We had this recipe on Saturday when we had all of the family over to say goodbye to Joe before he heads for the States.
It was great to get all twenty one ( only two absences) of us together something that happens all too rarely.
The weather was also kind to us and we whiled away the afternoon and early evening in the garden.
This recipe seemed to go down well.It looks complicated but I promise you that it isn't, the trick is that it can all be prepared in advance leaving you to enjoy yourself .... and anyway the taste is well worth the little bit of effort.
The meal was finished off with the legendary combination of a classic River Cafe pear and almond tart and a giant bowl ice full of Calippos, Nobbly Bobblies and Twisters ... very very sophisticated.
Things to do ahead of time
To make the basil oil
15g Basil
1 Unwaxed lemon, zest; juice of half
80ml Extra virgin olive oil
remove the leaves and place in a food processor with a pinch of sea salt and half the lemon zest. Pulse until chopped well.
Pour in the olive oil and pulse until you have a rough, bright green sauce. Set aside
To roast the onions
1 red onion - peeled and cut into an eighth inch thick pinwheels
30 mls extra virgin olive oil
50 mls balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon of sugar
Sea-salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place the pinwheels of onions in a non stick baking tray - pour over the balsamic vinegar and olive oil - sprinkle over the sugar and season with a little salt & pepper.
Place in a pre-heated oven (180 degrees) and roast for 25 minutes - turning once during the cooking time.watch them, they burn easily
Remove from the oven and allow the onions to cool to room temperature.
slow roasted tomatoes
10 ripe vine tomatoes
½ teapsoon caster sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Heat your oven to its lowest setting – probably around 100c.
Halve the tomatoes and lay the cut side up, in a single layer, on a baking tray.
Mix together the sugar, salt and pepper and sprinkle this mix over the tomatoes. roast, undisturbed, for 3-4 hours until they shrivel up.
Remove and set aside until ready to use.
They will keep well for several days or you can store them for longer (up to a month) in sterilised jars, covered with a layer of extra virgin olive oil.
Horseradish cream
300gms creme fraiche
3 tbs hot horseradish sauce (fresh if you can get it)
1 tbs dijon mustard
mix together
The rest of the recipe
for 4 people
Ingredients
800gms Beef fillet in one piece
800gms new potatoes or waxy ones
zest of half a lemon
Juice of half a lemon
4 tbs olive oil
300gms green beans
bag of rocket
Method
pre-heat oven to 200c
Heat non stick pan with scant tablespoon of olive oil until v hot.
Season the beef well then sear it on all sides then put in oven for 12 minutes.
Remove from oven and leave to rest (DO NOT CUT IT UNTIL IT HAS RESTED!)
While beef in oven
- cook the potatoes in salted water until cooked (approx 10 - 15 mins)
- blanch beans in boiling salted water for 2-3 mins then drain and cool by rinsing in cold water
When the potatoes are cooked put them in a large bowl cut each of them in half and pour over the olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest and season well whilst the potatoes are still warm. Now leave to cool.
Slice the beef in to generous slices
Putting it all together
Mix the beans and rocket in with the potatoes (gently so that you dont break the potatoes up too much.
mix in the tomatoes and onions.
on each plate make a small tower of beef and salad in layers.
Drizzle with basil oil and put a generous dollop of horseradish cream on the side
It was great to get all twenty one ( only two absences) of us together something that happens all too rarely.
The weather was also kind to us and we whiled away the afternoon and early evening in the garden.
This recipe seemed to go down well.It looks complicated but I promise you that it isn't, the trick is that it can all be prepared in advance leaving you to enjoy yourself .... and anyway the taste is well worth the little bit of effort.
The meal was finished off with the legendary combination of a classic River Cafe pear and almond tart and a giant bowl ice full of Calippos, Nobbly Bobblies and Twisters ... very very sophisticated.
Things to do ahead of time
To make the basil oil
15g Basil
1 Unwaxed lemon, zest; juice of half
80ml Extra virgin olive oil
remove the leaves and place in a food processor with a pinch of sea salt and half the lemon zest. Pulse until chopped well.
Pour in the olive oil and pulse until you have a rough, bright green sauce. Set aside
To roast the onions
1 red onion - peeled and cut into an eighth inch thick pinwheels
30 mls extra virgin olive oil
50 mls balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon of sugar
Sea-salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place the pinwheels of onions in a non stick baking tray - pour over the balsamic vinegar and olive oil - sprinkle over the sugar and season with a little salt & pepper.
Place in a pre-heated oven (180 degrees) and roast for 25 minutes - turning once during the cooking time.watch them, they burn easily
Remove from the oven and allow the onions to cool to room temperature.
slow roasted tomatoes
10 ripe vine tomatoes
½ teapsoon caster sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Heat your oven to its lowest setting – probably around 100c.
Halve the tomatoes and lay the cut side up, in a single layer, on a baking tray.
Mix together the sugar, salt and pepper and sprinkle this mix over the tomatoes. roast, undisturbed, for 3-4 hours until they shrivel up.
Remove and set aside until ready to use.
They will keep well for several days or you can store them for longer (up to a month) in sterilised jars, covered with a layer of extra virgin olive oil.
Horseradish cream
300gms creme fraiche
3 tbs hot horseradish sauce (fresh if you can get it)
1 tbs dijon mustard
mix together
The rest of the recipe
for 4 people
Ingredients
800gms Beef fillet in one piece
800gms new potatoes or waxy ones
zest of half a lemon
Juice of half a lemon
4 tbs olive oil
300gms green beans
bag of rocket
Method
pre-heat oven to 200c
Heat non stick pan with scant tablespoon of olive oil until v hot.
Season the beef well then sear it on all sides then put in oven for 12 minutes.
Remove from oven and leave to rest (DO NOT CUT IT UNTIL IT HAS RESTED!)
While beef in oven
- cook the potatoes in salted water until cooked (approx 10 - 15 mins)
- blanch beans in boiling salted water for 2-3 mins then drain and cool by rinsing in cold water
When the potatoes are cooked put them in a large bowl cut each of them in half and pour over the olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest and season well whilst the potatoes are still warm. Now leave to cool.
Slice the beef in to generous slices
Putting it all together
Mix the beans and rocket in with the potatoes (gently so that you dont break the potatoes up too much.
mix in the tomatoes and onions.
on each plate make a small tower of beef and salad in layers.
Drizzle with basil oil and put a generous dollop of horseradish cream on the side
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