I fancied meaty, tomatoey and deep flavour so threw together a bolognese first thing in the morning for the slow cooker. Ten hours later a rich stew awaits me. YUM.
Spaghetti bolognese for the slow cooker:
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stick, diced
500g beef mince
1 tablespoon flour
1 tin tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato puree
A little bay, thyme and oregano
100ml red wine
100ml beef stock
Cook the veg in a frying pan for a couple of minutes. Add the mince and brown, then add the flour and cook for a minute.
Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring everything to the simmer then add to the slow cooker. Leave for at least 8 hours, and serve with pasta, shredded basil leaves and grated cheese.
It may be a touch early in the year for this dish but I got a real craving for this earthy yet refreshing combination. The citrussy crackle of coriander with the deep earthiness of cumin can’t be beat when matched with a full-on red meat like this rump steak. Couple it with a refreshing and zingy salad and you’ve got something I could eat every day. This is a steak that should definitely be on the rare side, for succulence and fresh flesh flavours. Try and match it with a herby and peppery leaf mix for a very satisfying combination.
Cumin and coriander steak salad:
300g rump steak
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
For the salad:
Mixed leaves
1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Dash of soy sauce
Heat a griddle pan to dead hot. Pound the seeds together with a couple of black peppercorns in a pestle and mortar until crumbly (but not dust). Sprinkle this mixture over both sides of the steak and press in with your fingers.
Lay the steak on the pan and allow to cook, unmoved, for 2 – 3 mins. (At this point I like to turn 45 degrees ish for a criss-cross pattern). Turn over and cook for another 2 -3 mins, or until browned but with plenty of give when pressed with a finger.
Remove the steak to a hot plate to rest while you make the salad dressing. Whisk all the liquid ingredients together and toss with mixed leaves.
Sprinkle sea salt over the steak and lay on the salad leaves. Dribble any remaining dressing over the lot.
On those cold, snowy nights, the slow cooker must come into play. This was totally simple, but utterly delicious. Soft, flaky beef and sweet little chunks of carrot, in a thick oozy gravy. Total cost? About £3 for two big servings.
Beef casserole:
300g stewing steak, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
200g baby onions, peeled and halved
1 pint beef stock
1 teaspoon thyme
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon butter
Chopped parsley
Coat the beef in half the flour and season liberally. Fry in batches in a large pan, allowing to brown. Set to one side and fry the vegetables in the same pan gently for five minutes.
Place in a slow cooker on low and cover with the beef stock and herbs. Cook for 7 hours or until the beef is tender.
Strain off all the goodies and pour the liquids into a saucepan and boil fast to reduce down. Mix the flour and butter together to make a beurre manié and whisk vigorously into the sauce to thicken. Add the veg / meat back into the pan and serve with parsley, scooping up the debris with plenty of bread.
Some days of the year call for pure luxury, and I think New Year’s Day should be one of them. This renegade of the 70s is a favourite of mine in a decent old-fashioned restaurant, and is complete indulgence. In essence it’s fillet steak, sitting on pate and a crouton, in a red wine sauce. Traditionally it calls for foie gras but I’ve scaled it back to good old chicken liver pate. It’s absolutely delicious and great for a real treat. The tender meat, al dente mushrooms, smooth pate and crisp crouton, all going down with a savoury sauce… yum.
Tournedos rossini:
500g fillet steak, at room temperature
5 – 6 closed cup mushrooms, sliced
Slightly stale bread, cut to rounds (preferably the same size as the steak) and toasted
Pate, cut like the bread
For the sauce:
1 garlic clove, unpeeled
Small glass of red wine
Splash of balsamic vinegar
500ml beef stock
Fry the mushrooms in a little oil and butter. Get on with the steaks while they cook. You want them to be fairly soft. Don’t season them until right at the end to make sure they don’t release water early.
In another pan season the beef with pepper and fry in a very hot pan for 3 minutes either side. You’re looking for a nice bounce to the meat when pressed with a thumb – please keep it medium – rare. Leave the meat to rest on a hot plate while you make the sauce.
Add the garlic clove to the steak pan and deglaze with wine. When this has reduced to a nice syrup add the stock and vinegar and bubble fast to reduce this liquid down.
Check for seasoning, remove the garlic and throw in the mushrooms.
Season the meat with salt and add the meat juices to the sauce.
Assemble the dish with bread, then pate, then the meat, finally top with sauce.
