer watery.
  5. For the final 10 minutes of cooking, add the whole green chillies. Stir through a simmer. When ready, serve immediately with boiled basmati rice.

* Nat substituted 900gm of chuck roast, taking into account the weight of the bone
** If using rapeseed oil, add 2 tbsp mustard powder to the marinade.

Valeria Necchio’s Casoncelli – Pork, Beef, Raisin and Amaretti Ravioli

.Reading time 4 minutes.

Serves: 6

Holy shit, this recipe is just incredible.

“Decident” said Nat. “Marvellous” I said. “I don’t want this to end” said Nat.

And boy, wasn’t that the truth.

Yes, in our pre-baby #4 quest to find the world’s greatest pasta, this is truly, truly in the running.

This pasta separates itself from the wonderful though simple Lidia Bastianich and Antonio Carluccio pastas we have been pushing, taking it up a level in finesse and clarity.

This pasta jumps over this otherwise incredible white ragu, being more sophisticated: less steam train, more race car.

And look, this Rodney Dunn Mushroom Cannelloni with fresh pasta sheets was one of the best pastas we have cooked.

Though in terms of peak genius, this Casoncelli is just so much more refined. Just so much more ‘in the moment’ special.

We used sliced roast beef from the supermarket. Otherwise, everything is straightforward.

Slightly depressed to read this is a common dish in the Bergamo and Brescia parts of Italy, though I guess we’ve always known the Italians have truly the best food lives. I guess we have our beaches here in Sydney however. (I know which I would take!)

If you are like us and want to chase the Saturday-night pasta hit, this my friend is unquestionably the next rung in the ladder.

Ingredients

Pasta dough

Make my Kitchenaid Pasta dough

Filling

1 tbsp unsalted butter
150gm Italian sausage meat, crumbled
100gm roast beef, minced
120gm breadcrumbs
1 medium egg
70gm Parmesean, grated
10gm Amaretti biscuits (about 3), crushed
10gm raisins, soaked, squeezed and then chopped
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Sauce

80gm unsalted butter
80gm pancetta, cut into thin strips
4 sage leaves
80gm Parmesean, grated

Method

  1. Make the pasta per my Kitchenaid Pasta Dough Recipe.
  2. Make the filling: brown the sausage meat with the butter over a medium heat, then add the roast beef and cook for a few minutes, stirring often, so the flavours can mingle together. Transfer to a bowl, then add the breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesean, amaretti and raisins. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
  3. Roll the pasta in a pasta machine to setting 2. Using a round 7 – 8cm ravioli cutter, cut out as many circles of pasta as you can get.
  4. Place a tsp of the filling at the centre of each circle, then gently fold it over to form a half moon. Press the edges together using a fork.
  5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, in a frypan set over a medium heat, melt the butter for the sauce. Add the pancetta and sage and fry for a few minutes, until crispy.
  6. Cook the casoncelli in boiling water for a few minutes until they float to the top. Drain with a slotted spoon and transfer to the frying pan with pancetta and butter sauce. Sauté for 30 seconds, until evenly dressed.
  7. Serve immediately with a dusting of grated Parmesean.

Claudia Roden’s Provençale Daube

.Reading time 3 minutes.

Serves: 6 – 8

Red wine. Beef juices. Garlic, Orange peel. Herbs and spices. And hours of time in the oven or on the stove.

Nothing to assume this isn’t a marvellous winter lunch party dish.

Served with a Parmesan polenta, braised mushrooms and green beans, this was comfort dialed up.

We lit the fire pit, turned up the music and wow, didn’t this make for a great afternoon.

Skip breakfast and thank me later.

Ingredients

4 tbsp olive oil
1.5kg beef, cut into large pieces*
2 large onions, each cut into 6 wedges
125gm unsmoked pancetta or diced streaky bacon
5 garlic cloves, peeled
500gm carrots, cut into 1.5cm slices
1 bottle of red wine
2 bay leaves
4 – 5 thyme sprigs
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground allspice
3 – 4 cloves
2 – 3 tsp sugar
Strips of peel from 1 orange
3 – 4 tbsp cognac or grappa (optional)
Salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan or casserole over medium heat, put in the meat and cook, turning the pieces to brown all over.
  2. Remove the meat to a plate and put the onions and pancetta into the pan. Sauté for about 6 minutes, stirring until the onions are lightly coloured and the pancetta releases its fat. Add the garlic for the last minute or so, then the carrots, and season.
  3. Return the meat to the pan, pour in the wine and add the herbs and spices, sugar and orange peel. Add water to cover, bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to low, cover the pan, and simmer very gently for 2 – 3 hours, keeping the meat submerged, until it is so tender, you can cut it with a spoon. Towards the end of the cooking time, remove the orange peel and if you like, add the cognac.**

* My brother-in-law Sean really dropped in a cracking rump cap a week ago. He is a master of the BBQ and we share notes, ideas and recipes. We even once had a reverse-sear vs sous vide rib eye bone in challenge (he won ever so slightly, though a win is a win). Anyway, he would never have done a rump cap in a 6 hour braise, though my reading was that it was a perfect cut and indeed… it was.

If you can get a rump cap, trim it and this will be perfect.

** I did the main cooking time in the oven at 160c. After 2 hours, I removed the lid and cooked down the liquid for another hour or two. Would do it again.

Bordelaise Sauce with Mushrooms

.Reading time 2 minutes.

Serves: 8

A few years ago, I typed up this absolutely brilliant and iconic Thomas Keller dish, the “Yabba Dabba Do“. It is served with a classic Bordelaise sauce and this really is the finest of the juses.

One of our favourite dishes at what was an excellent, local French restaurant – before it closed – was a rib eye, bone-in served smothered with braised mushrooms.

So why not combine the two?

I adjusted this recipe to separate the mushrooms from the Bordelaise sauce and then to reduce the sauce, ready to serve at the side.

My mother joined us from a wonder, late-Autumn French lunch and the tomahawk I cooked over charcoal, with these mushrooms and the Bordelaise sauce was an absolute highlight.

For the rare occasions we do eat beef, this is unquestionably a recipe we will return to.

So rich. So satisfying. Classy!

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp shallot, minced
1 tsp minced garlic
3 tbsp butter
2 cups, sliced assorted mushrooms
1 c beef broth
1/3 c red wine
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp chopped fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp cold water

Method

  1. Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a skillet over a medium heat. Stir in the garlic and shallot and cook until the shallot has softened and turned translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining 3 tbsp of butter, then stir in the mushrooms once the butter has melted. Cook and stir the mushrooms until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
  2. Pour in the beef broth, wine and Worcestershire sauce; season with the bay leaf and thyme, and bring to a simmer over a medium-high heat. Once simmering, season to taste, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, uncovered until the sauce reduces slightly, about 30 minutes.
  3. Strain the mushrooms and solids, and set aside, retaining the sauce.
  4. Continuing on a medium-low heat, continue to simmer the sauce for another few minutes. Dissolve the cornstarch in the cold waer and stir into the simmering sauce until thickened.
  5. Serve the mushrooms along the Bordelaise sauce, ready to pour.

Neil Perry’s Guiness Beef Pie

.Reading time 5 minutes.

Serves: 4 – 6

We rarely cook beef and when we do, it needs to be special.

And this pie is definitly that, especially with the homemade shortcrust pastry; pastry packing so much falvour compared to the store-bought variety, unless time was of the essence, not sure how you couldn’t make your own going-forward.

Well done Nat!

A while ago, we cooked the Bourke Street Bakery Humble Beef Pie and it was just the perfect, pie-hop chunky beef pie.

This pie is magnitudes richer. The opposite end of the pie menu to the Humble Beef Pie. A fancy Saturday night pie.

Served with potato puree and braised peas, it was such a treat. Add a glass of red and heaven.

Some Saturday nights in call for a pie. This particular pie gets full marks for meeting the brief.

Another Neil Perry homerun.

Ingredients

1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
1.2kg beef brisket or chuck, cut into 2.5cm chunks
2 small brown onions, sliced
1 carrot, diced
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
750ml Guinness beer
300ml chicken stock
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp plain flour
1 sheet all-butter puff pastry
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Ketchup to serve

For the shortcrust pastry

350gm plain flour
180gm cold unsalted butter diced
Pinch of fine salt
4 egg yolks

Method

  1. For the shortcrust pastry, put the flour, butter and salt into a food processor and process to a breadcrumb-like texture. Add the egg yolks and, with the machine running, slowly add 1 1/2 tbsp iced water, adding just enough to form a dough. Turn out the dough onto a floured bench and knead gently, just until the pastry comes together, then wrap in plastic wrap and refridgerate for at least 30 minutes or until needed.
  2. Preheat the oven ton 150c.
  3. Heat half the olive oil in a large, heavy-based ovenproof saucepan or casserole and, working in batches, brown the beef, making sure you get it a good dark brown colour. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  4. Heat the rest of the oil in the same pan. Add the onions, carrot, celery, leek and garlic and cook, stirring regularly, until softened and caramelised.
  5. Return the meat to the pan, along with the thyme, bay leaf, Guinness, stock and 1 tsp of salt. then bring to a gentle simmer, skimming off any oil or scum that rises to the surface. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 2 – 3 hours or until the meat is very tender.
  6. Strain the meat and vegetables from the cooking liquid, keeping both in separate bowls.
  7. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, then add the flour and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it is a deep golden brown and toasty smelling. Whisk in the strained cooking liquid and simmer, whisking constantly, until you have a smooth, thick gravy. Pour the gravy into the bowl of meat and vegetables and stir well. Check the seasoning of your pie filling, then leave to cool completely.
  8. When you are ready to assemble, preheat the oven to 200c and lightly grease your pie tin. On a flour-dusted bench, roll out the shortcrust pastryto a 5mm thickness and then cut out a cirlce 24 – 29cm in diameter. Use to line the base of your pie tim, then spoon in the pie filling.
  9. Lay out the puff pastry and cut out a ircle about 22cm in diameter. Use to top the pie, pressing the edges of the pastry firmly together all the way around. Trim the edges neatly – if you like, you can use the pastry offcuts to make some leaf decorations for the top of the pie.
  10. Brush the pie with beaten egg yolk, then poke a small hole in the centre with the tip of a paring knife to allow steam to escape. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 25 – 20 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and deep golden. Serve immediately, with tomato sauce on the side.